Soft-grip medical connector
A soft grip medical connector comprises a housing with an upstream end, a downstream end and a lumen extending through a central portion thereof. A flexible member comprises a valve portion integrally formed with a sleeve portion. The valve portion is positioned within a section of the housing and is configured to control a flow of fluid through the housing lumen. The sleeve is inverted to envelope at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing. In some embodiments the gripping portion is integrally formed with the valve portion. In some embodiments, the connector is also generally configured to create a positive pressure in a catheter lumen upon removal of a syringe or other medical device from the upstream end of the connector. Methods of making a medical fluid connector generally comprise forming a valve member with a sleeve extending there from, and assembling the valve, sleeve and housing.
1 . A medical connector for selectively permitting fluid to flow between a first medical device and a second medical device, the connector comprising:
a housing having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a cavity extending through a central portion thereof; and
a flexible member comprising:
an elastomeric valve portion positioned substantially within the housing; and
an elastomeric gripping portion disposed over a majority of the outer surface of the housing, and
wherein the gripping portion is unitarily formed with the valve portion.
2 . The medical connector of claim 1 , wherein the valve portion is configured to urge the flow of fluid toward the downstream end of the housing upon withdrawal of the second medical device from the valve portion.
3 . The medical connector of claim 1 , wherein the valve portion further comprises a stiffening rib oriented along a longitudinal axis of the valve member.
4 . The medical connector of claim 3 , wherein the valve portion further comprises a second stiffening rib oriented along a longitudinal axis of the valve member.
5 . The medical connector of claim 4 , wherein the stiffening rib and the second stiffening rib protrude transversely from the valve portion.
6 . The medical connector of claim 5 , wherein the valve portion comprises a substantially planar section having a first outer surface and a second outer surface, and wherein the stiffening rib protrudes transversely from the first outer surface and the second stiffening rib protrudes transversely from the second outer surface.
7 . The medical connector of claim 3 , wherein the valve portion has an outer surface, and wherein the stiffening rib has a substantially rectangular prismatic profile having a length substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve portion, a width substantially parallel to the outer surface of the valve portion, and a height transverse to the outer surface of the valve portion.
8 . The medical connector of claim 3 , wherein the stiffening rib is configured to prevent crumpling of the valve portion upon insertion of the second medical device to the valve portion.
9 . The medical connector of claim 1 , wherein the valve portion comprises a seal body having a substantially planar shape defined by a relatively short dimension on a first axis and relatively long dimension on a second axis transverse to the first axis.
10 . The medical connector of claim 1 , wherein the seal body comprises a:
a neck having an upstream end and a downstream end,
a transverse flange extending from the upstream end of the neck to the upstream end of the housing,
at least one lateral extension extending laterally from the downstream end of the neck; and
a planar slit defining a passage from the upstream end of the neck to the downstream end of the neck, the planar slit having a slit opening at the upstream end of the neck configured to receive the second medical device.
11 . The medical connector of claim 10 , wherein the transverse flange has an outer edge and the gripping portion extends axially away from the transverse flange near the outer edge of the transverse flange.
12 . A medical connector for selectively permitting fluid to flow between a first medical device and a second medical device, the connector comprising:
a housing having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a cavity extending through a central portion thereof; and
a flexible member comprising:
an elastomeric valve portion positioned substantially within the housing, the valve portion configured to receive the second medical device and to control a flow of fluid through the housing lumen, the valve portion comprising a stiffening rib oriented substantially along a longitudinal axis of the valve portion; and
an elastomeric gripping portion disposed over a majority of the outer surface of the housing, and
wherein the gripping portion is unitarily formed with the valve portion.
13 . The medical connector of claim 11 , wherein the valve portion is configured to urge the flow of fluid toward the downstream end of the housing upon withdrawal of the second medical device from the valve portion.
14 . The medical connector of claim 11 , wherein the valve portion further comprises a second stiffening rib oriented along a longitudinal axis of the valve member.
15 . The medical connector of claim 13 , wherein the stiffening rib and the second stiffening rib protrude transversely from the valve portion.
16 . The medical connector of claim 14 , wherein the valve portion comprises a substantially planar section having a first outer surface and a second outer surface, and wherein the stiffening rib protrudes transversely from the first outer surface and the second stiffening rib protrudes transversely from the second outer surface.
17 . The medical connector of claim 15 , wherein the valve portion has an outer surface, and wherein the stiffening rib has a substantially rectangular prismatic profile having a length substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve portion, a width substantially parallel to the outer surface of the valve portion, and a height transverse to the outer surface of the valve portion.
18 . The medical connector of claim 16 , wherein the stiffening rib is configured to prevent crumpling of the valve portion upon insertion of the second medical device to the valve portion.
19 . The medical connector of claim 17 , wherein the valve portion comprises a seal body having a substantially planar shape defined by a relatively short dimension on a first axis and relatively long dimension on a second axis transverse to the first axis.
20 . The medical connector of claim 18 , wherein the seal body comprises a:
a neck having an upstream end and a downstream end,
a transverse flange extending from the upstream end of the neck to the upstream end of the housing,
at least one lateral extension extending laterally from the downstream end of the neck; and
a planar slit defining a passage from the upstream end of the neck to the downstream end of the neck, the planar slit having a slit opening at the upstream end of the neck configured to receive the second medical device.
21 . The medical connector of claim 19 , wherein the transverse flange has an outer edge and the gripping portion extends axially away from the transverse flange near the outer edge of the transverse flange.