Automatic shut-off male lure fitting

Abstract

The medical connector may include a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the body, an inlet port defined at a proximal end of the body and an outlet port defined at a distal end of the body. The medical connector further includes a compressible valve member having a normally closed slit disposed within the lumen and extending through the inner and outer surfaces of the body to an exterior of the medical connector. The compressible valve member may be configured to compress radially inwardly to open the slit upon insertion of the body into the medical access device and to expand radially outwardly to close the slit upon separation of the body from the medical access device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 168,177, filed Mar. 30, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to medical fluid connectors, and more particularly to automatic shut-off male luer fittings designed to close fluid pathways when separated from a medical access device.

Background Art

[0003] Medical connectors are widely used in fluid delivery systems such as those used for connecting intravenous fluid lines, blood access, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, enteral nutrition, drug vial access, and the like.

[0004] Conventional medical connectors require healthcare providers to exercise extreme caution during connection or separation, particularly when the connector is primed with fluid and separated, due to the potential for drugs to remain or drip inside the connector. Healthcare providers must also physically ensure that all clamps are closed to prevent free-flow leakage. Some female connectors are designed to extrude fluid in the throat of the connector onto the surface upon separation. This is desirable for sterile connectors providing a wipeable surface, but there is a possibility that fluid will drip from the device upon separation. Other connectors use membranes with septa, but this also has the potential for fluid to leak from the connector. <00,00017> The descriptions presented in the Background Art section should not be regarded as prior art merely because they are described or associated with the Background Art section. The Background Art section may contain information describing one or more aspects of the claimed technology.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] A connector for medical fluids is needed that has a standardized connection for use with existing medical connectors and that minimizes or eliminates dripping during connection or disconnection. Furthermore, an auto-shutting male Luer connector is required that allows clinicians to easily disconnect without having to physically close all clamps to prevent free-flow leakage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, a medical connector may include a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the body; an inlet port defined at the proximal end of the body and an outlet port defined at the distal end of the body; and a compressible valve member. The compressible valve member has a normally closed slit, is positioned within the lumen, and may extend outward through the inner and outer surfaces of the body to the outside of the medical connector. The compressible valve member may be configured to compress radially inward to open the slit when the body is inserted into a medical access device. The compressible valve member may further be configured to expand radially outward to close the slit when the body is separated from the medical access device.

[0008] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for assembling a medical connector may involve providing a connector body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the connector body. The method may further involve positioning a compressible valve member having a normally closed slit within the lumen such that the outer surface of the compressible valve member extends to the outside of the medical connector through the inner and outer surfaces of the connector body.

[0009] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a connector assembly may include a female lure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of a female lure, and a male lure that is at least partially and removably disposed within the lumen of the female lure. The male lure may include a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the body, and a compressible valve member disposed within the lumen and extending through the inner and outer surfaces of the body. The compressible valve member may have an outer surface and an inner surface including a slit. When the male lure is disposed within the female lure, the inner surface of the female lure may compress at least a portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member to open the slit. When removed from the female lure, the compressible valve member may expand radially outward to close the slit.

[0010] Other configurations of the subject art will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, and it will be understood that various configurations of the subject art are illustrated and described as illustrative. As will be understood, the subject art is capable of other and various configurations, and some of its details can be modified in various other ways without all deviations from the scope of the subject art. Therefore, the drawings and detailed description should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0011] The accompanying figures are included to illustrate specific aspects of the embodiments and should not be considered exclusive embodiments. The disclosed subject matter is subject to considerable modification, substitution, combination, and equivalents in form and function, as can be conceived by those skilled in the art and in the interest of the present disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Perspective views of male Luer medical connectors for fluid delivery according to some embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. [Figure 2A] The following are partial perspective views of a male luer medical connector with the valve member in the open position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] Figure 2A shows a front plan view of a male luer medical connector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] The image shows a partial perspective view of a male luer medical connector with the valve member in the closed position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] Figure 3A shows a front plan view of a male luer medical connector according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] The following are partial cross-sectional views of a male luer medical connector with the valve member in the open position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] The following are partial cross-sectional views of a male Luer medical connector with the valve member in the closed position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] This shows a cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector in which a compressible valve member is connected to a medical access device. [Figure 5B] This shows a cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector with a compressible valve member disconnected from a medical access device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The detailed description below describes various configurations of the subject art and is not intended to represent only the configurations in which the subject art can be practiced. The detailed description includes certain details to provide a complete understanding of the subject art. Therefore, dimensions may be provided with respect to certain embodiments as non-limiting examples. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject art can be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known structures and components are shown in the form of block diagrams to avoid obscuring the concepts of the subject art.

