Medical valve

Abstract

A medical valve includes: (a) a housing having a hollow body opened at the top end, wherein the tip of a male luer is to be removably inserted in the housing; (b) a spike disposed to extend longitudinally in the housing, the spike except at least the top end portion being formed in an approximately tapered shape in which its outside diameter becomes progressively smaller toward the top end portion, wherein a fluid transferring passage, which is opened radially outwardly, is formed to extend longitudinally in the spike; and (c) an elastic seal having an elastically deformable tubular shape fitted on the spike to seal the spike, the elastic seal including a top end portion having an openable/closable portion to be openably closed over the spike, wherein the elastic seal is elastically deformed to be downwardly shrunk by downward pressure due to the tip of the male luer.

1 . A medical valve, to which a male luer is to be separably connected, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a hollow body opened at the top end, wherein the tip of the male luer is to be removably inserted in the housing;   (b) a longitudinal spike disposed to extend longitudinally in the housing, the spike except at least the top end portion being formed in a shape approximately tapered upwardly, wherein a fluid transferring passage is formed to extend longitudinally in the spike, the bottom portion of the fluid transferring passage being connected to a fluid circuit; and   (c) an elastic seal having an elastically deformable tubular shape fitted on the spike to seal the spike, the elastic seal comprising a top end portion having an openable/closable portion to be openably closed over the spike, wherein the elastic seal is elastically deformed to be downwardly compressed by downward pressure due to the tip of the male luer, thereby the openable/closable portion is brought into abutment with the spike, and is elastically deformed to be opened radially outwardly to be fitted onto the spike, so that the inside of the male luer communicates with the fluid transferring passage of the spike,   wherein the spike comprises:   (i) a joining portion constituting the top end portion of the spike; and   (ii) a plurality of longitudinal branch portions, which constitutes the remaining portion of the spike, formed integrally with the joining portion branching off from the joining portion, each longitudinal branch portion extending downwardly from the joining portion to the fluid circuit,   and wherein the fluid transferring passage is defined between the branch portions and an inner surface of the elastic seal.   
   
   
       2 . A medical valve, to which a male luer is to be separably connected, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a hollow body opened at the top end, wherein the tip of the male luer is to be removably inserted in the housing;   (b) a longitudinal spike disposed to extend longitudinally in the housing, the spike except at least the top end portion being formed in a shape approximately tapered upwardly, wherein a fluid transferring passage is formed to extend longitudinally in the spike, the bottom portion of the fluid transferring passage being connected to a fluid circuit; and   (c) an elastic seal having an elastically deformable tubular shape fitted on the spike to seal the spike, the elastic seal comprising a top end portion having an openable/closable portion to be openably closed over the spike, wherein the elastic seal is elastically deformed to be downwardly compressed by downward pressure due to the tip of the male luer, thereby the openable/closable portion is brought into abutment with the spike, and is elastically deformed to be opened radially outwardly to be fitted onto the spike, so that the inside of the male luer communicates with the fluid transferring passage of the spike,   wherein the longitudinal spike comprises a plurality of longitudinal divided bodies which are formed into one pair in axial symmetry and extend longitudinally along the entire length of the spike,   and wherein the fluid transferring passage is defined between the divided portions and an inner surface of the elastic seal.   
   
   
       3 . A medical valve, to which a male luer is to be separably connected, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a hollow body opened at the top end, wherein the tip of the male luer is to be removably inserted in the housing;   (b) a longitudinal spike disposed to extend longitudinally in the housing, the spike except at least the top end portion being formed in a shape approximately tapered upwardly, wherein a fluid transferring passage is formed to extend longitudinally in the spike, the bottom portion of the fluid transferring passage being connected to a fluid circuit;   (c) an elastic seal having an elastically deformable tubular shape fitted on the spike to seal the spike, the elastic seal comprising a top end portion having an openable/closable portion to be openably closed over the spike, wherein the elastic seal is elastically deformed to be downwardly compressed by downward pressure due to the tip of the male luer, thereby the openable/closable portion is brought into abutment with the spike, and is elastically deformed to be opened radially outwardly to be fitted onto the spike, so that the inside of the male luer communicates with the fluid transferring passage of the spike,   wherein the spike comprises:   (i) two main longitudinal portions extending along the entire longitudinal length of the spike; and   (ii) a bridge portion formed integrally with the main portions and disposed between a segment of the main portions to join the main portions together,   wherein the fluid transferring passage is defined between the main portions and an inner surface of the elastic seal.   
   
   
       4 . A medical valve, to which a male luer is to be separably connected, comprising:
 (a) a housing having a hollow body opened at the top end, wherein the tip of the male luer is to be removably inserted in the housing;   (b) a longitudinal spike disposed to extend longitudinally in the housing, the top end portion of the spike having an approximately cylindrical shape and solid structure, the top end surface of the spike being an approximately hemispherical surface which is upwardly convex, the spike, except the top end portion, being formed in an approximately tapered shape in which the outside diameter becomes progressively smaller toward the top end, wherein a fluid transferring passage extends longitudinally in the outer peripheral surface of the spike, the bottom portion of the fluid transferring passage being connected to a fluid circuit;   (c) an elastic seal having an elastically deformable tubular shape fitted on the spike to seal the spike, the elastic seal comprising a top end portion having an openable/closable portion to be openably closed over the spike, wherein the elastic seal is elastically deformed to be downwardly compressed by downward pressure due to the tip of the male luer, thereby the openable/closable portion is brought into abutment with the spike, and is elastically deformed to be opened radially outwardly to be fitted onto the spike, so that the inside of the male luer communicates with the fluid transferring passage of the spike; and wherein the fluid transferring passage is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the spike and an inner surface of the elastic seal.