Valved catheter

Claim 2

A valved catheter comprising: an elongated member having a distal portion, a wall, first and second passages extending longitudinally therein, and a reduced cross section and a planar surface in said distal portion; and a valve in said planar surface and having first and second fluid apertures communicating exterior to and with said first and second adjacent passages of said member, respectively.

Claim 3

The catheter of claim 1 wherein said planar surface comprises a flat-surfaced layer of flexible material attached to said wall and wherein said first and second fluid apertures comprise first and second slits formed through said flat-surfaced layer of flexible material and communicating exterior to and with said first and second passages of said member, respectively.

Claim 4

The catheter of claim 2 wherein an outer surface of said wall along said distal portion has a substantially semi-circular cross-sectional shape and compresses said first and second slits to at least one of a plurality of predetermined positions.

Claim 5

The catheter of claim 3 wherein said flat-surfaced layer of flexible material is attached to said wall over said first and second passages.

Claim 6

The catheter of claim 2 wherein said first and second slits are positioned longitudinally offset along said first and second passages, respectively.

Claim 7

The catheter of claim 1 wherein said member further comprises a closed distal end.

Claim 8

The catheter of claim 6 wherein said closed distal end includes first and second plugs positioned in and closing a distal end of said first and second passages of said member, respectively.

Claim 9

The catheter of claim 1 wherein said valve is formed by positioning in said first passage along said distal portion a first rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along said distal portion, a first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when in said first passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto.

Claim 10

The catheter of claim 8 wherein said valve is formed by positioning in said second passage along said distal portion a second rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along a second segment of said distal portion, a second wide segment of said flat surface of said second rod when in said second passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto along said second segment of said distal portion.

Claim 11

The catheter of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second rods has laterally recessed portions extending from said flat surface thereof adjacent the wide segment of the other rod when said first and second rods are positioned in said first and second passages, respectively.

Claim 12

The catheter of claim 10 wherein said valve is further formed by applying a layer of flexible material over said flat surfaces of said first and second rods when in said first and second passages, respectively, and attaching said layer to said wall along said distal portion.

Claim 13

The catheter of claim 11 wherein said first aperture is formed by placing a first longitudinal slit in said layer of flexible material along said first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when positioned in said first passage.

Claim 14

The catheter of claim 12 wherein said second aperture is formed by placing a second longitudinal slit in said layer of flexible material along said second segment of said flat surface of said second rod when positioned in said second passage.

Claim 15

The catheter of claim 13 wherein said catheter is further formed by inserting a plug in and closing a distal end of at least one of said first and second passages of said member when said at least one of said first and second rods is removed from said first and second passages, respectively.

Claim 16

The catheter of claim 1 wherein said wall stressed about said distal portion compresses at least one of said first and second apertures to a closed position.

Claim 17

The catheter of claim 1 wherein said wall about said distal portion compresses said first and second fluid apertures to at least one of a plurality of predetermined positions.

Claim 18

A valved catheter comprising: a flexible material, elongated tubular member having first and second adjacent passages extending longitudinally therein, a wall, a distal portion, and a reduced cross section and a planar surface in said distal portion, said planar surface including a flat-surfaced layer of flexible material attached to said wall over said first and second adjacent passages; and a valve in said planar surface and having first and second slits formed through said flat-surfaced layer of flexible material and communicating exterior to and with said first and second passages of said member, respectively, said first and second slits being positioned longitudinally offset along said first and second adjacent passages, respectively, an outer surface of said wall along said distal portion having a substantially semi-circular cross-sectional shape and compressing said first and second slits to a closed position; said valve being formed by positioning in said first passage along said distal portion a first rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along said distal portion, a first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when positioned in said first passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto; said valve being formed by also positioning in said second passage along said distal portion a second rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along said distal portion, a second wide segment of said flat surface of said second rod when positioned in said second passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto, each of said first and second rods having laterally recessed portions extending from said flat surface thereof adjacent the wide segment of the other rod when said first and second rods are positioned in said first and second adjacent passages, respectively; said valve being formed by further applying a layer of flexible material over said flat surfaces of said first and second rods when positioned in said first and second adjacent passages, respectively, and attaching said layer to said wall along said distal portion; said first slit being formed in said layer of flexible material along said first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when positioned in said first passage; said second slit being formed in said layer of flexible material along said second wide segment of said flat surface of said second rod when positioned in said second passage; and first and second plugs positioned in and closing a distal end of said first and second adjacent passages of said member, respectively.

