Patent ID: 8500088

Claim:
An anesthetic container comprising: a receptacle for holding the anesthetic and having a wall defining a interior space and a passage in fluid communication with the interior space; and a valve assembly that is attachable or is attached to the receptacle to control flow of anesthetic through the passage in the receptacle to a vaporizer, the valve assembly having a closed configuration when the flow of anesthetic from the receptacle is limited and an open configuration when the flow of anesthetic is enabled, wherein the valve assembly is constructed so that at least the surface of any component of the assembly that will come into contact with the anesthetic on its storage or passage from the receptacle to the vaporizer is made of a metal or low-density polyethylene and wherein the valve assembly provides a fluid-tight seal to prevent the escape of the anesthetic without the use of a gasket in the closed configuration; and wherein the valve assembly comprises: a conduit comprising low-density polyethylene and having a wall defining a conduit passage with a first end and a second end; and a valve member comprising low-density polyethylene and having a first end that is disposed in the second end of the conduit passage when the valve assembly is in the closed configuration, and that is spaced from the second end of the conduit passage when the valve assembly is in the open configuration, the second end of the conduit passage and the valve member having a gasketless, fluid-tight seal therebetween with the valve assembly in the closed configuration.