The invention relates to a slide valve and coupler assembly for controlling fluid flow, comprising a slide valve including a valve housing having a first fluid flow passage, at least one slide valve member, and guide means for guiding the slide valve member between a closed position in which the slide valve member is positioned across and closes off said first passage, and an open position in which this passage is open, and a coupler including a coupler housing having a second fluid flow passage which can be connected to the first passage, and having a recess for insertion of at least the portion of the valve housing provided with the slide valve member, the valve housing being displaceable .in relation to the coupler housing while uncovering by means of the slide valve member said first passage, to a position in which the first fluid flow passage is connected for fluid flow with the second fluid flow passage.

A slide valve and coupler assembly of this type is described in CH-A-352 205.

The assembly in the first place is intended for use when body fluids are to be emptied or removed from the body, for example when urine is to be collected from incontent persons, or when fluids for example blood medicaments or other treatment fluids are to be administered to the body as in transfusion, infusion, or peritoneal dialysis (bag dialysis).

The purpose of the invention is to simplify the construction of the slide valve and coupler assembly and to make the use thereof easier without neglecting the requirement of complete sealing between the different elements of the assembly and the

possibility of maintaining sterility in relation to the surroundings as well as the person connected in one way or the other to the slide valve and coupler assembly. In order to achieve this purpose the slide valve and coupler assembly has obtained the characteristics appearing from claim 1, and in order to explain the invention in more detail a number of embodiments thereof will be described below reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which

FIG 1 is an axial ^' sectional view of the slide valve and coupler assembly in one embodiment with the slide valve in the position for connection with the coupler, FIG 2 is a plan view from below of the coupler, FIG 3 is a fragmentary view of the slide valve along line III-III in FIG 1,

^* FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV in FIG 1, FIG 5 is an axial sectional view of a second embodiment of the slide valve and coupler assembly having the slide valve and the coupler separated,

FIG 6 is a view of the coupler along line VI-VI in FIG 5,

FIG 7 is a plan view of the slide valve in FIG 5, FIG 8 is a view similar to FIG 5 with the elements of the slide valve and coupler assembly in position for interconnection, FIG 9 is a view similar to FIG 5 with the elements of the assembly interconnected, FIG 10 is an an axial sectional view of a third embodiment of the slide valve and coupler assembly of the invention FIG 11 is a cross-sectional view along line

XI-XI in FIG 10,

FIG 12 is a cross-sectional view along line

XII-XII in FIG 10,

FIG 13 is a cross-sectional view along line XIII-XIII in FIG 10,

FIG 14 is a view similar to FIG 10 having the elements of the slide valve and coupler assembly interconnected,

FIG 15 is an axial sectional view of the slide valve in the embodiment of FIGS 10 to 14 with sterile means, and

FIG 16 is an axial sectional view of the coupler of the slide valve and coupler assembly of FIGS

10 to 14 with sterile means. In the drawings the slide valve is indicated generally at A and the coupler is indicated generally at B. In the- embodiment of FIGS 1 to 4 the slide valve comprises a valve housing 10 forming a passage 11 for fluid flow. The valve housing is shaped for passing a hose thereon with narrow leakproof fit, whereby the passage 11 will be connected with a container or other device, but the valve housing can also form part of a container or other device. The valve housing 10 forms an undercut groove 12 receiving a slide valve member 13 which closes off the mouth of the passage 11. The slide valve member is displaceably guided on ribs 14 facing each other which are received by groovs 15 in the slide valve member 13 so that this member can be displaced between the position shown in FIG 1 which is the closed position, and another position in which the mouth of the passage is uncovered and which accordingly is an open position.

The coupler B comprises a coupler housing 16 having a passage 17 for fluid flow, and also the

coupler housing is shaped for passing a hose thereon with leakproof fit. A sealing ring 18 surrounds the mouth of the passage 17. The coupler housing forms a cavity 19 which is shaped and dimensioned so as to receive therein the mouth portion of the slide valve A provided with the slide valve member 13. In the coupler housing there is displaceably guided by means of flanges 20 a thin slide sheet 21 forming an aperture 22 which is shaped and dimensioned in order that the mouth portion of the slide valva A can be passed upwards through the slide sheet into the cavity 19 when the slide sheet is in the position shown with the aperture 22 in register with the cavity 19. Then the slide sheet engages the sealing element 18 and forms a leakproof seal of the mouth of the passage 17. In. the coupler housing 16 cavities 23 ^• are provided one ^' at each ^" side of the mouth portion of the passage 17 forming grooves 24 ^" which are positioned such that they are in register with the ribs 14 as a rectilinear extension thereof when the mouth portion of the slide valve A is inserted into the cavity 19, and are dimensioned and shaped so as to receive the ribs 14.

When the slide valve A at the mouth portion thereof has been introduced into the cavity 19 in the coupler housing 16 the slide valve member 13 being in the closed position, the slide valve A can be displaced to the right as seen in FIG 1, the ribs 14 being inserted into the grooves 24 for the interconnection of the slide valve A and the coupler, the slide valve member at the same time being cleared from the slide valve and remains in the cavity 19 wherein the slide valve member 13 is supported by the slide sheet 21 which follows the slide valve A when it is being displaced, and thus will be pulled

underneath the slide valve member 13. By displacement of the slide valve A to the right the passages 11 and 17 are brought into register and thus will communicate with each other the sealing element 18 maintaining the seal between the valve housing and the coupler housing 16 in the interface between the two housings. It should be noted that the end surface of the valve housing 10 at the mouth of the passage 11 which can be closed off by means of the valve member 13, and the end surface of the coupler housing 16 at the mouth of the passage 17 which can be closed off by means of the slide sheet 21, never are exposed to the surroundings, transfer of bacteria or impurities between the passages 11 and 17 and the surroundings being prevented thereby.

