Self-sealing connector for use with plastic cannulas and vessel catheters

Claim 1

A connector consisting essentially of a hollow longitudinal passage, a hollow body portion containing a chamber, a hollow inlet portion and a hollow outlet portion, said connector containing a longitudinally slidable member, having a central opening, disposed within said longitudinal passage, and slidable within limits in said longitudinal passage, said member contacting and cooperating with a deformable elastomeric disc, having a central slit, disposed and held in place within the chamber of said body portion transversely across said longitudinal passage to close off the passage, said inlet portion having a hollow conical portion adapted to be connected to a parenteral solution supply needle or hose having a cone fitting, said outlet portion having a hollow passage and being adapted to be connected to a cannula, catheter or hose; said longitudinally slidable member cooperating with said cone fitting such that when said cone fitting is inserted into said inlet hollow conical portion the cone fitting contacts and causes the longitudinal slidable member to advance and protrude at least through part of the elastomeric disc to open the slit in the disc and provide communication between the hollow inlet portion, the chamber in the body portion and the hollow outlet portion, the elastomeric disc providing resilient means such that when the cone fitting is withdrawn from the inlet portion of the connector the disc springs back to its original position closing the slit and sealing the disc and thereby forceably urging the longitudinally slidable member to retract to its original position.