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US4586928A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pivoting frangible valve for plastic bags

Assignee: Bayer Corp
•
Filing: 1984-10-09
•
Granted: 1986-05-06
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Expires: 2004-10-09
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Abstract

Abstract Frangible valve for a closed plastic bag system comprising an upper member having a bore and located within a port on a plastic bag and a solid lower member extending into the bag. The lower member is attached to the upper member by at least one tether and includes a bore-sealing portion attached to the upper member via a weakened portion. In use, the bore-sealing portion is separated from the upper member by external manipulation to permit fluid flow through the bore while the bore-sealing portion remains tethered to the valve. In preferred embodiments, two tethers are included on opposite sides of the bore-sealing portion and the tethered bore-sealing portion includes means for keeping it separated from the bore in a fully open position after the bore seal has been broken.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bruce E. Barnes
  • 👤 William W. Dupin
  • 👤 Bruce W. Kuhlemann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 23:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61J; A61J1/00; A61J1/05; A61J1/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S604/00; Y10S604/905

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 152 words
In a closed blood bag system comprising at least one blood bag in communication with a plastic tubing attached to a cylindrical port on the bag and an externally manipulated integral frangible valve located within the closed system, the improvements comprising the valve having a cylindrical upper member fitting snugly within the port and having a bore at least as large as the tubing and a lower member extending into the bag and comprising a solid bore-sealing portion and at least one tether portion, both being attached separately to the lower portion of the upper member, the bore-sealing portion being attached to the upper member via a weakened portion adapted to permit complete separation of the bore sealing portion from the upper member by manual pressure applied to the lower member through the walls of blood bag, thereby breaking the seal and permitting essentially unobstructed fluid flow between the bag and tubing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 152 words
In a closed blood bag system comprising at least one blood bag in communication with a plastic tubing attached to a cylindrical port on the bag and an externally manipulated integral frangible valve located within the closed system, the improvements comprising the valve having a cylindrical upper member fitting snugly within the port and having a bore at least as large as the tubing and a lower member extending into the bag and comprising a solid bore-sealing portion and at least one tether portion, both being attached separately to the lower portion of the upper member, the bore-sealing portion being attached to the upper member via a weakened portion adapted to permit complete separation of the bore sealing portion from the upper member by manual pressure applied to the lower member through the walls of blood bag, thereby breaking the seal and permitting essentially unobstructed fluid flow between the bag and tubing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the lower member includes two tether portions attached at the periphery of the lower portion of the upper member and on opposite sides of the bore sealing portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the bore-sealing portion has at its upper end means for holding the bore-sealing portion away from the bore after the seal is broken.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the upper end of the bore-sealing portion is defined by the weakened portion, is generally circular, and adapted to be kept separate from the bore by engaging the periphery of the lower portion of the upper member after the seal is broken.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 64 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the blood bag is generally flat having two substantially parallel sides defining a plane with the two tethers being in essentially the same plane as the sides, thereby permitting the bore sealing portion of the lower member to pivot in either an upward or downward direction relative to the plane of the bag when the seal is broken.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the bore-sealing portion includes means to keep the upper portion of the bore-sealing portion away from the bore after the seal is broken.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the bore-sealing portion includes means for maintaining its axis at an angle of at least about 30° relative to the axis of the bore when the seal is broken.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the tether has a smaller cross section than the bore-sealing portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the blood bag comprises a polyvinyl chloride film, the frangible valve comprises a polycarbonate material, and the upper member of the valve is held in the port via an interference fit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 1 wherein plastic tubing connects two blood bags.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 153 words
In a closed plastic bag system comprising at least one plastic bag in communication with a plastic tubing attached to a cylindrical port on the bag and an externally manipulated integral frangible valve located within the closed system, the improvements comprising the valve having a cylindrical upper member fitting snugly within the port and having a bore at least as large as the tubing and a lower member extending into the bag and comprising a solid bore-sealing portion and at least one tether portion, both being attached separately to the lower portion of the upper member, the bore-sealinig portion being attached to the upper member via a weakened portion adapted to permit complete separation of the bore sealing portion from the upper member by manual pressure applied to the lower member through the walls of the plastic bag, thereby breaking the seal and permitting essentially unobstructed fluid flow between the bag and tubing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 153 words
In a closed plastic bag system comprising at least one plastic bag in communication with a plastic tubing attached to a cylindrical port on the bag and an externally manipulated integral frangible valve located within the closed system, the improvements comprising the valve having a cylindrical upper member fitting snugly within the port and having a bore at least as large as the tubing and a lower member extending into the bag and comprising a solid bore-sealing portion and at least one tether portion, both being attached separately to the lower portion of the upper member, the bore-sealinig portion being attached to the upper member via a weakened portion adapted to permit complete separation of the bore sealing portion from the upper member by manual pressure applied to the lower member through the walls of the plastic bag, thereby breaking the seal and permitting essentially unobstructed fluid flow between the bag and tubing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the lower member includes two tether portions attached at the periphery of the lower portion of the upper member and on opposite sides of the bore sealing portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the bore-sealing portion has at its upper end means for holding the bore-sealing portion away from the bore after the seal is broken.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the upper end of the bore-sealing portion is defined by the weakened portion, is generally circular, and adapted to be kept separate from the bore by engaging the periphery of the lower portion of the upper member after the seal is broken.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 64 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the plastic bag is generally flat having two substantially parallel sides defining a plane with the two tethers being in essentially the same plane as the sides, thereby permitting the bore sealing portion of the lower member to pivot in either an upward or downward direction relative to the plane of the bag when the seal is broken.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the bore-sealing portion includes means to keep the upper portion of the bore-sealing portion away from the bore after the seal is broken.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 35 words
The system of claim 16 wherein the bore-sealing portion includes means for maintaining its axis at an angle of at least about 30° relative to the axis of the bore when the seal is broken.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 17 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the ether has a smaller cross section than the bore-sealing portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 37 words
The system of claim 11 wherein the plastic bag comprises a polyvinyl chloride film, the frangible valve comprises a polycarbonate material, and the upper member of the valve is held in the port via an interference fit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 11 wherein plastic tubing connects two plastic bags.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4294247A Cited
US4270534A Cited
US4340049A Cited
US4410026A Cited
US4435179A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-05-05 1989-11-04 1990-05-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-05-05 1993-11-04 1994-05-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-05-05 1997-11-04 1998-05-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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