Patent ID: 6932795

Claim:
A medical valve adapted to facilitate fluid flow between a male luer and an intravenous fluid line connected to a patent, comprising: a body having a cavity in fluid communication with an intravenous fluid line and an opening adapted to receive a male luer, said body having an axial centerline extending through said body, said cavity comprising a neck portion located adjacent said opening and a larger diameter main portion adjacent said neck portion; and a sealing device in the cavity and movable between a closed position in which said sealing device prevents fluid flow through said cavity and an open position in which fluid flow is permitted through said cavity, said sealing device comprising: a non-deformable reaction member extending across a substantial part of said cavity main portion for automatically increasing and decreasing fluid space in the cavity, said reaction member adapted to reciprocate along said centerline; a sealing cap located along said centerline at said opening for engagement by said male luer; a cylindrical shaft located along said centerline between said sealing cap and said reaction member, the shaft being movable axially into and out of said neck portion, said shaft: having a smaller diameter than said reaction member, said shaft substantially filling the neck portion when said sealing device is in said closed position and the fluid space in said main portion increasing when said sealing device is in said open position so that said fluid space automatically and reversibly increases in size when said male luer is connected to said connector and which contracts in size when said male luer is disconnected; a chamber positioned in said body isolated from said fluid space, said chamber adapted to expand and contract when said sealing device moves between said closed position and said open position; and a spring positioned in said chamber and engaging said reaction member for biasing said sealing device into said closed position.