Reuse prevention for single-use valves for medical devices

Inventors: Brian Luis (Worcester, MA); Pauline R. Limberg (Northborough, MA); Ryan Vincent William Pollock (Leominster, MA); Nathan T. Cummings (Worcester, MA)

Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

A61B1/00068 A61B1/015 A61M39/22 F16K37/0008 A61M2205/584

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12697012
App. No.: 17/480,857
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

The cleaning valves (or valves) of the current disclosure are generally single-use devices (SUDs) and therefore disposable. Reusing SUDs can be disadvantageous, as single-use devices are not designed to be reusable. Accordingly, valves (or valve assemblies) for medical devices, such as endoscopes, disclosed may be configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to utilization of the valve, e.g., to control fluid flow through a valve well. The transition from the first state to the second state may prevent reuse of valves of the present disclosure. For instance, a lumen between first and second orifices in a valve stem may be blocked or disconnected.

Claims (31)

1 . A single-use valve assembly comprising:

an interface member;

a valve stem to which the interface member is removably couplable, the valve stem including a proximal portion, a distal portion, two or more orifices, and a lumen in fluid communication with first and second orifices of the two or more orifices; and

a transition deposit in the lumen,

wherein the valve assembly is configured to transition from a first state in which the valve assembly is utilized to control fluid flow through a valve well by adjusting between a first configuration and a second configuration to a second state in which reuse of the valve assembly is prevented in response to utilization of the valve assembly in the first state to control fluid flow through the valve well, wherein in the second state, the transition deposit is transitioned from a first deposit state to a second deposit state to block the lumen and prevent reuse of the valve assembly to control the fluid flow through the valve well in response to adjusting the valve assembly between first configuration and the second configuration.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid communication between the first and second orifices via the lumen is blocked in the second state.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 2 , wherein the transition deposit comprises a material configured to expand and fill a portion of the lumen when the material is exposed to a liquid in response to adjusting the valve assembly between the first configuration and the second configuration.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of the valve stem decouple to transition from the first state to the second state.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal and distal portions of the valve stem are connected by a retention linkage and a separation linkage in the first state and the proximal and distal portions of the valve stem are connected by the retention linkage and not the separation linkage in the second state.

6 . The valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein the separation linkage or the retention linkage is disposed within the lumen.

7 . The valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein the separation linkage or the retention linkage is disposed outside of the lumen.

8 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein utilization of the valve assembly to control the fluid flow through the valve well comprises one or both of insertion of the valve stem into the valve well and removal of the valve stem from the valve well.

9 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the valve stem is fixed relative to the distal portion of the valve stem by a molded weak point in the first state, and the proximal portion of the valve stem is slidably coupled to the distal portion of the valve stem in the second state.

10 . The valve assembly of claim 9 , wherein utilization of the valve assembly to control fluid flow through the valve well breaks the molded weak point to transition the valve assembly from the first state to the second state.

11 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the valve stem is fixed relative to the distal portion of the valve stem by a transition deposit in the first state, and the proximal portion of the valve stem is slidably coupled to the distal portion of the valve stem in the second state.

12 . The valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein exposure of the transition deposit to a liquid from utilization of the valve assembly to control fluid flow through the valve well dissolves the transition deposit to transition the valve assembly from the first state to the second state.

13 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of radial legs with first and second ends, wherein the first ends are pivotally connected to the valve stem.

14 . The valve assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second ends are retained proximate to the valve stem by a hat slidably coupled to the valve stem in the first state and the second ends are released by the hat in the second state.

15 . A system, comprising:

a valve well comprising a cavity with two or more ports; and

a single-use valve comprising:

a valve stem including a proximal portion, a distal portion, two or more orifices, and a lumen in fluid communication with a first orifice and a second orifice of the two or more orifices, and

an interface member coupled to the valve well and the valve stem, wherein the interface member is configured to change from a depressed state to an extended state;

wherein the single use valve is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to utilization of the single use valve in the first state between a first configuration and a second configuration to control fluid flow through the valve well, wherein the second state of the single use valve prevents the fluid flow through the valve well between the first orifice and the second orifice and prevents reuse of the single-use valve in the first state.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein utilization of the single use valve to control the fluid flow through the valve well comprises one or more of insertion of the valve stem into the valve well, controlling the fluid flow through the valve well, and removal of the valve stem from the valve well.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid communication between the first and second orifices via the lumen is blocked in the second state.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the proximal portion and the distal portion of the valve stem decouple to transition from the first state to the second state.

19 . A valve assembly comprising:

an interface member, wherein the interface member is configured to change from an extended state to a depressed state when used to control fluid flow through a valve well; and

wherein the valve assembly is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to use of the valve assembly in the first state between a first configuration and a second configuration to control the fluid flow through the lumen and the valve well, and wherein in the second state of the valve assembly, the lumen is blocked to prevent reuse of the valve assembly to control the fluid flow through the lumen and the valve well by adjusting the valve assembly between the first configuration and the second configuration.