Claim 19

A valved catheter comprising: a flexible material, elongated tubular member having first and second adjacent passages extending longitudinally therein, a wall, a distal portion, and a reduced cross section and a planar surface in said distal portion, said planar surface including a flat-surfaced layer of flexible material attached to said wall over said first and second adjacent passages; and a valve in said planar surface and having first and second slits formed through said flat-surfaced layer of flexible material and communicating exterior to and with said first and second passages of said member, respectively, said first and second slits being positioned longitudinally offset along said first and second adjacent passages, respectively, an outer surface of said wall along said distal portion having a substantially semi-circular cross-sectional shape and compressing said first and second slits to a closed position; said valve being formed by positioning in said first passage along said distal portion a first rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along said distal portion, a first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when positioned in said first passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto; said valve being formed by also positioning in said second passage along said distal portion a second rod having a flat surface extending longitudinally along said distal portion, a second wide segment of said flat surface of said second rod when positioned in said second passage laterally stretching said wall adjacent thereto, each of said first and second rods having laterally recessed portions extending from said flat surface thereof adjacent the wide segment of the other rod when said first and second rods are positioned in said first and second adjacent passages, respectively; said valve being formed by further applying a layer of flexible material over said flat surfaces of said first and second rods when positioned in said first and second adjacent passages, respectively, and attaching said layer to said wall along said distal portion; said first slit being formed in said layer of flexible material along said first wide segment of said flat surface of said first rod when positioned in said first passage; said second slit being formed in said layer of flexible material along said second wide segment of said flat surface of said second rod when positioned in said second passage; and first and second plugs positioned in and closing a distal end of said first and second adjacent passages of said member, respectively.

Claim 20

A valved catheter (10) comprising an elongated tubular member (11) with a longitudinal passage (14) extending therethrough, a lateral facing valve (12) in the region of the distal end of the catheter, said passageway communicating with said valve CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the tubular member in the said region of the distal end is of reduced cross section and has a planar surface (21), and in that a valve (20) is formed in said planar surface.

Claim 21

A valved catheter (10) comprising an elongated tubular member (11) with a longitudinal passage (14) extending therethrough, a lateral facing valve (12) in the region of the distal end of the catheter, said passageway communicating with said valve CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the tubular member in the said region of the distal end is of reduced cross section and has a planar surface (21), and in that a valve (20) is formed in said planar surface.

Claim 22

A catheter according to claim 18, wherein the outer wall (13) of the elongated member also forms the said planar surface, and wherein the valve is in the form of a slit (20) extending through the planar surface.

Claim 23

A catheter according to claim 18, wherein a longitudinally extending section (18) of the tubular member has been removed in the said region of the distal end, and wherein material (19) has been attached to the member in said region to form the said planar surface.

Claim 24

A catheter according to claim 20, wherein the said material is fixed to the member (16, 17) in the said region of the distal end while the latter is in a pre-stressed condition, the pre-stressing serving to ensure that the valve is in a normally closed condition.

Claim 25

A catheter according to claim 21, wherein the member in the said region of the distal end is substantially U-shaped, and wherein the said material is flexible, and extends across the ends (16, 17) of the U-shaped distal end.

Claim 26

A catheter according to claim 18, wherein a second valve (45) is formed in the said planar surface, and wherein a second longitudinal passage (37) extends through the tubular member and is in sole communication with the second valve.

Claim 27

A catheter according to claim 23, wherein a longitudinally extending section of the tubular member has been removed in the said region of the distal end, wherein material has been attached to the member over the first and second passages, and wherein the first and second valves are in the form of first and second slits extending through the planar surface and longitudinally offset along the first and second passages.

Claim 28

The catheter according to claim 24, further comprising a plurality of plugs each passage is closed at the distal end thereof by one of said plugs (47, 48).

Claim 29

The catheter according to claim 23, wherein said valve is formed by temporarily locating a flat-surfaced rod (49, 51) in each passage during formation of the catheter.