NEEDLELESS CONNECTOR WITH FOLDING VALVE
A needleless connector has a body having an internal cavity with a sealing ridge, a port, an output flow channel, and a fluid flow path between the port and output flow channel. The connector also has a collapsible valve disposed within the cavity. The valve includes a cylindrical wall having a center axis and a shoulder and defining an internal air space, wherein the shoulder is configured to sealingly contact the ridge of the body so as to block the fluid flow path, and a head fixedly attached to the wall, the head having first and second smiley cuts disposed on opposite sides of the head.
1 . A needleless connector comprising:
a body having an internal cavity with a sealing ridge, a port, an output flow channel, and a fluid flow path between the port and output flow channel; and
a collapsible valve disposed within the cavity, the valve comprising:
a cylindrical wall having a center axis and a shoulder and defining an internal air space, wherein the shoulder is configured to sealingly contact the ridge of the body so as to block the fluid flow path; and
a head fixedly attached to the wall, the head having first and second smiley cuts disposed on opposite sides of the head.
2 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second smiley cuts have a common width and a common depth.
3 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first smiley cut has a first depth and the second smiley cut has a second depth that is less than the first depth.
4 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first smiley cut has a first width and the second smiley cut has a second width that is less than the first width.
5 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein the first and second smiley cuts each have a uniform profile through the head.
6 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts each comprises a constant radius.
7 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts comprises a variable radius.
8 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts comprises a parabola.
9 . The needleless connector of claim 1 , wherein a point of maximum depth of the second smiley cut is axially offset along the center axis from a point of maximum depth of the first smiley cut.
10 . A collapsible valve comprising:
a cylindrical wall having a center axis and defining an internal air space; and
a head fixedly attached to the wall, the head having first and second smiley cuts disposed on opposite sides of the head.
11 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein the first and second smiley cuts have a common width and a common depth.
12 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein the first smiley cut has a first depth and the second smiley cut has a second depth that is less than the first depth.
13 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein the first smiley cut has a first width and the second smiley cut has a second width that is less than the first width.
14 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein the first and second smiley cuts each have a uniform profile through the head.
15 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts each comprises a constant radius.
16 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts comprises a variable radius.
17 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein at least one of profiles of the first and second smiley cuts comprises a parabola.
18 . The collapsible valve of claim 10 , wherein a point of maximum depth of the second smiley cut is axially offset along the center axis from a point of maximum depth of the first smiley cut.