Abstract:
A valved medication container for use in a needleless medication transfer system. The provision of a bottle stopper with an integral valve enables a needleless syringe to be utilized to transfer medication from the bottle to a inlet valve of an intravenous tube eliminating the risk of transfer of blood-transmitted diseases between the medication administrator and the patient.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Presently, medication containers, typically bottles, are capped with a rubber-like stopper with a tamper-evident seal surrounding the stopper and at least the upper portion of the container. To administer the medication to the patient, the seal is removed, a syringe with a needle is used first, to puncture the rubber stopper then, to withdraw and administer the proper dosage to the patient. 
     The use of a needle constitutes a hazard, both to the doctor or nurse administering the medication and to the patient. There is, of course, the risk of inadvertent puncture to both the administrator and the patient as well as the more significant risk of the infection by blood-transmitted diseases between them. With the alarming spread of AIDS as well as the historical spread of hepatitis, one slip by the administrator can have devastating and permanent results. 
     Injection valves are already in use with intravenous injection tubes, making the use of a needle to inject medication into the patient superfluous. The present invention adds the key and final piece to the puzzle, enabling the utilization of a system for needleless medication transfer: a valved medication container. By using the valved medication container of the present invention, medication can be withdrawn from a container without the necessity of using a needle and injected through the IV flowport, thereby rendering the use, and associated risk of using, a needle obsolete. 
     Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent after a reading of the following detailed description thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood when the Detailed Description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like items bear like reference numerals and, in which 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the needleless syringe and valved container of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the needless syringe engaged with the stopper of the valved container of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view in partial section depicting the needleless syringe engaged with an IV injection valve; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of one valve member which may be used in conjunction with the bottle stopper portion of the valved container of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the valve member shown in FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in the Figures, there are three basic elements to the needleless medication transfer system of the present invention: a needleless syringe 10, a valved medication container 20, and an IV injection valve 40. The syringe may comprise any commercially available syringe including a luer lock type (as depicted in the Figures) or slip connector type syringe. It is the valved medication container 20 that is the novel component of the system and the element which makes the needleless transfer of medication possible. 
     Syringe 10 is equipped with a blunt tubular leading end 12, includes a plunger 14, and is calibrated with indicia 16 which permits a proper dosage of medication to be withdrawn into the barrel 18 of syringe 10 for transfer to the patient. 
     Valved medication container 20 includes a bottle 22 which may be any of a number of such standard commercially available bottles. The top mouth portion 24 of bottle 22 receives and is sealed by stopper 26. A portion of stopper 26 fits snugly within mouth portion 24 and may include a rib, or the like, to improve the seal. Flange 27 overlies the top edge 25 of bottle 22. Stopper 26 may be formed of either an elastomeric, rubber-like material or a hard, self-lubricating plastic such as Teflon material. Stopper 26 has a throughbore 28 which connects with a larger withdrawal opening 30. Valve seat 32 protrudes inwardly between throughbore 28 and opening 30. A plurality (which may be two, three, or four) protrusions 34 overlie valve member 36 and retain it in place on valve seat 32. 
     Valve member 36 is hollow on the lowermost side with a central opening 37 interconnecting slits 38. These slits 38 define flexible fingers 39. In normal position, flexible fingers 39 push the top of valve member 36 against the bottoms of protrusions 34 sealing throughbore 28. When the blunt tubular end 12 of syringe 10 is inserted into withdrawal opening 30, it engages the upper surface of the valve member 36 compressing flexible fingers 39 opening a passageway through central opening 37, slits 38 and out over the top of valve member 36 into syringe 10. 
     In actual practice, blunt end 12 is inserted into opening 30 with the plunger 14 extended. Air is insufflated (injected) into container 20 to pressurize fluid 11 and facilitate its withdrawal. The plunger can be drawn out of the barrel 18 of syringe 10 (with the container above the syringe) to the position appropriate for the desired dosage as indicated by indicia 16. There is an interference fit between blunt nose end 12 and protrusions 34 to effectively grip the syringe in the stopper during medication transfer to minimize spillage of the medication 11. 
     Injection valve 40 used on the intravenous injection tube 41 may be any of a number of such valves that are commercially available. By way of example and not limitation, valve 40 may be a &#34;Safeport Injector&#34; available from L &amp; W Technology, Inc. or a &#34;Liferade Line Organizer System&#34; available from Burron Medical Inc. As shown in FIG. 3, injection valve 40 includes a displaceable stem 42 which has a longitudinal throughport 44 with a lateral flowport 46. Stem 42 is normally biased by spring 48 to the right as shown in the drawing to a position where flowport 46 is blocked by cylindrical sleeve 47. In use, blunt nose 12 engages in the upper end 43 of stem 42 displacing it against the pressure of spring 48 opening lateral flowport 46. Medication can then be injected by activating the plunger 14 of syringe 10 completing the needleless transfer of medication from the container 20 to the patient. 
     The addition of a valved medication container to commercially available injection valve and syringe, completes a system for needleless transfer of medication from container to patient. This significantly reduces the potential for the transfer of blood transmitted diseases between the administrator of the medication and the patient. 
     Various changes, alternatives and modifications will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art following a reading of the foregoing specification. It is intended that all such changes, alternatives and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims be considered part of the present invention.