US 11,786,717 B2
Self-flushing connector
Raymond P. Feith, Chino Hills, CA (US); and Jake Randolph Smith, Durham, NC (US)
Assigned to CareFusion 303, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by CareFusion 303, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/954,195.
Application 17/954,195 is a division of application No. 16/393,847, filed on Apr. 24, 2019, granted, now 11,458,293.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/662,098, filed on Apr. 24, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0015576 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. A61M 39/22 (2006.01); A61M 5/14 (2006.01); A61M 39/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 39/225 (2013.01) [A61M 5/14 (2013.01); A61M 2005/1403 (2013.01); A61M 2039/242 (2013.01); A61M 2039/2433 (2013.01); A61M 2039/2493 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-flushing connector, comprising:
a housing comprising a sidewall having an inner surface forming a housing cavity, a first inlet port extending through the sidewall, a second inlet port aligned longitudinally with the housing cavity, and an outlet port extending through the sidewall, wherein a plurality of longitudinal grooves extend along the inner surface of the sidewall, and the first inlet port and the outlet port intersect the housing cavity along the plurality of longitudinal grooves; and
a collapsible valve comprising a head and a body, and positioned longitudinally within the housing cavity to form a main flow channel extending between the first inlet port, the outlet port, an outer surface of the body, and the inner surface of the sidewall, wherein the plurality of longitudinal grooves form a gap between the outer surface of the body and the inner surface of the sidewall;
wherein, when the valve is in a closed state, the head of the collapsible valve resists a fluid flow from the second inlet port to the main flow channel, and when the valve is in an open state, the second inlet port is fluidly connected to the main flow channel such that the first inlet port, the second inlet port, and the outlet port are fluidly coupled.