Multi-port control valve for use in blood sampling, blood pressure measurement systems

Abstract

Disclosed is a multi-port control valve with multi-lumen paths diverging flow so that, the multi-port control valve fills and expels fluid at the same time through the same port for use in a blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system that includes a sampling site, a pressure transducer, and reservoir. The multi-port control valve may include a rotatable valve member and three ports. Each of the three ports is connected to one of the sampling site, the pressure transducer, and the reservoir. In particular, the rotatable valve member is rotatable, such that, depending upon a position of the rotatable valve member, one of the three ports is blocked from fluid communication with the other two ports.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-port control valve with multi-lumen paths diverging flow so that, the multi-port control valve fills and expels fluid at the same time through the same port for use in a blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system that includes a sampling site, a pressure transducer, and reservoir, the multi-port control valve comprising:
 a rotatable valve member; and   three ports, wherein each of the three ports is connected to one of the sampling site, the pressure transducer, and the reservoir, wherein, depending upon a position of the rotatable valve member, one of the three ports is blocked from fluid communication with the other two ports.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual indicator that is visually indicative of one of a plurality of modes of operation of the control valve based upon the position of the rotatable valve member. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise: a flushing/priming mode, a monitoring mode, a drawing/re-infusing mode, or a sampling mode. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 3 , wherein, in the monitoring mode, the port connected to the reservoir is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 3 , wherein, in the drawing/re-infusing mode, the port connected to the pressure transducer is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 3 , wherein, in the sampling mode, the port connected to the sampling site is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 3 , wherein, in the flushing/priming mode, all three ports are open to fluid flow. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-port control valve of  claim 2 , further comprising a valve handle coupled to the rotatable valve member such that the rotatable valve member rotates in synchrony with the valve handle and wherein the valve handle includes the visual indicator. 
     
     
         9 . A blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system comprising:
 a sampling site;   a pressure transducer;   a reservoir; and   a multi-port control valve with multi-lumen paths diverging flow so that, the multi-port control valve fills and expels fluid at the same time through the same port for use in the blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system, the multi-port control valve coupled to the sampling site, the pressure transducer, and the reservoir, the multi-port control valve comprising:
 a rotatable valve member; and 
 three ports, wherein each of the three ports is connected to one of the sampling site, the pressure transducer, and the reservoir, wherein, depending upon a position of the rotatable valve member, one of the three ports is blocked from fluid communication with the other two ports. 
   
     
     
         10 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 9 , further comprising a visual indicator that is visually indicative of one of a plurality of modes of operation of the control valve based upon the position of the rotatable valve member. 
     
     
         11 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise: a flushing/priming mode, a monitoring mode, a drawing/re-infusing mode, or a sampling mode. 
     
     
         12 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein, in the monitoring mode, the port connected to the reservoir is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         13 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein, in the drawing/re-infusing mode, the port connected to the pressure transducer is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         14 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein, in the sampling mode, the port connected to the sampling site is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         15 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein, in the flushing/priming mode, all three ports are open to fluid flow. 
     
     
         16 . The blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system of  claim 10 , further comprising a valve handle coupled to the rotatable valve member such that the rotatable valve member rotates in synchrony with the valve handle and wherein the valve handle includes the visual indicator. 
     
     
         17 . A method for utilizing a multi-port control valve with multi-lumen paths diverging flow so that, the multi-port control valve fills and expels fluid at the same time through the same port for use in a blood sampling, blood pressure monitoring system that includes a sampling site, a pressure transducer, and reservoir, the method comprising:
 rotating a rotatable valve member to one of three ports of the multi-port control valve, wherein each of the three ports is connected to one of the sampling site, the pressure transducer, and the reservoir; and   wherein, depending upon the position that the rotatable valve member is rotated to, one of the three ports is blocked from fluid communication with the other two ports.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising rotating a visual indicator that is visually indicative of one of a plurality of modes of operation of the control valve based upon the position of the rotatable valve member. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise: a flushing/priming mode, a monitoring mode, a drawing/re-infusing mode, or a sampling mode. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, in the monitoring mode, the port connected to the reservoir is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, in the drawing/re-infusing mode, the port connected to the pressure transducer is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, in the sampling mode, the port connected to the sampling site is blocked from fluid communication with the rest of the other ports. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein, in the flushing/priming mode, all three ports are open to fluid flow. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a valve handle is coupled to the rotatable valve member such that the rotatable valve member rotates in synchrony with the valve handle and wherein the valve handle includes the visual indicator.