Medical connector

Abstract

A medical connector includes a housing with a central axis, a hollow bore, and a narrowed passage. The connector further includes a rigid valve member configured to move along the axis of the connector as the connector moves between an open and closed configuration. The connector includes a resilient member coupled to the valve member and the housing.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A medical connector comprising:
 a housing with a central axis and a hollow bore having a male end with a male luer tip and a female end;   a rigid valve member configured to at least partially extend into an interior space of the male luer tip, the valve member comprising a first opened end, a second closed end, an internal passageway, at least one opening near the closed end of the valve member extending through the valve member and into the passageway;   a rigid conduit in fluid communication with the female end and the first opened end of the valve member, the rigid conduit and the first opened end of the valve member being moveable relative to each other along the central axis such that at least a portion of the valve member and the rigid conduit overlap, thereby producing a change in volume in an interior region of the housing between an end of the valve member and the female end as the valve member moves from a first position to a second position, the volume of the interior region being larger in the first position than in the second position;   a biasing member configured to couple the valve member and the housing; and   a sealing element disposed within the housing and configured to inhibit fluid communication through the hollow bore of the housing between the interior of the male luer tip of the housing and the exterior of the valve member.