[0014] This disclosure includes examples of the subject art and should not be understood as limiting the scope of the appended claims. Here, various aspects of the subject art are disclosed in accordance with specific, but non-limiting, examples. The various embodiments described herein may be carried out in different ways and variations according to the desired use or practice.

[0015] Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to providing medical connectors that minimize fluid leakage resulting from unexpected or accidental disconnection of a medical connector from a medical access device, such as a female Luer or other needle-free valve. Similar to existing medical connectors, the male Luer portion of the medical connectors of the various embodiments of the disclosure described herein can be inserted into a female Luer of another needle-free access device to create a fluid path between a fluid delivery mechanism and a patient. To avoid dripping or leakage of medical fluid that could be harmful to healthcare providers or patients, the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein are designed to minimize or eliminate fluid dripping or leakage when connecting the medical connector 100 to another access device, or in particular when disconnecting it from another access device when both of those devices are primed with fluid.

[0016] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the proximal end of a medical connector may include an inlet port that can be connected to a fluid delivery source or device, such as an IV fluid bag or a pump. In some embodiments, the medical connector may be a male luer having a body that is compliant with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and has a male luer portion that interacts with a standard female luer or a needleless access device. As will be described in more detail, the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein may differ from conventional male luers by including a compressible valve member that includes a normally closed slit. The compressible valve member may be located within the lumen of the medical connector and may extend outward through the inner and outer surfaces of the body. In some embodiments, the compressible valve member may be configured to compress radially inward to open the slit when the body is inserted into a medical access device. The compressible valve member may be configured to expand radially outward to close the slit when the body is separated from the medical access device. Therefore, the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein can advantageously prevent the dripping or leakage of medical fluids, which is a common problem that occurs when separating existing medical connectors (e.g., male luer connectors) from medical access devices. Furthermore, the automatic shutoff of the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein can easily enable clinicians to disconnect them without having to physically close all clamps to prevent free-flow leakage.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a male Luer medical connector 100 for fluid delivery, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown, the medical connector 100 may include a body 102. The body 102 may have an outer surface 104 and an inner surface 109 that defines a lumen 111 of the body 102. The connector 100 may further include an inlet port 106 defined at a proximal end 105 of the body 102 and an outlet port 108 defined at a distal end 107 of the body 102. The inlet port 106 may be connected to a fluid delivery source or fluid delivery device such as an IV fluid bag, a pump, etc. As will be described in further detail below with respect to at least FIGS. 5A and 5B, the distal end 107 including the outlet port 108 of the medical connector 100 may be inserted into a female Luer of another medical access device to create a fluid path 126 between the fluid delivery source or fluid delivery device and the patient. In some embodiments, the lumen 111 is in fluid communication with the inlet port 106 and the outlet port 108 and forms part of the fluid path between the fluid delivery source or fluid delivery device and the patient.

[0018] In some embodiments, the inlet port 106 can receive a male Luer portion of another medical access device and allow fluid to pass into the fluid path 126. Thus, the proximal end 105 of the connector 100 can be in the form of a female Luer portion or can be in the form of any other type of inlet port, such as a bond pocket or another connector, while remaining within the scope of the concepts described herein.

