Luer-receiving medical valve

Abstract

A luer receiving medical valve for the sterile transfer of fluid from a luer-tapered male end having a surrounding female luer lock threaded end. The luer receiver includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a lumen extending from the inlet to the outlet. An elastomeric sealing member occludes the inlet and has a slit extending through it. In a preferred embodiment, a support is provided adjacent the housing inlet and adjacent the sealing member. The support includes opposing posts separated by slots, the slots permitting expansion of the sealing member when the male luer is inserted into the slit.

I claim:  
     
       1. A medical luer receiver for the sterile transfer of fluid from a luer-tapered male end having a surrounding female luer lock threaded end, comprising: 
       a. a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a lumen extending from said inlet to said outlet;  
       b. an elastomeric sealing member defining a longitudinal axis and having a central portion and occluding said inlet, said sealing member having an outerface;  
       c. a slit extending through said sealing member, said slit defining a long transverse axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, and further having a length along said long transverse axis sufficient to receive said male end into said slit;  
       d. a support portion defining a longitudinal axis, said support portion being positioned adjacent said inlet and adjacent said sealing member;  
       e. said support portion including opposing posts and slots defined therebetween, said slots functioning to allow expansion of said sealing member when said male end is inserted into said slit.  
     
     
       2. The receiver of  claim 1  wherein said sealing member defines an elongated cross-section transverse said sealing member longitudinal axis, said sealing member defining opposing lateral walls adjacent said long transverse axis of said slit. 
     
     
       3. The receiver of  claim 2  wherein said slots are positioned adjacent said sealing member such that said lateral walls are deflected into said slots when said male end is received into said slit of said sealing member. 
     
     
       4. A medical connection system for the sterile transfer of fluid, comprising: 
       a. a luer-lock connector including an open female cylindrical end, said end defining an interior threaded wall, said connector further including a cannula centrally positioned within said cylindrical female end, said wall and said cannula defining a partially enclosed narrow tubular space intermediate said cannula and said wall,  
       b. a connection terminal including a housing having an inlet and an outlet, said housing adjacent said inlet being sized to be received within said tubular space,  
       c. an elastomeric sealing member mounted within said inlet, said member defining a longitudinal axis, said member further defining a proximal end portion adjacent said inlet, said proximal end portion including an outer face,  
       d. a perforation extending through said sealing member, at least a portion of said perforation being capable of receiving at least a portion of said cannula by penetration of said cannula into said perforation, said cannula upon said penetration displacing at least a portion of said sealing member transverse to said axis to define a displaced member,  
       e. said housing having at least one cutout adjacent said inlet, said cutout functioning to receive at least a portion of said displaced member into said tubular space when said cannula is received into said perforation so that said housing adjacent said inlet and at least said proximal end portion of said sealing member can be received into said female cylindrical end when said cannula is received into said perforation.  
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein said housing adjacent said inlet includes at least one flange for engaging said threaded wall so that said female cylindrical end can be threaded onto said housing to securely connect said female end to said housing. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4  wherein said housing includes at least one cantilevered bar adjacent said inlet sized for being received within said tubular space of said female end. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  wherein at least two directly opposed cantilevered bars are provided adjacent said inlet. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein said bars define slots intermediate said bars for receiving said displaced member of said sealing member. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8  wherein said bars are directly opposed, said sealing member being mounted intermediate said directly opposed bars. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  wherein said perforation is a slit. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein said slit is aligned with said bars such that said slit extends from adjacent one said bar to a position adjacent the bar opposing said one bar. 
     
     
       12. A medical connection terminal for secure connection of a luer lock connector having a female threaded end, said connector having a cannula centrally disposed within said female end, the terminal comprising: 
       a. a rigid housing defining an axis and having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said housing having an inlet adjacent said proximal portion and an outlet adjacent said distal portion, said proximal portion having at least one cutout adjacent said inlet,  
       b. an elastomeric sealing member mounted within said inlet, said member having an outer face and a sealed perforation extending through said member from adjacent said outer face toward said outlet, said perforation being sized to receive said cannula, said member expanding adjacent said outer face to define an expanded sealing member when said cannula is received within said perforation, at least a portion of said expanded member expanding into said cutout, said expanded member and said proximal portion of said housing being sized to be threadably received within said female end so that when said cannula is inserted into said perforation, said female end can be threadably locked over said proximal portion of said housing.  
     
     
       13. A medical connection terminal of  claim 12  wherein said proximal portion of said housing includes at least two cutouts. 
     
     
       14. The medical connection terminal of  claim 13  wherein said cutouts are oppositely disposed, said housing further including at least two oppositely disposed cantilevered bars intermediate said cutouts. 
     
