Infusion system with self-generating pressure assembly
First Claim
1. For use with a flexible-walled infusion bag storing a supply of fluid to be fed intravenously and having an outlet, an infusion system for dispensing fluid under pressure from said infusion bag comprising:
- an outer container having a substantially inextensible wall portion defining an interior cavity sized for removably receiving said infusion bag therein;
an expandable envelope disposed within said cavity adjacent said infusion bag, said expandible envelope being completely sealed and having a normal collapsed condition in which it occupies a minor portion of said cavity; and
manually operable inflation means within said expandible envelope including at least two separate frangible capsules, each of said capsules being independently rupturable only by manipulation through the wall of said expandible envelope to generate separate supplies of gas within said expandible envelope, when ruptured, to expand said envelope and squeeze said infusion bag against said inextensible wall portion, thereby dispensing said fluid from said infusion bag through said outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An infusion system with a self-generating pressure assembly includes a flexible infusion container which contains a fluid, such as blood and an expandible envelope which contains a pair of chemical agents which generate a gas when mixed. In use, the chemical agents are mixed by manual manipulation of the expandable envelope, creating a gas which expands causing the expandible envelope to bear against the flexible infusion container creating fluid pressure therein which causes the infusion fluid to flow out of the infusion container. The assembly may comprise a sleeve surrounding both the infusion container and expandible envelope, or a flexible panel secured to the side edges of the expandible envelope and forming a sleeve-like opening into which the infusion container is inserted.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. For use with a flexible-walled infusion bag storing a supply of fluid to be fed intravenously and having an outlet, an infusion system for dispensing fluid under pressure from said infusion bag comprising:
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an outer container having a substantially inextensible wall portion defining an interior cavity sized for removably receiving said infusion bag therein; an expandable envelope disposed within said cavity adjacent said infusion bag, said expandible envelope being completely sealed and having a normal collapsed condition in which it occupies a minor portion of said cavity; and manually operable inflation means within said expandible envelope including at least two separate frangible capsules, each of said capsules being independently rupturable only by manipulation through the wall of said expandible envelope to generate separate supplies of gas within said expandible envelope, when ruptured, to expand said envelope and squeeze said infusion bag against said inextensible wall portion, thereby dispensing said fluid from said infusion bag through said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. For use with a flexible-walled infusion bag storing a supply of fluid to be fed intravenously and having an outlet, a disposable infusion system for dispensing fluid under pressure from said infusion bag comprising:
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an outer container having a tubular sleeve with an open top and bottom end, an interior space sized for removably receiving said infusion bag therein, and a continuous, unbroken wall including an inextensible wall portion, an expandible envelope disposed within said container at one side of said interior space and opposite to said inextensible wall portion of said container; said infusion bag being receivable within said interior space between said expandible envelope and said wall portion; said container wall having a height sufficient to extend over the major portion of said infusion bag when the latter is received within said container, with at least a portion of the expandible envelope projecting beyond said container wall; said expandible envelope having flexible walls, the envelope being completely sealed, and having a normal collapsed condition in which said expandible envelope occupies a minor portion of the interior space of said container; and means including a frangible member secured at a fixed position within the projecting portion of said expandible envelope for generating a supply of gas therein in sufficient volume to cause said expandible envelope to expand to an extended position in which it substantially fills the interior space of said container, the projecting portion of said expandible envelope comprising locating means for denoting the position of said frangible member so that said frangible member is readily accessible from the exterior of said container through the projecting portion of said flexible wall of said expandible envelope, whereby said frangible member may be quickly and easily located and manually ruptured to generate gas within said expandible envelope, thereby causing said expandible envelope to expand to press said infusion bag against said wall portion of said container to lock said infusion bag in position and create pressure within said infusion bag sufficient to cause a flow of said fluid from said infusion bag through the outlet thereof. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
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18. A method of administering an infusion fluid to a patient through an intravenous infusion tube from a flexible-walled infusion bag installed in an infusion system comprising an outer container having a substantially inextensible wall portion defining an interior cavity in which said infusion bag is received, an expandible envelope disposed within said cavity adjacent said infusion bag, said expandible envelope being completely sealed and having a normal collapsed condition in which it occupies a minor portion of said cavity, and inflation means within said expandible envelope including at least two separate frangible capsules, each of said capsules being independently rupturable only by manipulation through the wall of said expandible envelope to generate separate supplies of gas within said expandible envelope, when ruptured, to expand said envelope and squeeze said infusion bag against said inextensible wall portion, thereby dispensing said fluid from said infusion bag through said infusion tube to the patient, comprising the steps of:
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manually rupturing only one of said capsules by manipulating it through the wall of said expandible envelope to generate a first gas pressure which expands said envelope and dispenses a portion of the fluid from said infusion bag; and manually rupturing the second of said capsules by manipulating it through the wall of said expandible envelope when the flow of infusion fluid has slowed due to partial depletion of the fluid from said infusion bag and reduction in pressure within said expandible envelope, to generate a second gas pressure which further expands said envelope to complete dispensing of substantially all fluid remaining in said infusion bag.
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Specification