[0019] FIG. 2A shows a partial perspective view of a male Luer medical connector 100 with a valve member 116 in an open position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B shows a front plan view of the drawing of the male Luer medical connector 100 of FIG. 2A, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3A shows a partial perspective view of a male Luer medical connector 100 with a valve member 116 in a closed position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG., 3B shows a front plan view of the drawing of the male Luer medical connector 100 of FIG. 3A, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2A to 3B, the connector 100 may further include a compressible valve member 116 disposed within the lumen 111. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the compressible valve member 116 may extend outside the medical connector 100 through the inner surface 109 and the outer surface 104 of the body 102. In some embodiments, the compressible valve member 116 may be formed from an elastomeric material or, in other cases, may include an elastomeric material. In some embodiments, the elastomeric material may be silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof.

[0021] As further shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the compressible valve member 116 may further include a normally closed slit 112 configured to selectively open and close a fluid path 126 between a fluid delivery source or device and a patient. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A and as will be further described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 5 and 5B, the compressible valve member 116 may be configured to compress radially inwardly to open the slit 112 upon insertion of the body 102 into the medical access device 150. Further, as shown in FIGS. AB and 3B and as will be further described in more detail with respect to FIGS, 5A and 5B, the compressible valve member 116 may be configured to expand radially outwardly to close the slit 112 upon separation of the body 102 from the medical access device 150.

[0022] FIG. 4A shows a partial cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector with the valve member in the open position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4B shows a partial cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector with the valve member in the closed position, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B while continuing to refer to FIGS. 2A to 3B, the outer surface 110 of the compressible valve member 116 may extend outside the medical connector 100. The compressible valve member 116 may further include an inner surface where the slit 112 is defined. As shown, the slit 112 may define at least a portion of a flow path through the compressible valve member.

[0023] Figure 5A shows a cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector in which a compressible valve member is connected to a medical access device. Figure 5B shows a cross-sectional view of a male Luer medical connector in which a compressible valve member is disconnected from a medical access device. According to various embodiments of this disclosure, the compressible valve member 116 may have a proximal end 113 and a distal end 115. As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the body of the compressible valve member may have a shape that tapers from the distal end to the proximal end. For example, in some embodiments, the compressible valve member may be a duckbill valve.

[0024] Referring to Figures 3A to 4B, and then to Figures 5A and 5B, the slit 112 can divide at least a portion of the body 118 of the compressible valve member 116 into a first valve section 118A and a second valve section 118B. During operation, as shown in Figure 5A, when the body 102 of the medical connector 100 is inserted into the medical access device 150, the first valve section 118A and the second valve section 118B are biased to separate from each other, opening the slit 112. When the slit 112 is opened, the fluid path 126 between the fluid delivery source or fluid delivery device and the patient is opened, thus opening the lumen of the medical access device 150. 122 The lumen 111 of the medical connector 100 is also connected to the fluid.

[0025] In particular, the outer surface 110 of the compressible valve member 116 may extend outward from the medical connector 100 and protrude above the outer surface of the main body 102, so in the engaged state of the medical connector 100 and the medical access device 150, the outer surface 110 of the valve member 116 and the inner surface of the medical access device 150 124 Contact with the lumen of the medical access device 150 122 A force is applied to compress the valve member 116, which is compressible to fit inside, radially inward. When the valve member 116 is compressed, the first valve section 118A and the second valve section 118B are biased to move away from each other, as shown in Figures 3A and 4A, opening the slit 112.

[0026] As the body 102 of the medical connector 100 continues to be inserted into the medical access device 150, the first valve section 118A and the second valve section 118B continue to be biased away from each other until the slit is in the fully open position and the formation of the fluid path 126 through the connector 100 and the medical access device 150 is complete. In the embodiments shown, the connector 100 and the medical access device 150 are shown to be securely attached by a press fit or press fit, but various embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above configuration. In some embodiments, the connector 100 and the medical access device 150 may be securely attached using complementary threads in the connector 100 and the medical access device.

