IMPROVED THREE-WAY CONNECTOR

Abstract

A three-way connector (1) including a body (2) with a tubular central part (3) having a first (4) and a second (5) opposite ends, the first end being open and the second end being closed, an internal cavity (6) of the tubular central part (3) communicating with internal ducts (7, 8, 9) of connection portions (10, 11, 12) which project radially from said tubular central part (3), a first (10) and a second (11) intake connection portion being able to receive fluids, at least one of these fluids being infused to a patient by means of the third, output connection portion (12), a tubular valve element (13) with an internal cavity (16) being inserted inside the internal cavity (6) of said central portion (3), and projecting from the first, open end (4) of said tubular central part (3) with a grasping portion (17) thereof with radial arms (17A). The valve element (13) has a shaped tubular body (14) which, selectively can put said connection portions (10, 11, 12) selectively into communication, or close this communication. Transversely inside said internal cavity (16) of the tubular body (14) of the valve element (13) there is present a wall (35) which divides said cavity (16) into two sections (36, 37), a hole (40) in said transverse wall (35) putting these sections of cavity (36, 37) into communication.

Claims

1. A three-way connector comprising: a body with a tubular central part having a first end opposite a second end, the first end being open and the second end being closed, an internal cavity of the tubular central part communicating with internal ducts of connection portions which project radially from said tubular central part, a first intake connection portion and a second intake connection portion configured to receive fluids, at least one of the fluids being infused to a patient by way of a third output connection portion, a tubular valve element with an internal cavity inserted inside the internal cavity of said central portion, and projecting from the open first end of said tubular central part with a grasping portion having radial arms, said valve element having a shaped tubular body which is configured to selectively puts said connection portions into communication via a hollow provided inside a surface of said tubular body, or close this communication, wherein, transversely inside said internal cavity of the tubular body of the valve element, there is present a wall which divides said cavity into two sections, a hole in said transverse wall putting these sections of cavity into communication.

2. The three-way connector according to claim 1, wherein said hole in the transverse wall is placed alternatively on a longitudinal axis of said tubular body of the valve element, or in a position which is eccentric relative to this axis.

3. The three-way connector according to claim 1, wherein a first section of the cavity is placed in a part of the tubular body of the valve element which has the grasping portion, the second section of this cavity being open at the second end of the tubular central part of the body of the connector.

4. The three-way connector according to claim 3, wherein the first section of the cavity communicates with a through-hole provided in the grasping portion of the valve element.

5. The three-way connector according to claim 4, wherein, in said through-hole there is disposed a stopper having a cylindrical body with a lateral wall inserted in said through-hole, longitudinally and on the exterior of this lateral wall a plurality of projecting ribs being provided which can contact directly an edge of the hole, and space the lateral wall of the stopper from this edge, a plurality of channels thus being provided between said lateral wall, said edge and said ribs, said channels being open at their opposite ends such as to communicate with the internal cavity of the valve element and with the exterior of the element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] For better understanding of the present invention, and purely by way of non-limiting example, the following drawings are appended, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of a three-way connector according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section according to the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, but from another perspective angle;

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a lateral view of the connector in FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a view in cross-section according to the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view in perspective of the connector in FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a view in perspective of a part of the connector in FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a front view of the part of the connector in FIG. 1 shown in FIG. 6; and

[0034] FIG. 8 shows a view in cross-section according to the line 8-8 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] With reference to said figures, a three-way connector according to the present disclosure is indicated generically as 1. It comprises a body 2 with a tubular central part 3, which is open at a first end 4 and closed at a second end 5. The central part has a cavity 6 to which there are connected ducts 7, 8 and 9, provided respectively inside connection portions 10, 11 and 12 projecting radially from the tubular central part 3. The first and second connection portions (for intake) 10 and 11 can be connected to corresponding supplies of fluids to be administered to a patient in a controlled manner via the three-way connector, by means of the third connection portion (for output of the fluid) 12.

[0036] This takes place in a known manner, and will not be described further.

