Luer Connector Valve Closure Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical connectors face challenges in maintaining sterility and preventing fluid leakage during engagement and disengagement, particularly at male and female ends, which is crucial for preventing exposure to harmful medications.
Innovation Solution
A medical connector design featuring a male luer with a shroud and a tubular valve member that includes struts and a resilient member, allowing for selective closure and automatic opening upon connection with a female connector, utilizing a bladder member and diaphragm to control fluid flow and maintain sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve member is kept closed to prevent fluid leakage, then sterility and safety are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the need for manual activation
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is pre-positioned in the closed position within the housing, automatically sealing the fluid pathway before connection occurs. This preliminary closing action ensures sterility and prevents leakage without requiring manual intervention during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector automatically opens the valve through self-service mechanism: when the male luer is inserted into the female connector, the mechanical interaction between the components automatically actuates the valve member to move from closed to open position, eliminating the need for separate manual activation.
2Ease of operation
If the connector is designed to automatically open upon connection, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential unintended opening
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is initially positioned in the closed state as a preliminary anti-action measure, preventing fluid flow before connection. The design incorporates mechanical features that ensure the valve remains closed until the specific action of connecting male to female luer occurs, preventing unintended opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical coupling between the male luer insertion and the valve actuation creates a feedback mechanism: the physical act of connection provides the necessary force and motion to automatically open the valve, ensuring that opening occurs only when properly connected and not during handling or transport.
3Reliability
If a resilient member is used to bias the valve closed, then fluid leakage prevention is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient member (spring or elastomeric element) is incorporated into the valve assembly to provide continuous biasing force that keeps the valve member pressed against the sealing surface. This pneumatic/hydraulic element ensures reliable sealing without requiring complex mechanical locking mechanisms or multiple actuators.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents fluid leakage and maintains sterility by ensuring the valve member is in a closed position unless manually opened, reducing the risk of exposure to harmful medications and ensuring reliable fluid transfer.
Implementation Method 1
A resilient member formed, for example, from either a metal and/or an elastomeric material can be positioned within the housing and can bias the valve member toward the closed position.
Implementation Method 2
An internal bladder member can be positioned within the housing and outside the male luer, the bladder member defining an inner cavity and being fluidly coupled to the first valve member, the inner cavity of the bladder member having a first volume in the connector closed position and a second volume larger than the first volume when the connector is in an open position.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A~2C
AI summary
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a medical connector having a selectively closable male end portion. Embodiments are configured to open upon connection with a female connector or female tipped medical implement. Some embodiments include an internal cavity configured to change size as the connector moves from the open to closed or closed to open positions. In some embodiments, the connector is configured to draw fluid from the male end toward the other end of the connector as the connector closes.