Parenteral liquid administration set with non-air blocking filter

• US 4,004,587 A
• Filed: 06/13/1975
• Issued: 01/25/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter Travenol Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Baxter Travenol Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Jess, Thurman Sheldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/586,665
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 128/214 R, 128/214 C, 128/214.2, 210/DIG. 23, 210/314, 210/490, 55/159
• US Class Current: 604/126
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1652 Filter with duct, e.g. filtering element incorporated in a flow line, tube, duct
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/165 Filtering accessories, e.g. blood filters, filters for infusion liquids A61M1/14 , A61M1/34, A61M1/3627, A61M1/3679, A61M1/3687 take precedence; needle sets with incorporated air inlet filters A61M5/162
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/928 Paper mill waste, e.g. white water, black liquor treated

Abstract

A parenteral liquid administration set is provided which comprises flexible tubing, connection means with a parenteral liquid source at one end of the tubing, and means for connection to a blood vessel-penetrating member, such as a needle, at the other end of the tubing. In accordance with this invention, a filter, positioned in fluid communication with the bore of the tubing, comprises a housing, which carries first and second filter members in parallel flow position so that each increment of fluid flow through the tubing passes through one or the other of the filter members. The first filter member is hydrophilic, to permit the passage of solution under normal administration conditions. The second filter member is hydrophobic, to permit the passage of gas after wetting of the filter members. Accordingly, the filter members, which are closed from the exterior by the administration set, cannot airblock by the accumulation of air bubbles immediately upstream of the filter members.

Claims

1. In a fluid flow apparatus which comprises a flow conduit means adapted for connection to a liquid source, and a filter positioned in communication with said flow conduit, the improvement comprising, in combination:

said filter comprising a housing, said housing carrying a first filter member and a separate, second filter member, in parallel flow position, whereby each increment of fluid flow through said flow conduit passes through one of said filter members, said first filter member being hydrophilic in nature to permit passage of aqueous liquid under normal liquid administration conditions, said second filter member being hydrophobic in nature to permit the passage of gas after said filter members have been in contact with aqueous liquid, whereby air-blocking of said filter is prevented, said filter members being closed from the exterior, and physically spaced from each other.

2. The parenteral liquid administration set of claim 1 in which said housing comprises a tubular member defining a pair of longitudinally extending windows positioned in diametrically opposite relation to each other, said first and second filter members being each positioned in a said longitudinally extending window in peripherally sealed relation thereto, whereby a path of fluid flow extends through the interior of said tubular housing, through said windows and said filter members, and through the bore of said tubing.

3. The fluid flow apparatus of claim 1 in which the pore size of said second filter member is less than the pore size of said first filter member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said filter is mounted in a parenteral liquid administration set.

6. In a parenteral liquid administration set which comprises tubing, means for connection of said set with a parenteral liquid source at one end of said tubing, means for connection of said set to a blood vesselpenetrating member at the other end of said tubing, and a filter positioned in communication with the bore of said tubing, the improvement comprising, in combination:

said filter comprising a housing, said housing carrying a first filter member, and a separate, second filter member, in parallel flow position whereby each increment of fluid flow through said bore passes through one of said filter members, said first filter member being hydrophilic in nature to permit the passage of aqueous liquid under normal parenteral liquid administration conditions, said second filter member being hydrophobic in nature to permit the passage of gas after said filter members have been in contact with aqueous liquid, whereby air-blocking of said filter is prevented, said filter means being closed from the exterior, and physically spaced from each other.

5. The parenteral liquid administration set of claim 7 in which said housing comprises a tubular member defining a pair of longitudinally extending windows positioned in diametrically opposite relation to each other, said first and second filter members being each positioned in a said longitudinally extending window in peripherally sealed relation thereto, whereby a path of fluid flow extends through the interior of said tubular housing, through said windows and said filter members, and through the bore of said tubing.

7. The parenteral liquid administration set of claim 6 in which said first and second filter member each define an area of less than 0.5 square centimeter.

8. The parenteral liquid administration set of claim 6 in which said housing comprises a tubular member defining a pair of longitudinally extending windows positioned in diametrically opposite relation to each other, said first and second filter members being each positioned in a said longitudinally extending window in peripherally sealed relation thereto, whereby a path of fluid flow extends through the interior of said tubular housing, through said windows and said filter members, and through the bore of said tubing.

9. The parenteral liquid administration set of claim 6 in which the pore size of said second filter member is less than the pore size of said first filter member.

10. In a fluid flow apparatus which comprises a flow conduit means adapted for connection to a liquid source and a filter positioned in communication with said flow conduit, the improvement comprising, in combination:

said filter comprising a housing, said housing carrying a first filter member, and a separate, second filter member, in parallel flow position, whereby each increment of fluid flow through said flow conduit passes through one of said filter members, said first filter member being hydrophilic in nature to permit passage of aqueous liquid under normal parenteral liquid administration conditions, said second filter member being hydrophobic in nature to permit the passage of gas after said filter members have been in contact with aqueous liquid, the pore size of said first filter member being from 1 to 5 microns, as measured by the minimum size of the particles retained, while said second filter member exhibits a pore size of less than the pore size of said first filter member, said filter members being closed from the exterior.