Luer Connector Valve Member Elastic Sealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connector closures with slits for blocked systems in medical applications face issues with liquid leakage and bacterial growth due to slit degradation, compromising the sealing effectiveness when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A connector closure design featuring a valve member with a main body portion and supporting portion that uses an elastic force to reliably seal the opening, eliminating the need for a through slit, ensuring a secure connection to the flow channel space when in use and preventing leakage and bacterial growth when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a through slit is formed on the valve member to allow liquid feeding, then the connector can be opened for liquid injection, but the slit degrades with repeated opening/closing causing liquid leakage and bacterial reproduction
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is divided into two functional parts: a through slit for opening the valve and an elastic main body portion for sealing. This segmentation allows the slit to remain small and non-degradable while the elastic portion provides reliable sealing when pressed by the Luer syringe portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve member utilizes elastic deformation of the main body portion as a key parameter change. When the Luer syringe portion presses the valve member, the elastic material deforms to open the flow channel, and when pressure is released, it automatically returns to its original shape to seal the opening, providing reliable operation without degradation.
2Productivity
If the valve member is made with a through slit for opening/closing operation, then liquid can be fed through the flow channel space, but the repeated operation causes slit degradation and loss of sealing function
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member utilizes elastic deformation of the main body portion as a key parameter change. When the Luer syringe portion presses the valve member, the elastic material deforms to open the flow channel, and when pressure is released, it automatically returns to its original shape to seal the opening, providing reliable operation without degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve member is made of elastic material that combines the sealing function with the opening mechanism, creating a composite structure where the elastic properties enable both immediate sealing and durable repeated operation without slit degradation.
3Ease of operation
If the opening portion is left open for easy access, then liquid can be freely fed, but medicine solution spills out and bacteria can reproduce
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic main body portion of the valve member automatically seals the opening portion without requiring any additional components or actions. When the Luer syringe portion is removed, the elastic material naturally returns to its original shape and seals the opening, preventing bacterial reproduction and liquid spillage while maintaining easy access during use.
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 design effectively prevents liquid leakage and bacterial reproduction by ensuring a reliable seal when the connector is not in use, maintaining high reliability and extending the service life of the valve member.
Implementation Method 1
a supporting portion, which is connected to said main body portion and is engaged to said housing, and which has an elastic force to act on said main body portion when said main body portion moves to the side of said flow channel space under the pressing force from the outside
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides connector, for example a Luer connector in which a sealing element (40) is provided such that when a connection is made to the connector, the sealing element is displaced into the connector, opening a fluid flow channel through the connector. Preferably, the sealing member includes a slit (41d) on a lower surface thereof to ease the displacement of the sealing member.