Air eliminator
First Claim
1. A device for removing gas bubbles from liquids in intravenous delivery systems comprising:
- a) a housing having an interior chamber for receiving liquid passing through the device, said housing having a vent opening on the periphery of the chamber;
b) a hydrophobic membrane attached to said housing and positioned over said vent opening, said hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing gas bubbles in the liquid to pass through said vent opening while preventing aqueous liquid from passing through said vent opening;
c) an inlet passage to the housing, said inlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering the liquid directly into the chamber;
d) an outlet passage to the housing, said outlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering any liquid accumulated in the chamber directly from the chamber, said outlet passage comprising a stem which extends said outlet passage inwardly into the chamber and terminates in an interior end; and
e) said vent opening being shaped and located in the housing such that at least a portion of the vent opening will be positioned at an elevation higher than that of the interior end of the stem irrespective of the orientation of the housing.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air elimination device for removing air or gas bubbles from aqueous liquids flowing through an intravenous delivery system. The device comprises a housing having an interior chamber, an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and one or more vent openings. The inlet passage delivers the liquid into the interior chamber. The outlet passage delivers the liquid from the interior chamber. A hydrophobic membrane is attached to the housing and positioned over the vent openings. The hydrophobic membrane allows gas bubbles in the aqueous liquid that enter the interior chamber of the housing to pass through the vent openings while preventing the liquid from passing through the vent openings. The outlet passage comprises a stem which extends inwardly into the interior chamber and terminates in an interior end. The vent openings are shaped and located in the housing such that at least a portion of a vent opening will be positioned at a higher elevation than that of the interior end of the stem irrespective of the orientation of the housing.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A device for removing gas bubbles from liquids in intravenous delivery systems comprising:
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a) a housing having an interior chamber for receiving liquid passing through the device, said housing having a vent opening on the periphery of the chamber; b) a hydrophobic membrane attached to said housing and positioned over said vent opening, said hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing gas bubbles in the liquid to pass through said vent opening while preventing aqueous liquid from passing through said vent opening; c) an inlet passage to the housing, said inlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering the liquid directly into the chamber; d) an outlet passage to the housing, said outlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering any liquid accumulated in the chamber directly from the chamber, said outlet passage comprising a stem which extends said outlet passage inwardly into the chamber and terminates in an interior end; and e) said vent opening being shaped and located in the housing such that at least a portion of the vent opening will be positioned at an elevation higher than that of the interior end of the stem irrespective of the orientation of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device for removing gas bubbles from liquids in intravenous delivery systems comprising:
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a) a housing comprising a side wall and opposing first and second end walls defining an interior chamber, said interior chamber for receiving liquid passing through the device, said housing having a plurality of vent openings along the perimeter of the side wall; b) a hydrophobic membrane attached to said housing and positioned over said vent openings, said hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing gas bubbles in the liquid to pass through said vent opening openings while preventing aqueous liquid from passing through said vent opening openings; c) an inlet passage located in said first end wall of the housing, said inlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering the liquid directly into the chamber, said inlet passage comprising an IV tubing connector extending outwardly from the first housing end wall; d) an outlet passage located in the second end wall of the housing, said outlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering any liquid accumulated in the chamber directly from the chamber, said outlet passage comprising a stem and a IV tubing connector, said IV tubing connector extending outwardly from the second housing end wall, said stem extending said outlet passage inwardly into the interior chamber and terminating in an interior end located at the approximate center of the interior chamber, said outlet passage further comprising a flow control device; and e) said plurality of vent openings being shaped and located in the housing such that at least a portion of a vent opening will be positioned at an elevation higher than that of the interior end of the stem irrespective of the orientation of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A device for removing gas bubbles from liquids in intravenous delivery systems comprising:
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a) a housing comprising a side wall and opposing first and second end walls defining an interior chamber, said interior chamber for receiving liquid passing through the device, said housing having a plurality of vent openings along the perimeter of the side wall; b) a hydrophobic membrane attached to said housing and positioned over said vent openings, said hydrophobic membrane capable of allowing gas bubbles in the liquid to pass through said vent opening openings while preventing aqueous liquid from passing through said vent opening openings; c) an inlet passage located in said first end wall of the housing, said inlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering the liquid directly into the chamber, said inlet passage comprising an IV tubing connector extending outwardly from the first housing end wall; d) an outlet passage located in the second end wall of the housing, said outlet passage being fluidly contiguous with the chamber for delivering any liquid accumulated in the chamber directly from the chamber, said outlet passage comprising a stem and a IV tubing connector, said IV tubing connector extending outwardly from the second housing end wall, said stem extending said outlet passage inwardly into the interior chamber and terminating in an interior end located at the approximate center of the interior chamber, said outlet passage having a cross-sectional area at the interior end of the stem less than the cross-sectional area of the inlet passage; and e) said plurality of vent openings being shaped and located in the housing such that at least a portion of a vent opening will be positioned at an elevation higher than that of the interior end of the stem irrespective of the orientation of the housing.
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Specification