[0027] During separation, as shown in Figure 5B, removing the connector 100 from the medical access device 150 removes the compressive force applied to the outer surface 110 of the compressible valve member 116, thereby allowing the compressible valve 116 to expand radially outward to its original uncompressible state. In particular, when the body 102 of the medical connector 100 is removed or separated from the medical access device 150 (as shown in Figure 5B), the first valve section 118A and the second valve section 118B are biased toward each other (as shown in Figures 3B and 4B) to close the slit 112. When the slit 112 is in the fully closed position, the fluid path 126 through the connector 100 and the medical access device 150 is closed, thereby preventing fluid communication between the connector 100 and the medical access device 150.

[0028] While the medical access device 150 is shown in the form of a female Luer with a valve plug configuration, the connector 100 works with any standard female Luer, such as a medical access device including a bellows-type plug, a device with a partition, or any other configuration designed to accept a standardized male Luer connector, such as the body 102 of the medical connector 100.

[0029] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for assembling the connector 100 may include the step of preparing a connector body 102 having an outer surface 104 and an inner surface 109 defining a lumen 111 of the connector body 102. The method may further include positioning a compressible valve member 116 having a normally closed slit 112 within the lumen 111 such that the outer surface of the compressible valve member 116 extends outside the medical connector 100 through the inner surface 109 and outer surface 104 of the connector body 102. In some embodiments, preparing the connector body 102 further includes forming an inlet port 106 at the proximal end of the body and an outlet port 108 at the distal end of the body, and extending a lumen from the inlet port 106 to the outlet port 108 so as to define a fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port.

[0030] In some embodiments, the geometric shape of the outer surface of the connector body may be formed to conform to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

[0031] The medical connectors 100 of the various embodiments described herein may differ from conventional male Luer connectors by including a compressible valve member having a normally closed slit and a body having an outer surface extending outward from the medical connector through the inner and outer surfaces of the medical connector body. The compressible valve member may be advantageously configured to (i) compress radially inward to open the slit when the body is inserted into a medical access device, and (ii) expand radially outward to close the slit when the body is separated from the medical access device. Thus, the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein may be advantageously able to close the fluid path upon separation from a medical access device to prevent dripping or leakage of medical fluid, which is a common problem when separating existing medical connectors (e.g., male Luer) from a medical access device. Further advantageously, the automatic shutoff of the medical connectors of the various embodiments described herein may allow for easy separation without the need for clinicians to physically close all clamps to prevent free-flow leakage.

[0032] This disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various configurations described herein. This disclosure provides various examples of the subject art, and the subject art is not limited to these examples. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments.

[0033] The subject technology is illustrated, for example, according to the various embodiments described below. Various examples of the subject technology are presented as numbered clauses (1, 2, 3, etc.) for convenience. These are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the subject technology. Note that any of the subordinate clauses may be combined in any combination and may be placed in their respective independent clauses, for example, Clause 1 or Clause 5. Other clauses may be presented in a similar manner.

[0034] Clause 1. A medical connector comprising: a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the body; an inlet port defined at the proximal end of the body and an outlet port defined at the distal end of the body; and a compressible valve member having a normally closed slit, positioned within the lumen, and extending outward from the medical connector through the inner and outer surfaces of the body, wherein the compressible valve member is configured to compress radially inward to open the slit when the body is inserted into a medical access device, and to expand radially outward to close the slit when the body is separated from the medical access device.

[0035] Clause 2. The medical connector according to Clause 1, wherein the compressible valve member has a body having an outer surface extending outward from the medical connector, and the slit has an inner surface defining a flow path through the body of the compressible valve member.

[0036] Clause 3. The medical connector according to Clause 2, wherein the body of the compressible valve member has a proximal end and a distal end, and the body of the compressible valve member has a shape that tapers from the distal end to the proximal end.

[0037] Clause 4. The medical connector according to Clause 2, wherein the slit divides at least a portion of the body of the compressible valve member into a first valve section and a second valve section, and when the body of the medical connector is inserted into the medical access device, the first valve section and the second valve section are biased to separate from each other, thereby opening the slit.

[0038] Clause 5. The medical connector according to Clause 4, wherein the outer surface of the body of the compressible valve member is compressed radially inward by the inner surface of the medical access device, thereby biasing the first valve section and the second valve section to separate from each other and opening the slit.