While the interconnection of the two elements, the slide valve A and the coupler B, of the slide valve and coupler assembly in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS 1 to 4 is effected by linear displacement of the slide valve A in the coupler B, this operation takes place in the embodiment of FIGS 6 to 9 by relative rotation of the two elements of the assembly. Referring to FIGS 5 to 9 the slide valve A comprises a similar circular slide valve member 113 which is displaceable inside a collar 101 formed by the slide valve housing 110 and is displaceably guided by means of a rib 102 in a guide groove 103 formed by the valve housing 110. Between the end surface of the valve housing 110 at the mouth of the passage 111 formed therein, and the valve member 113 a sealing element 104 is provided.

To the coupler housing 116 forming a passage 117 a semicircular slide sheet 121 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 105. The slide sheet is arranged so as to close off the mouth of the passage 117 a

sealing element 118 being provided between the slide sheet and the coupler housing. The coupler housing 116 forms a recess 119 to receive therein the mouth portion of the slide valve housing 110 and the slide valve member 113 arranged thereon, when the slide valve member is in the closed position.

When the two elements of the slide valve and coupler assembly are brought together as shown in FIG 8 the coupler housing being inserted into the space surrounded by the collar 101 and the mouth portion of the valve housing 110 with the slide valve member 113 being received by the recess 119, the two elements of the assembly can be rotated in relation to each other to the position of FIG 9, the slide sheet 121 being rotated away from the mouth of the passage 117 by means of the slide valve housing 110 and the slide valve member 113 being moved away from the mouth of the passage 111 by means of the coupler B, the two passages being brought into register. Sealing is maintained in the interface between the passages by means of the sealing element 104. The slide valve member 113 and the slide sheet 121 will be positioned one upon the other, and the two elements of the assembly are interconnected by a rib 106 on the coupler housing 116 being inserted into the groove

103 in the valve housing 110, said groove previously receiving the rib 102 on the slide valve member 113. As will be seen the operation is the same as in the embodiment of FIGS 1 to 4. In the third embodiment of the invention which is shown in FIGS 10 to 14 to which reference now is made, the two elements of the assembly are arranged for relative axial displacement at the interconnection. The valve housing 210 forms a passage 211 which extends centrally through the valve

housing formed as a cylindrical body, and forms an angled mouth portion 211' which opens in the curved surface of the valve housing. The slide valve member 213 is displaceably guided in an undercut groove 212 a groove 201 connecting to groove 212 to receive and guide an arm 202 connected with the slide valve member 213. This arm is biassed by means of a helical spring 203 encircling the valve housing 210, which keeps the slide valve member 213 in the closed position shown in FIG 10 wherein the slide valve member covers the mouth of the passage 211 at the mouth portion 211' .

The coupler housing 216 is also cylindrical and forms an axial cavity 219 a radial passage 217 connecting to said cavity in a socket 204 formed by the coupler housing- and projecting therefrom. A slide body 221 is displaceably guided in the cavity 219 said slide body being biassed by means of a helical spring 205 positioned in the passage, to the position shown in FIG 10 wherein the slide body 221 shuts off the connection between the cavity 219 and the passage 217 thereof. The coupler housing 216 forms inside the cavity 219 two ribs 206 received by corresponding grooves in the slide body 221, which form a shoulder 207 at the passage 217. A resilient hook 208 is provided on the slide valve for cooperation with a shoulder 209 on the coupler housing 216.

When the two elements of the assembly, the slide valve A and the coupler B, are brought together the slide valve housing 210 being received by the cavity 219 of the coupler, the slide valve member 213 will be retained by the shoulder 207 and will be moved away from the mouth portion 211' against the bias of the spring 203 the slide body 221 at the same time being depressed to uncover the cavity 219 against the

bias of the spring 205. When the hook 208 by snap action engages the shoulder 209 to keep the two elements of the assembly together the mouth portion 211' registers with the passage 217 and thus a connection is established between this passage and the passage 211 in the slide valve housing 210.

Existing sealing elements in the embodiments described - such sealing elements can be provided also in the embodiment of FIGS 10 to 14 although they have not been shown therein - can be of such character that they can absorb a disinfectant. For example the sealing element can consist of a resilient porous material. However, a sterile inside environment in the slide valve and coupler assembly at repeated connection and disconnection of the two elements of the assembly also can .be maintained by the arrangement shown in FIGS 15 to 16. According to FIG 15 a sleeve 225 of bactericidal material is pushed onto the housing 210 of the slide valve A so as to cover the mouth portion of the housing and the slide valve member 213.

In FIG 16 a layer 226 of bactericidal material is provided on the slide body 221. Moreover, a sleeve 227 of bactericidal material is inserted into the cavity 219 said sleeve being provided with a ■ removable lid 228, and a bactericidal substance 229 is received in the sleeve 227. This sleeve forms an expansion space which can receive the substance 229 when the slide valve A is inserted into the coupler B. Instead of being removable the lid 228 can be of such character that it can be punctured by means of the valve housing 210. Analogous arrangements can be provided in the other embodiments of the invention.