     
       15. The medical connection terminal of  claim 14  wherein said perforation is a slit. 
     
     
       16. The medical connection terminal of  claim 15  wherein said sealing member defines a longitudinal axis and wherein said slit defines a longitudinal axis transverse to said sealing member longitudinal axis, said slit dividing said sealing member into oppositely disposed lateral portions, said longitudinal axis of said slit being aligned with said bars so that when said cannula is received into said slit, said oppositely disposed lateral portions are displaced by said cannula into said cutouts. 
     
     
       17. The medical connection terminal of  claim 16  wherein said sealing member includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, said proximal portion of said sealing member having an elongated cross-section defining a major axis, said longitudinal axis of said slit extending along said major axis. 
     
     
       18. The medical connection terminal of  claim 17  wherein said proximal portion of said sealing member is more compliant than said distal portion. 
     
     
       19. The medical connection terminal of  claim 12  further including at least one strap member connected to said sealing member, said strap member extending through said cutout, said strap member functioning to secure said sealing member to said housing in said mounted position within said inlet. 
     
     
       20. A medical luer lock connection system comprising: 
       a. a male connection terminal defining a rigid housing having a longitudinal axis, an inlet, an outlet, and a lumen extending along said axis, and an elastomeric sealing member mounted within said inlet, said elastomeric sealing member comprising an elastomeric upper portion and a vertically extending elastomeric lower portion integral with said upper portion, said elastomeric lower portion projection downwardly from said elastomeric upper portion along said longitudinal axis of said housing, said lumen providing an open flow path from said elastomeric lower portion through said housing to said outlet,  
       b. a cylindrical female connection terminal including cylindrical interior walls, said interior walls including a locking member for locking onto said rigid housing, said female terminal having a centrally disposed blunt cannula projecting therein, said female terminal defining a narrow tubular open space intermediate said central cannula and said interior walls, said female terminal being sized to be received over said housing adjacent said inlet,  
       c. a sealed perforation through said elastomeric sealing member for receiving said cannula, said perforation comprising a slit, said slit having a first length, transverse to said longitudinal axis, that is sufficient to receive said central cannula into said slit, said slit having a second length generally along said longitudinal axis through said upper portion, and through said vertically extending lower portion, to substantially divide said lower portion into opposing lateral elastomeric wall portions, said wall portions contacting each other to seal said slit,  
       d. said housing including a proximal portion adjacent said inlet, said proximal portion including oppositely disposed slots, said proximal portion of said housing further being sized to be received within said tubular open space of said female connection terminal, said opposing lateral elastomeric wall portions being positioned adjacent said oppositely disposed slots such that said opposing lateral elastomeric wall portions define inner peripheries of said slots,  
       e. said blunt cannula displacing at least a portion of said elastomeric sealing member into said slots when said cannula is received into said perforation to define a displaced member, said slots thus functioning to receive at least a portion of said displaced member,  
       f. said proximal portion of said housing, and at least a portion of said displaced member within said slots being received into said narrow space when said cannula is received into said perforation and said female connection terminal is locked onto said housing of said male connection terminal.  
     
     
       21. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said narrow tubular open space is approximately 3 mm or less in width. 
     
     
       22. The connection system of  claim 21  wherein said cannula has an approximate diameter of 3-4   3 . 5 - 4 mm. 
     
     
       23. The connection system of  claim 22  wherein said female connection terminal has an internal diameter intermediate said interior walls of approximately 7-8 mm. 
     
     
       24. The connection system of  claim 23  wherein said perforation is a slit having a length approximately equal to the diameter of said cannula. 
     
     
       25. A medical connection system comprising: 
       a. a first terminal including a luer lock connector, said connector having a cylindrical female end and a blunt cannula centrally disposed within said end,  
       b. a second terminal including a housing having an inlet and an outlet and defining a housing portion adjacent said inlet, said portion including at least one cutout, said housing portion being sized to be received into said female end of said first terminal,  
       c. an elastomeric sealing member disposed within said inlet of said second terminal, said member having an outer face and being mounted with said second terminal such that said outer face is adjacent said inlet, said sealing member having a perforation extending from said outer face through said sealing member for receiving said cannula, said sealing member, and said cutout being configured such that said sealing member can expand into said cutout when said cannula is inserted into said perforation, said housing portion with said sealing member being sized so as to be received into said female end when said cannula is received into said perforation and said sealing member has expanded into said cutout.  
     
     
       26. A connection system for connecting a first tubing system with a second tubing system, said system including: 
       a. a female terminal comprising a cylindrical female luer lock connector defining interior threaded walls and having a cannula centrally disposed within said connector,  
       b. a male terminal comprising a rigid housing defining an axis and having a proximal portion including an inlet and a distal portion including an outlet, said proximal portion having opposing cantilevered bars and further having opposing slots intermediate said bars, said bars including at least one flange, said bars being sized to be received within said female luer lock connector such that said flange can engage said interior threaded walls,  
       c. an elastomeric sealing member mounted within said inlet and having a closed central perforation through said member, said perforation being sized to receive said cannula, at least a portion of said sealing member deflecting upon receipt of said cannula into said perforation to define at least one deflected sealing member portion, said sealing member, said bars, and said cutouts being sized and configured so that said bars and said sealing member can be received into said female luer lock connector when said cannula is advanced into said perforation so that said female luer lock connector may be threadably locked about said proximal portion when said centrally positioned cannula is received within said perforation.  
     