[0039] Clause 6. The medical connector according to Clause 4, wherein when the body of the medical connector is removed or separated from the medical access device, the first valve section and the second valve section are biased toward each other to close the slit.

[0040] Clause 7. The medical connector according to Clause 6, wherein the outer surface of the body of the compressible valve member expands radially outward when the body of the medical connector is removed or separated from the inner surface of the medical access device, thereby biasing the first valve section and the second valve section toward each other and closing the slit.

[0041] Clause 8. The compressible valve member is a medical connector as described in any one of Clauses 1 to 7, having an elastomer material.

[0042] Clause 9. The medical connector as described in Clause 8, wherein the elastomer material is silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof.

[0043] Clause 10. The compressible valve member is a medical connector according to any one of Clauses 1 to 9, having a duckbill valve.

[0044] Clause 11. A method for assembling a medical connector, comprising the steps of: preparing a connector body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the connector body; and positioning a compressible valve member having a normally closed slit within the lumen such that the outer surface of the compressible valve member extends to the outside of the medical connector through the inner surface and outer surface of the connector body.

[0045] Clause 12. The method according to Clause 11, further comprising providing the connector body by forming an inlet port at the proximal end of the connector body and an outlet port at the distal end of the connector body, and extending the lumen from the inlet port to the outlet port so as to define a fluid path between the inlet port and the outlet port.

[0046] Clause 13. The method according to Clause 11 or 12, wherein preparing the connector body further comprises forming the geometric shape of the outer surface of the connector body in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

[0047] Clause 14. The method according to any one of Clauses 11 to 13, wherein positioning the compressible valve member comprises positioning a compressible valve member formed from an elastomer material within the lumen.

[0048] Clause 15. The method according to Clause 14, wherein positioning the compressible valve member comprises positioning a compressible valve member formed from silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof, within the lumen.

[0049] Clause 16. A connector assembly comprising a female lure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of a female lure, and a male lure being removably and at least partially disposed within the lumen of the female lure, wherein the male lure comprises a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen of the body, and a compressible valve member disposed within the lumen and extending through the inner surface and outer surface of the body, the compressible valve member having an outer surface and an inner surface having a slit, wherein when the male lure is disposed within the female lure, the inner surface of the female lure compresses at least a portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member to open the slit, and when removed from the female lure, the compressible valve member expands radially outward to close the slit.

[0050] Clause 17. The connector assembly according to Clause 16, wherein the slit divides at least a portion of the compressible valve into a first valve section and a second valve section, and when the body of the male lure is inserted into the female lure, the first valve section and the second valve section are biased to separate from each other, thereby opening the slit.

[0051] Clause 18. The connector assembly according to Clause 17, wherein when the body of the male lure is removed or separated from the female lure, the first valve section and the second valve section are biased toward each other to close the slit.

[0052] Clause 19. The compressible valve member is a connector assembly according to any one of Clauses 16 to 18, having an elastomer material.

[0053] Clause 20. The connector assembly according to Clause 19, wherein the elastomer material is silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof.

[0054] References to singular elements are intended to mean "one or more" and not "one and just one" unless specifically stated otherwise. The term "several" refers to one or more unless specifically stated otherwise. Masculine pronouns (e.g., his) include feminine and neuter pronouns (e.g., her and her), and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, where present, are used merely for convenience and do not limit the invention.

[0055] The term “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” An embodiment or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily construed as being preferable or advantageous to other embodiments or designs. In one embodiment, various alternative configurations and operations described herein may be considered at least equivalent.

[0056] As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” following a set of items, when accompanied by the term “or” to separate any of those items, modifies the enumerated set as a whole, rather than each of the enumerated items. The phrase “at least one of” does not require the selection of at least one item; rather, it allows the meaning to include at least one of any one of the items and / or at least one of any combination of the items and / or at least one of each of the items. For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” may refer to A only, B only, or C only, or any combination of A, B, and C.

