Needleless connector with compressible valve
Needleless connectors are described. An example needleless connector includes a housing and a compressible valve. The housing may define an internal cavity and may include a body section having a first port and one or more internal contact tabs and a base section having a valve mount and a second port. The compressible valve may be disposed within at least a portion of the internal cavity and be movably retained within the housing. The compressible valve may include a flange portion for securing the compressible valve within the housing. A central longitudinal axis of the housing may be defined by a coaxial arrangement of the first and second port. The one or more internal contact tabs may be arranged to contact an outer side surface of the flange portion such that a radial force substantially orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis is provided for securement.
1 . A needleless connector comprising:
a housing having an inner surface defining an internal cavity and a central longitudinal axis, the housing comprising a body section and a base section, the body section comprising a first port, and the base section comprising a valve mount at a top of the base section, an air passage channel, and a second port at a bottom of the base section; and
a compressible valve comprising a head, a flange, and a cylindrical wall extending between the head and the flange, the cylindrical wall forming an interior air space and comprising a first interior dimple and a second interior dimple, the first interior dimple comprising a first longitudinal arcuate shape and a second longitudinal arcuate shape that is different than the first longitudinal arcuate shape, and the second interior dimple comprising a third longitudinal arcuate shape and a fourth longitudinal arcuate shape that is different than the third longitudinal arcuate shape, wherein the cylindrical wall comprises a thickness that decreases along the first and second interior dimples;
wherein the flange of the compressible valve is coupled to the valve mount of the base section and the cylindrical wall is positioned within the internal cavity of the housing such that a fluid pathway from the first port to the second port is formed between the inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the compressible valve, and an air flow path from the interior air space to an ambient environment is formed through the air passage channel of the base.
2 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the second longitudinal arcuate shape forms a border between the first longitudinal arcuate shape and an inner surface of the cylindrical wall adjacent to the first interior dimple.
3 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the fourth longitudinal arcuate shape forms a border between the third longitudinal arcuate shape and an inner surface of the cylindrical wall adjacent to the second interior dimple.
4 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first longitudinal arcuate shape is different than the third longitudinal arcuate shape.
5 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the head of the compressible valve defines a non-perpendicular plane relative to the central longitudinal axis.
6 . The needleless connector of claim 5 , wherein the non-perpendicular plane extends at an angle of approximately 3° relative to a perpendicular plane through the central longitudinal axis.
7 . The needleless connector of claim 5 , wherein a top section of the head extending away from the top surface includes a circumferential lip for slidably and sealably engaging with the first port.
8 . The needleless connector of claim 7 , wherein a circumferential side of the top section forms a cross-sectional width that decreases in a direction away from the circumferential lip.
9 . The needleless connector of claim 8 , wherein the circumferential side of the top section extends at an angle of approximately 9° with respect to the central longitudinal axis.
10 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first interior dimple and the second interior dimple are positioned on opposite sides of an inner surface of the cylindrical wall.
11 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first interior dimple and the second interior dimple are positioned at longitudinally different locations along the central longitudinal axis.
12 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first interior dimple is larger than the second interior dimple.
13 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a first notch and a second notch, and wherein the first notch is longitudinally aligned with the second interior dimple, and the second notch is longitudinally aligned with the first interior dimple.