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 at high flow rates between a first medical device and a second medical device having a standard medical Luer tip at a first end thereof, the medical connector comprising:
a housing comprising an upstream end adapted to receive the second medical device, a downstream end with an interface configured to receive the first medical device, an outer surface, a base member with a generally annular surface, an upper housing cavity extending from the upstream end of the housing to the generally annular surface of the base member, and an interior cannula extending from the generally annular surface toward the upstream end of the housing, the interior cannula having a height defined by the distance between the generally annular surface and an upstream end of the interior cannula closest to the upstream end of the housing, the upstream end of the housing having a substantially circular, substantially rigid, and substantially continuous periphery; and
a valve member at least partially positioned within the housing, the valve member configured to control a flow of fluid through the housing, the valve member comprising a seal element made of a flexible material, the seal element having a downstream end, an upstream end configured to receive at least a portion of the second medical device, and a normally substantially closed passage in fluid communication with the downstream end of the seal element and the upstream end of the seal element, the seal element comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the second sidewall generally opposing the first sidewall;
wherein the medical connector is configured so that upon full insertion of a portion of the first end of the second medical device into an upstream end of the passage, the distance between a lead surface of the Luer tip at the first end of the second medical device and the upstream end of the interior cannula is approximately the same size as an inner diameter of the interior cannula;
wherein the valve member further comprises a lead lumen at the downstream end of the seal member configured to fit over an outside surface of the interior cannula such that the downstream end of the seal element is separated from the generally annular surface of the base member by a first distance when the valve member is in a substantially closed state, and wherein upon insertion of the first end of the second medical device into the upstream end of the passage, the downstream end of the seal element slides in a downstream direction along the outer surface of the interior cannula such that the downstream end of the seal element is separated from the generally annular surface of the base member by a second distance, the first distance being greater than the second distance;
wherein the valve member further comprises a transverse flange having at least one slit opening therethrough in fluid communication with the passage;
wherein at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprises at least a portion having a lateral thickness that is greater than a thickness of the transverse flange.