     
       27. The connection system of  claim 20 , wherein said elastomeric upper portion of said sealing member defines an elastomeric umbrella that covers said inlet, said umbrella having an upper surface and being mounted to said housing such that said outer surface is disposed adjacent said inlet, said elastomeric lower portion of said sealing member projects downwardly from said umbrella along said longitudinal axis of said housing, said elastomeric lower portion defining, in transverse cross- section, a nearly rectangular or elongated ellipsoid structure having a major axis transverse to said longitudinal axis of said housing and a major axis perpendicular to said major axis, said first length of said slit is generally aligned with said major axis of said lower portion, said cylindrical female connection terminal comprises a luer lock connector, and said blunt cannula comprises a luer cannula having a luer tip.   
     
     
       28. The connection system of  claim 27  wherein said vertically extending lower portion has a length along said major axis greater than said first length of said slit so that said lower portion defines end walls at the ends of the slit. 
     
     
       29. The connection system of  claim 28  wherein a deflection of said lateral elastomeric wall portions along said minor axis when said luer tip is advanced into said slit is greater then a deflection of said end elastomeric walls along said major axis when said luer tip is advanced into said slit. 
     
     
       30. The connection system of  claim 28  wherein a length of said lower portion along said major axis is less when said luer tip is advanced into said slit through said lower portion than when the slit is free from said luer tip, said end walls moving closer together when said luer tip is advanced into said slit to tightly seal about said luer tip. 
     
     
       31. The connection system of  claim 27  wherein said elastomeric umbrella defines an upper wall of each of said oppositely disposed slots. 
     
     
       32. The connection system of  claim 27  wherein a length of said lower portion along said minor axis is greater when said luer tip is advanced into said slit through said extension than when the slit is free from said luer tip. 
     
     
       33. The connection system of  claim 27  wherein a length of said lower portion along said minor axis in at least one cross- sectional plane through said lower portion is about  2  mm when said slit is free from penetration by said luer tip.   
     
     
       34. The connection system of  claim 27  wherein a length of said lower portion along said minor axis in at least one cross- sectional plane through said lower portion falls within a range of about  2  mm- 4  mm when said slit is free from penetration by said luer tip.   
     
     
       35. The connection system of  claim 34  wherein the length of said lower portion along said minor axis in said at least one cross- sectional plane through said lower portion falls within a range of about  5 . 5 - 8  mm when the luer tip is positioned within said slit of said lower portion.   
     
     
       36. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said proximal portion of said housing is defined by a peripheral wall adjacent said inlet, said slots extending into said peripheral wall as cutouts. 
     
     
       37. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said lateral wall portions are about  1  mm in thickness. 
     
     
       38. The connection system of  claim 37  wherein when the luer tip is positioned within said slit of said lower portion, a combined dimension of said lower portion along said major axis and a dimension of said lower portion along said minor axis is approximately  1 . 0 - 2 . 5  mm less than a corresponding internal diameter of the female luer lock connector. 
     
     
       39. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein a dimension of said lower portion in a direction transverse to said first length of said slit in at least one cross- sectional plane through said lower portion is about  2  mm when said slit is free from penetration by said luer tip.   
     
     
       40. The connection system of  claim 39  wherein a dimension of said lower portion in a direction transverse to said first length of said slit in said at least one cross- sectional plane through said lower portion is about  5 . 5  mm when the luer tip is positioned within said slit in said lower portion.   
     
     
       41. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said elastomeric sealing member further includes an elastomeric tubular extension mounted within said lumen and projecting from said lower portion, said extension defining an internal flow path in fluid communication with said outlet, said extension isolating said flow path from fluid communication with said housing. 
     
     
       42. The connection system of  claim 41  further including a rigid tube projecting within said housing toward said inlet, said tube defining a bore, said extension being mounted about said tube, so that said bore is in fluid communication with said flow path of said extension and further in fluid communication with said lower portion of said elastomeric sealing member. 
     
     
       43. The connection system of  claim 42  wherein said elastomeric extension is intussuscepted over said tube. 
     
     
       44. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said oppositely disposed slots are in parallel alignment with a plane of said slit. 
     
     
       45. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein said oppositely disposed slots are transversely separated from each other by said opposing elastomeric lateral wall portions of said lower portion. 
     
     
       46. The connection system of  claim 45  wherein said slots are transversely separated by about  2  mm. 
     
     
       47. The connection system of  claim 20  wherein the housing and the lower portion of the elastomeric sealing member define said slots therebetween for receiving at least a portion of the lower portion of the elastomeric sealing member when the central cannula is inserted into the housing.