Patent ID: 7125396

Claim:
A safety catheter system that provides access to a biological site, the system comprising: a catheter defining a lumen and having a first end for insertion into the biological site and a second end; a connector for controlling the flow of fluid through the lumen of the catheter, the connector having an internal fluid passageway by which fluid may flow through the connector, the connector comprising: a housing having a first port and a second port, the first port being adapted to receive a blunt cannula and the second port being connected to the second end of the catheter; and a movable element positioned within the housing, the movable element having a first position at a first location in the housing at which the movable element blocks fluid flow through the housing and a second position at a second location within the housing at which the movable element permits fluid flow through the housing, where the second location is a larger inner diameter section of the housing and the moveable element having a head defining a naturally open bore forming a part of the fluid passageway through the connector, the head being configured such that when the movable element is in the second position, the bore opens thereby permitting fluid flow through the connector, the head being further configured such that when the moveable element is in the first position the bore moves to a closed configuration preventing fluid flow; and an insertion mechanism comprising: a blunt cannula adapted for insertion through the first port of the housing and into contact with the head of the movable element to move the movable element to the second position at which the bore opens, the blunt cannula also configured to slide within the open bore of the head of the movable element; and a needle having a sharp tip, the needle slidably engaged with the blunt cannula and adapted to extend through the blunt cannula after the blunt cannula has slid within the bore of the movable element, the needle also adapted to slide through the catheter until the sharp tip projects beyond the first end of the catheter so that the sharp tip may penetrate the biological site to locate the catheter in the biological site: wherein the blunt cannula protects the movable element from possible damage by the sharp needle.