[0037] In the cavity 6 of the central part 3 there is inserted a valve element 13 with a tubular body 14 introduced into this cavity of the first end 4 of the central part 3. The tubular body 14 has an internal cavity 16 and an end grasping portion 17 placed on the exterior of the cavity 6 and having radial arms 17A. Inside a surface 18 of this tubular body 14, which can face towards an internal surface 19 of the aforementioned cavity 6, there is provided a hollow 20, the function of which is to put the portions 10, 11 and 12 into selective communication, and permit or prevent administration of fluid to the patient. The body 14 is thus shaped to have said function.

[0038] This takes place in a manner which in itself is known to persons skilled in the art, and which will therefore not be described further.

[0039] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the grasping portion 17 is perforated centrally by means of a through-hole 21 which defines a first, open end of the internal cavity 16 of the valve element. This cavity 16 is also open at a second end 24 thereof, placed at the front of the second, closed end 5 of the tubular part 3 of the body 2.

[0040] In the hole 21, there can be placed a stopper 27 which has a cylindrical body 28 (with any cross-section), having a lateral wall 29 which can be introduced into this hole. However, said wall comprises a plurality of projecting ribs which are longitudinal, helical, or have another position which is not necessarily straight 30, which ribs can space the wall 29 from the edge 33 of the hole 21, and thus create between this edge, said wall and the ribs, channels 34 which are open at their ends. The stopper 27 is usually coloured, and, as is known, by means of its colour it identifies the particular use of a connector, differentiating it from other connectors which are the same, but to be used for other types of infusion.

[0041] The cavity 16 of the tubular element 13 has a transverse wall 35, which divides this cavity into two sections, i.e. a first (upper) section 36 which communicates with the hole 21, and a second (lower) section 37 which is closed by the second end 24 of the cavity 16. In said transverse wall 35 there is present a through-hole 40 which puts the two sections 36 and 37 of the cavity 16 into communication. The hole has the function of discharging the pressure which may accumulate in the lower section 37 of the cavity 16, after undesirable drawing of fluid obtained from one of the connection portions (for intake) 10 and 11, which fluid would gather at the second, closed end 5 of the body 2 of the connector 1, and which would pass, gradually filling the lower section 37 of the cavity 16 of the tubular body 14 of the valve element 13.

[0042] In the known solutions, where the cavity 16 of the valve element is usually closed, the fluid at the end 5 would give rise to an increase in the pressure of the air blocked between the closure part of the cavity 16 and the end 5 itself, resulting even in bursting effects which would make the valve element 13 becomes separated from the body 2.

[0043] If this happens, the fluid which gathers in the lower section 37 of the cavity 16 can pass into the upper section 36 through the hole 40, thus discharging the pressure between the second end 5 of the tubular part 3 of the body 2 and the inside of the cavity 16 (the increase in which pressure could cause the valve element 13 to become detached from the body 2). Thanks to the fact that the fluid can pass through the hole 40 and reach the upper section 36 of the cavity 6 (which is open by means of the through-hole 21, or communicates with the atmosphere via the channels between the wall 29 of the stopper 27, the ribs 30 on said wall and the edge 33 of said hole 21 if the stopper 27 were present therein), and from there exit from said hole 21, the pressure between the end 5 of the body 2 and the aforementioned cavity 16 being always kept low, and thus preventing generation of an axial force capable of disassembling the connector 1 including in a bursting manner, and separating the body 2 from the valve element 13.

[0044] The exiting of the fluid from the hole 21 may be noticed by the patient or by a health operator as soon as it takes place, such as to be able to block the infusion operation immediately, and without resulting in more exiting of fluid or separation of parts.

[0045] The above-described solution is simple to implement. The hole 40 can be created using known methods in the wall 35, and it can be in-line or off-centred on said wall with reference to a longitudinal axis W of the tubular body 14. If the hole is eccentric, since the wall 35 serves the purpose of withstanding the pressure which persists in the hollow 20, and since the presence of the hole weakens this wall 35, said eccentric position is symmetrical relative to the cross-sectional plane indicated by the line 8-8, such as to minimise the weakening. It will be appreciated that the hole 40 can have any cross-section, or a plurality of holes 40 can be provided in the wall 35.