Multiple chamber solution container including positive test for homogenous mixture

• US 4,396,383 A
• Filed: 11/09/1981
• Issued: 08/02/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter Travenol Laboratories Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Baxter Travenol Laboratories Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Hart, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Michelle N.
• Application Number:
  US06/319,491
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 604/56, 604/81, 604/82, 604/87, 604/89, 604/91, 604/404, 604/408, 604/410, 604/416, 604/262, 150/2.5, 150/DIG. 1, 215/1 C, 215/6, 215/DIG. 3, 215/DIG. 8
• US Class Current: 604/518
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/10 Bag-type containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2027 having frangible parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/2093 Containers having several compartments for products to be mixed

Abstract

A container having a unique two chamber construction provides for the passive mixing of two supply solutions having different specific gravities into a single homogenous solution in a closed environment. The container includes means for a positive test that a single homogenous solution has been achieved. The container is especially useful for storing and mixing two supply solutions which when mixed form a single medical solution which itself is unsuitable for storage over extended time periods.

Claims

1. A container for passively mixing two supply solutions having different specific gravities into a single homogenous solution and for providing a positive check that a single homogenous solution has been achieved, the container comprising:

a container wall;

container dividing means spanning the interior defined by said container wall, said container dividing means and container wall defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber, one of the supply solutions carried in said upper chamber and the other of the supply solutions carried in said lower chamber;

a top portion of said lower chamber disposed at the same elevation as a bottom portion of said upper chamber so that the top of said lower chamber is at an elevation higher than the bottom of said upper chamber;

at least a section of said container wall being transparent to enable viewing of the interior defined by said top and bottom portions;

two closure means mounted through said container dividing means for selective communication between said upper and lower chambers, one of said closure means mounted through said dividing means between said top portion of said lower chamber and said upper chamber, the other of said closure means mounted through said dividing means between said bottom portion of said upper chamber and said lower chamber;

such that upon opening said closure means, solution transfer is effected between said upper and lower chambers through at least one of said closure means until the solution level in each of said chambers is equal, the equal solution levels providing a positive indication that the two supply solutions have been mixed into a single homogenous solution within said container.

2. A container as in claim 1, wherein said container wall is flexible plastic and wherein said container dividing means is a formed heat seal between opposed sections of said flexible plastic container wall.

3. A container as in claim 1, further comprising an administration port assembly in said lower chamber which may be opened for permitting solution flow out of said container through said administration port assembly.

6. A container as in claims 1, 4 or 5, wherein the volume of each of the upper and lower chambers is less than the total solution volume carried by said container.

7. The container as in claims 1, 4 or 5, further comprising a columnar-like segment in at least one of said top and bottom portions, said segment being narrow relative to the width of its respective chamber.

4. A container for storing separately two supply solutions having different specific gravities and for passiviely mixing the supply solutions into a single homogenous solution that is unstable over extended time periods, said container providing a positive check that a single homogenous solution has been achieved and comprising:

a container wall;

container dividing means spanning the interior defined by said container wall, said container dividing means and container wall defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber, one of the supply solutions carried in said upper chamber and the other of the supply solutions carried in said lower chamber;

a top portion of said lower chamber disposed at the same elevation as a bottom portion of said upper chamber so that the top of said lower chamber is at an elevation higher than the bottom of said upper chamber;

at least a section of said container wall being transparent to enable viewing of the interior defined by said top and bottom portions;

two closure means mounted through said container dividing means for selective communication between said upper and lower chambers, one of said closure means mounted substantially vertically through said dividing means between said top portion of said lower chamber and said upper chamber, the other of said closure means mounted substantially vertically through said dividing means between said bottom portion of said upper chamber and said lower chamber;

such that upon opening said closure means, solution transfer may be effected between said upper and lower chambers through at least one of said closure means until the solution level in each of said chambers is equal, the equal solution levels providing a positive indication that the two supply solutions have been mixed into a single homogenous solution within said container.

5. A container for storing separately two supply solutions having different specific gravities and for passively mixing the supply solutions into a single homogenous medical solution that is unstable over extended time periods, said container providing a positive check that a single homogenous medical solution has been achieved and comprising:

a container wall including flexible plastic sheets;

container dividing means spanning the interior defined by said container wall, said container dividing means and container wall defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber, one of the supply solutions carried in said upper chamber and the other of the supply solutions carried in said lower chamber;

a top portion of said lower chamber disposed at the same elevation as a bottom portion of said upper chamber so that the top of said lower chamber is at an elevation higher than the bottom of said upper chamber;

at least a section of said container wall being transparent to enable viewing of the interior defined by said top and bottom portions;

two closure means mounted through said container dividing means for selective communication between said upper and lower chambers, one of said closure means mounted substantially vertically through said dividing means between said top portion of said lower chamber and said upper chamber, the other of said closure means mounted substantially vertically through said dividing means between said bottom portion of said upper chamber and said lower chamber, said closure means being opened by container-external manipulation of said container wall and closure means;

such that upon opening said closure means, solution transfer may be effected between said upper and lower chambers through at least one of said closure means until the solution level in each of said chambers is equal, the equal solution levels providing a positive indication that the two supply solutions have been mixed into a single homogenous solution within said container.

8. A method for passively mixing two supply solutions having different specific gravities into a single homogenous solution in a closed environment and for providing a positive check that a single homogenous solution has been achieved, the container including a container wall, container dividing means spanning the interior defined by said container wall, the container dividing means and container wall defining an upper chamber and a lower chamber, whereby one of the supply solutions is carried in the upper chamber and the other of the supply solutions is carried in the lower chamber, the container further including a top portion of the lower chamber which is disposed at the same elevation as the bottom portion of the upper chamber, at least a section of the container wall being transparent to enable viewing of the interior defined by the top and bottom portions, two closure means mounted through the container dividing means for selective communication between the upper and lower chambers, one of the closure means being mounted through the dividing means between the top portion of the lower chamber and the upper chamber, the other of the closure means mounted through the dividing means between the bottom portion of the upper chamber and the lower chamber, the method comprising:

manually opening both of the closure means;

suspending the container such that solution transfer is effected between the upper and lower chambers until an equilibrium state is reached;

visually inspecting the meniscus in each of the upper and lower chambers such that if the menisci are at equal elevations a homogenous solution has been achieved;

inverting the container and repeating the steps of suspension for solution transfer and visual inspection until the menisci in the upper and lower chambers are at substantially the same level.