Safety vent structure for extracorporeal circuit
First Claim
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1. An air-release device for allowing air to be released from a liquid in extracorporeal circuitry, the air-release device comprising:
- an elongate chamber having a bottom region and a top region and a fluid entry port and fluid exit port at or near the bottom region;
a vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber, the vent structure comprisinga first porous layer; and
a second porous layer comprising a porous material capable of swelling when moistened such that the vent structure can inhibit liquid from escaping the air-release device during use; and
a microporous membrane adjacent the vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber such that liquid can be passed through the elongate chamber from the entry port to the exit port so as to at least partially fill the elongate chamber with the liquid while air exits the chamber via the microporous membrane and the vent structure,wherein the first porous layer is disposed between the micro-porous membrane and the second porous layer.
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Abstract
In general, this disclosure relates to extracorporeal fluid circuits. In some aspects, an air-release device for allowing air to be released from a liquid in extracorporeal circuitry includes an elongate chamber having a bottom region and a top region and a fluid entry port and fluid exit port at or near the bottom region. The air release device also includes a vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber that includes a porous material capable of swelling when moistened such that the vent structure can inhibit liquid from escaping the air-release device during use.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An air-release device for allowing air to be released from a liquid in extracorporeal circuitry, the air-release device comprising:
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an elongate chamber having a bottom region and a top region and a fluid entry port and fluid exit port at or near the bottom region; a vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber, the vent structure comprising a first porous layer; and a second porous layer comprising a porous material capable of swelling when moistened such that the vent structure can inhibit liquid from escaping the air-release device during use; and a microporous membrane adjacent the vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber such that liquid can be passed through the elongate chamber from the entry port to the exit port so as to at least partially fill the elongate chamber with the liquid while air exits the chamber via the microporous membrane and the vent structure, wherein the first porous layer is disposed between the micro-porous membrane and the second porous layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A dialysis system, comprising:
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a dialysis machine body; a pump on the machine body; fluid circuitry in fluid communication with the pump, wherein the pump is configured to push fluid through the circuitry; an air release device in fluid communication with the fluid circuitry, the air release device being positioned adjacent to the machine body, the air release device comprising an elongate chamber having a bottom region and a top region and a fluid entry port and fluid exit port at or near the bottom region; a vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber, the vent structure comprising a first porous layer; and a second porous layer comprising a porous material capable of swelling when moistened such that the vent structure can inhibit liquid from escaping the air-release device during use; and a microporous membrane adjacent the vent structure at or near the top region of the elongate chamber such that liquid can be passed through the elongate chamber from the entry port to the exit port so as to at least partially fill the elongate chamber with the liquid while air exits the chamber via the microporous membrane and the vent structure, wherein the first porous layer is disposed between the micro-porous membrane and the second porous layer.
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Specification