Patent ID: 9592344
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A61M

Claim:
1. A medical connector configured to receive a male luer end of a syringe, the medical connector comprising: an exterior surface, an interior region, proximal and distal housing portions, and proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal and distal housing portions form at least a portion of the exterior surface of the connector and wherein the proximal and distal housing portions are separate from each other and coupled together, the proximal housing portion extending further in a proximal direction than the distal housing portion, and the distal housing portion extending further in a distal direction than the proximal housing portion; a female luer in the proximal housing portion of the connector, the female luer configured to receive the male luer end of the syringe into the proximal end of the connector; a male luer projection in the distal housing portion of the connector, the male luer projection comprising interior and exterior surfaces, and proximal and distal ends, the interior surface of the male luer projection comprising a first region with a first cross-sectional width and a second region with a second cross-sectional width, the first cross-sectional width being smaller than the second cross-sectional width; a threaded sheath surrounding a portion of the male luer projection; a sheath cavity positioned between the exterior surface of the male luer projection and an inner surface of the threaded sheath, the sheath cavity having a proximal end and a distal end; a valve member being longitudinally movable between a closed position and an open position, the valve member comprising: (i) an internal fluid pathway, (ii) a first portion positioned outside of the male luer projection in both the open and the closed positions, and (iii) a second portion distal from the first portion; the second portion of the valve member comprising: (i) transverse openings, (ii) a distal plug portion with curved sidewalls that are distal from the transverse openings, the distal plug portion being closed in both the open and closed positions so as to obstruct fluid communication between an interior region of the male luer projection and the internal fluid pathway of the valve member in the closed position, and (iii) a distalmost end tip that is positioned distal of the proximal end of the sheath cavity in the closed position; and a seal that, in the closed position, contacts a portion of the valve member that is within the distal housing portion in a seal-contacting region of the valve member with only straight sidewalls, said seal-contacting region being located in a proximal direction from the curved sidewalls of the distal plug portion of the valve member, the seal being located within the distal housing portion in a proximal direction from both the first and second regions on the interior surface of the male luer projection; wherein the valve member is biased toward the closed position.