Patent ID: 8211089

Claim:
An intravenous injection site for connection to a cannula, said injection site comprising: a split septum unit including a resilient septum body, wherein the body presents opposite proximal and distal faces and a slit extending therebetween to receive the cannula, said septum body including— a terminal proximal face, an annular exterior surface, a terminal distal face, and an annular groove; a pressure-actuated flow control valve spaced distally from the septum body and being operable to selectively prevent fluid flow in a proximal direction; and a septum support assembly operable to precompress the septum body so that, upon insertion of the cannula, the septum body is displaced proximally to a greater degree than the septum body is displaced distally, said septum support assembly including— a terminal proximal face defining a generally horizontal plane, an annular internal septum-engaging surface, a terminal distal surface that presents a flow-through passageway, and an annular inwardly projecting rib, wherein at least a portion of said terminal distal surface of the septum support assembly projects proximally relative to the septum body to contact said terminal distal face of the septum body, and further wherein said annular inwardly projecting rib of the septum support assembly is interfit with said groove of the septum body, such that the septum body is precompressed between the terminal distal surface and the rib of the septum support assembly prior to the cannula being inserted in the septum body to substantially restrict distal displacement of the septum body when the cannula is inserted therein, wherein there are no spaces or recesses between the annular internal septum-engaging surface of the septum support assembly and the annular exterior surface of the septum body, and further wherein there are no spaces or recesses between the terminal distal surface of the septum support assembly and the terminal distal face of the septum body, wherein said proximal displacement of said septum body upon insertion of the cannula extends proximally beyond said horizontal plane defined by said terminal proximal face of the septum support assembly, and wherein at rest, said terminal proximal face of the septum body is substantially coplanar with the terminal proximal face of the septum support assembly.