Patent ID: 8777909

Claim:
A luer connector comprising: a housing with a hollow bore having a first end and a second end including a male luer tip with a tapering interior surface at the narrow end of the luer tip; a valve member configured to at least partially extend through the housing, the valve member having a first opened end and a second end and comprising: a passageway within the valve member; an outwardly extending flange near the second end adapted to seal the hollow bore at the second end of the housing when placed in contact with the tapering interior surface of the male luer tip; at least one opening near the second end of the valve member extending outwardly from the passageway through the valve member to place the interior of the male luer tip in fluid communication with the passageway; at least one strut attached to the valve member, at least a portion of the strut extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the valve member; a resilient member configured to couple the valve member and the housing and to bias the valve member against the tapering interior surface of the male luer tip to close said luer connector, said resilient member circumferentially engaging the housing and configured to stretch as said luer connector moves from a closed position to an open position; and wherein said opened end of said valve member is in fluid communication with the first end of the housing in both the open and closed positions of the luer connector.