Catheter Valve and Methods of Using Same

Abstract

A valve is provided with a valve body, a tubular member and a slidable member. The valve body includes a top portion with an inclined sliding surface having a longitudinal slot forming a track and a bottom portion corresponding with the top portion. The tubular member includes walls defining a passageway extending through the valve body. The slidable member is disposed along the track and engageable with the walls of the tubular member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A valve comprising:
 a valve body having a top portion with an inclined sliding surface with a longitudinal slot forming a track and a bottom portion corresponding with the top portion;   a tubular member having walls defining a passageway extending through the valve body; and   a slidable member disposed along the track and engageable with the walls of the tubular member.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the slidable member includes an exterior portion adapted to be engaged by a user and an interior contact portion. 
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the slidable member is at least partially disposed within the track and moves along the inclined sliding surface. 
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 2 , wherein the tubular member is disposed between the interior contact portion and the bottom portion. 
     
     
         5 . The valve of  claim 4 , wherein the interior contact portion extends away from the exterior portion and toward the bottom portion. 
     
     
         6 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein opposing sides of the walls are urged toward each other when the slidable member engages one of the opposing sides. 
     
     
         7 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the inclined sliding surface with respect to a longitudinal axis is approximately 3-9°. 
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensitive valve fluidly connected to the tubular member. 
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the slidable member includes a movement indicator. 
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the movement indicator is an audible click device. 
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the movement indicator is a tactile indicator device. 
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein the movement indicator is a visual indicator device. 
     
     
         13 . A valve comprising:
 a valve body having a top portion with an inclined sliding surface with a longitudinal slot forming a track and a bottom portion corresponding with the top portion; and   a slidable member disposed along the track and having a sliding top portion and a sliding bottom portion with a curved contact portion.   
     
     
         14 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein the sliding top portion and the sliding bottom portion attach to one another using a tab portion extending through the longitudinal slot such that the inclined sliding surface is sandwiched between the sliding top portion and the sliding bottom portion. 
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein the sliding top portion and tab portion are press-fit together . 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 13 , wherein the sliding top portion moves the sliding bottom portion toward and away from the bottom portion when the top portion moves along the longitudinal slot. 
     
     
         17 . A valve comprising:
 a valve body having a top portion with an inclined sliding surface with a longitudinal slot forming a track and a bottom portion corresponding with the top portion and having base and a raised structure extending up from the base;   a slidable member disposed along the track and having an interior contact portion extending toward the base; and   a tubular member having walls defining a passageway extending through the valve body; and mutually engageable with the raised structure and the interior contact portion.   
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the tubular member is disposed along the raised structure between the interior contact portion and the raised structure. 
     
     
         19 . The valve of  claim 17 , wherein the tubular member bends along a profile of the raised structure.