Drip chamber with integrated flow regulator for medical lines

• US 7,658,726 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2006
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrie Borla S.P.A. (Carla Finanziaria SRL)
• Original Assignee: Industrie Borla S.P.A. (Carla Finanziaria SRL)
• Inventors: Guala, Gianni
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERDICHEVSKY, AARTI
• Application Number:
  US11/492,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 604/251, 604/252, 604/246, 604/247, 604/248, 251/149
• US Class Current: 604/252
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1623 Details of air intake
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1411 Drip chambers A61M5/162, A61M5/1689, A61M5/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1626 Needle protectors therefor in combination with syringes A61M5/3202; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16813 by controlling the degree of opening of the flow line
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28

Abstract

Described herein is a drip chamber for medical lines with a generally cylindrical body having an inlet, on which a precision flow regulator is directly applied.

Claims

1. A drip chamber for medical lines, including:

a generally cylindrical body having an inlet and an outlet and a precision flow regulator integrated therewith;

said precision flow regulator comprising a first body having an inlet fitting and a second body having an outlet fitting, said first and second body being coupled together in a rotary way with the interposition of a gasket so as to open progressively the communication between said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting through dosage passages, said second body having an annular attachment skirt permanently fixed on said inlet end of the body of the drip chamber;

said second body bearing a peripheral graduated scale co-operating with an indicator of said first body, said indicator consisting of an integral side appendage of said first body shaped as a window projecting from a side wall of said first body and over said graduated scale, so as to form a raised window framing at least one value of said peripheral graduated scale while leaving other values thereof visible.

2. The drip chamber according to claim 1, wherein said inlet fitting of the first body of said flow regulator is formed as a perforating tip.

3. The drip chamber according to claim 2, wherein said inlet fitting of the first body of said flow regulator further comprises an aeration passage with an associated filter and openable closing plug.

4. A drip chamber for medical lines, including:

a generally cylindrical body having an inlet and an outlet and a precision flow regulator integrated therewith;

said precision flow regulator comprising a first body having an inlet fitting and a second body having an outlet fitting, said first and second body being coupled together to allow rotation therebetween about an axis of said generally cylindrical body;

a gasket interposed between said first body and said second body and configured so as to open progressively a communication between said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting through dosage passages in response to a rotation of said first body and said second body relative to each other;

said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting located on opposite sides of said gasket axially relative to said axis of said generally cylindrical body, said inlet fitting and said outlet fitting having axes parallel and offset relative to each other;

said second body having on annular attachment skirt permanently fixed on an inlet end of the cylindrical body of the drip chamber, said outlet fitting extending into said inlet; and

said second body bearing a peripheral graduated scale co-operating with an indicator of said first body, said indicator consisting of an integral side appendage of said first body shaped as a window, said indicator projecting from a side wall of said first body and over said graduated scale of said second body, so as to form a raised window framing at least one value of said peripheral graduated scale inside said indicator, and wherein a remainder of said graduated scale is unframed by said indicator and uncovered to leave said graduated scale visible.