[0057] The terms "aspects," etc., do not imply that such aspects are essential to the subject art, nor that such aspects apply to all configurations of the subject art. Disclosures relating to aspects may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. Aspects may provide one or more examples. The terms "aspects," etc., may refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa. The terms "examples," etc., do not imply that such examples are essential to the subject art, nor that such examples apply to all configurations of the subject art. Disclosures relating to examples may apply to all examples or one or more examples. Examples may provide one or more examples. The terms "examples," etc., may refer to one or more examples, and vice versa. The terms "configuration," etc., do not imply that such configurations are essential to the subject art, nor that such configurations apply to all configurations of the subject art. Disclosures relating to configurations may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. The term "structure" may provide one or more examples. The terms "structure," etc., may refer to one or more structures, and vice versa.

[0058] In one embodiment, unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, locations, sizes, dimensions, and other specifications described herein, including those in the following claims, are approximate and not precise. In one embodiment, they are intended to be within a reasonable range that is not inconsistent with the functions to which they relate and with the established practices of the art to which they belong.

[0059] The specific order or hierarchy of steps or actions in the disclosed process or method is to be understood as an example of an exemplary approach. The specific order or hierarchy of steps, actions, or processes may be rearranged based on implementation priorities or scenarios. Some of the steps, actions, or processes may be performed simultaneously. In some implementation priorities or scenarios, certain actions may or may not be performed. Some or all of the steps, actions, or processes may be performed automatically without user intervention. The claims for the attached method present various elements of steps, actions, or processes in a sample order and are not intended to limit the present order or hierarchy.

[0060] All structural and functional equivalents to elements of various aspects described throughout this disclosure, whether known to those skilled in the art or to be known thereafter, are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made available to the public, whether such disclosure is expressly contained in the claims or not. No element of a claim should be construed under Section 112(f) of the United States Patent Act unless it is expressly described using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, “step for.” Moreover, to the extent that terms such as “include” and “have” are used, such terms are intended to be as comprehensive as the term “comprise” is used, as “comprise” is construed when it is used as a transitional clause in a claim.

[0061] The Title of the Invention, Background Art, Summary of the Invention, Brief Description of the Drawings, and Abstract of the Disclosure are incorporated herein by reference and provided not as a limiting description of the Disclosure, but as exemplary examples of the Disclosure. The Disclosure is filed with the understanding that these are not to be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the Detailed Description, it is found that the Description provides exemplary examples, and that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streaming the Disclosure. The methods of the Disclosure should not be construed as indicating an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than expressly described in each claim. Rather, as the attached claims indicate, the subject matter of the Invention has fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The attached claims are incorporated herein by reference to the Detailed Description, and each claim is based on itself as separately claimed subject matter.

[0062] The claims are not intended to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but should be given a complete scope consistent with the language of the claims and encompass all legal equivalents. However, none of the claims are intended, nor should they be construed, to encompass subject matter that does not meet the requirements of Section 101, 102, or 103 of the U.S. Patent Act.

Claims

1. A medical connector (100), A body (102) having an outer surface (104), an inner surface, an inlet port (106) defined at the proximal end (105) of the body, and an outlet port (108) defined at the distal end (107) of the body, wherein the inner surface (109) defines a lumen (111) of the body between the inlet port and the outlet port, and has an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the body, A compressible valve member (116) disposed within the lumen (111) of the main body, having a normally closed slit (112) and an outer surface (110), wherein the outer surface (110) has a portion that extends from the lumen (111) of the main body through the opening and onto the outer surface (104) of the main body, and It has, A medical connector wherein the portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member extending through the opening is configured to compress radially inward when the body is inserted into the medical access device to open the normally closed slit (112), and the portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member is configured to expand radially outward when the body (102) is separated from the medical access device to close the normally closed slit (112).

2. The medical connector according to claim 1, wherein the compressible valve member has a body (118), and the normally closed slit (112) has an inner surface that defines a flow path through the body (118) of the compressible valve member.

3. The medical connector according to claim 2, wherein the body (118) of the compressible valve member has a proximal end (113) and a distal end (115), and the body (118) of the compressible valve member has a shape that tapers from the distal end (115) toward the proximal end (113).

