Needleless access connector and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8951233-B2
Application number	US-201213593278-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2012
Priority date	Mar 24, 2010
Publication date	Feb 10, 2015
Grant date	Feb 10, 2015

Abstract

A positive-displacement needleless access connector is disclosed that has a housing with a first luer fitting at a proximal end thereof, a base with a second luer fitting at a distal end thereof, and a valve element with a proximal end that creates a seal at the first luer fitting and fastens to the base so that a surface of the valve element is substantially flush with a surface of the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positive-displacement needleless access connector comprising:
a housing that has a first luer fitting at a proximal end thereof;
a base that has a second luer fitting at a distal end thereof; and
a valve element having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end creates a seal at the first luer fitting and the distal end fastens to a proximal end of the base using an interlocking snap fitting, wherein the valve element includes a septum, and the valve element and the base define an air passageway that connects the septum with an atmosphere.

2. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing, valve element, and base define a fluid flow path from the first luer fitting to the second luer fitting.

3. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 2 , wherein the air passageway is sealed from the fluid flow path.

4. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 1 in which an air passageway from a septum of the valve element comprises a single path axially disposed within a portion of the base that forms part of the snap fitting.

5. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 4 in which the air passageway further comprises branches from the single path to the atmosphere.

6. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 5 in which the branches are triangularly shaped.

7. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the base have corresponding, mating surfaces.

8. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 7 wherein the corresponding, mating surfaces comprise v-shaped cam surfaces.

9. The positive-displacement needleless access connector of claim 7 wherein the corresponding, mating surfaces comprise a slot and key fitting.

Assignees

• Mansour George M
• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Mansour George M

Classifications

• A61M2039/2433

  Valve comprising a resilient or deformable element, e.g. flap valve, deformable disc · CPC title

• A61M39/04 Primary

  having pierceable self-sealing members · CPC title

• A61M2039/263

  where the fluid space within the valve is decreasing upon disconnection · CPC title

• A61M2039/1072

  with a septum present in the connector · CPC title

• A61M2039/1033

  Swivel nut connectors, e.g. threaded connectors, bayonet-connectors · CPC title