4. The medical connector according to claim 2, wherein the normally closed slit (112) divides at least a portion of the body (118) of the compressible valve member into a first valve section (118A) and a second valve section (118B), and when the body (102) of the medical connector is inserted into the medical access device, the first valve section and the second valve section are biased to separate from each other to open the normally closed slit (112).

5. The medical connector according to claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the compressible valve member is configured to be compressed radially inward by the inner surface of the medical access device, thereby biasing the first valve section (118A) and the second valve section (118B) apart from each other and opening the normally closed slit (112).

6. The medical connector according to claim 4, wherein when the body (102) of the medical connector is removed or separated from the medical access device, the first valve section (118A) and the second valve section (118B) are biased toward each other to close the normally closed slit (112).

7. The medical connector according to claim 6, wherein the outer surface of the compressible valve member expands radially outward when the body (102) of the medical connector is removed or separated from the inner surface of the medical access device, thereby biasing the first valve section (118A) and the second valve section (118B) toward each other and closing the normally closed slit (112).

8. The medical connector according to claim 1, wherein the compressible valve member (116) is made of an elastomer material.

9. The medical connector according to claim 1, wherein the compressible valve member (116) has a duckbill valve.

10. A method for assembling medical connectors, The steps of providing a connector body (102) having an outer surface (104) and an inner surface (109), wherein the inner surface (109) defines an inner lumen (111) of the connector body and has an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface of the connector body, A step of positioning a compressible valve member (116) having a normally closed slit (112) and an outer surface (110) within the lumen (111), wherein the portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member extends from the lumen (111) through the opening and protrudes onto the outer surface (104) of the connector body. Methods that include...

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of providing the connector body (102) further includes forming an inlet port (106) at the proximal end (105) of the connector body and an outlet port (108) at the distal end (107) of the connector body, and extending the lumen (111) from the inlet port to the outlet port so as to define a fluid path between the inlet port (106) and the outlet port (108).

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of providing the connector body (102) further includes forming the geometric shape of the outer surface (104) of the connector body in accordance with an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of positioning the compressible valve member includes positioning a compressible valve member (116) formed from an elastomer material within the lumen (111).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of positioning the compressible valve member (116) includes positioning the compressible valve member, which is formed from silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or a combination thereof, within the lumen.

15. A female lure (150) having an outer surface (120) and an inner surface (124), wherein the inner surface defines the internal cavity (122, 126) of the female lure (150), A male lure (100, 150) is removably and at least partially disposed within the cavity of the female lure. A connector assembly having, The aforementioned male lure is, A body (102) having an outer surface (104), an inner surface (109), an inlet port (106) defined at the proximal end (105) of the body, and an outlet port (108) defined at the distal end (107) of the body, wherein the inner surface (109) defines a lumen (111) of the body between the inlet port and the outlet port, and has an opening extending from the inner surface (109) to the outer surface (104) of the body, A compressible valve member (116) disposed within the lumen (111) of the main body, wherein the compressible valve member has a normally closed slit (112) and an outer surface (110), and the outer surface has a portion that extends from the lumen (111) through the opening onto the outer surface (104) of the main body, and It has, When the male lure is placed inside the female lure, the inner surface (124) of the female lure compresses at least the portion of the outer surface of the compressible valve member extending from the inner cavity through the outer surface to open the normally closed slit (112), and When removed from the female lure, the compressible valve member (116) expands radially outward to close the normally closed slit (112) in the connector assembly.

16. The connector assembly according to claim 15, wherein the normally closed slit (112) divides at least a portion of the compressible valve member into a first valve section (118A) and a second valve section (118B), and when the body (102) of the male lure is inserted into the female lure (150), the first valve section and the second valve section are biased to separate from each other, thereby opening the normally closed slit (112).

17. The connector assembly according to claim 16, wherein when the body (102) of the male lure is removed or separated from the female lure (150), the first valve section (118A) and the second valve section (118B) are biased toward each other to close the normally closed slit (112).

18. The connector assembly according to claim 15, wherein the compressible valve member (116) is made of an elastomer material.

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