Uninterrupted flow pump apparatus and method

• US 8,722,422 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mallinckrodt Critical Care Finance Inc (Mallinckrodt plc), Mallinckrodt Hospital Products IP Ltd. (Mallinckrodt plc), Mallinckrodt Ip (Mallinckrodt plc), Mallinckrodt Pharma Ip Trading DAC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Therakos, Inc (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Briggs, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HIXSON, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US13/415,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20120167998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 604/67, 604/251, 604/65, 731/49, 128/DIG.12, 436/180, 436/174
• US Class Current: 436/180
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/00 Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4867 Applying pastes or inks, e.g. screen printing H01L21/486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/498 Leads, i.e. metallisations or lead-frames on insulating substrates, e.g. chip carriers shape of the substrate H01L23/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/111 Pads for surface mounting, e.g. lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0257 Nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0373 Conductors having a fine structure, e.g. providing a plurality of contact points with a structured tool
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10628 Leaded surface mounted device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/176 Removing, replacing or disconnecting component; Easily removable component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/225 Correcting or repairing of printed circuits H05K1/0292, H05K3/222, H05K3/288, H05K3/4685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/321 by conductive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3463 Solder compositions in relation to features of the printed circuit board or the mounting process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

This invention describes a method for pumping or delivering fluids utilizing a flexible vessel subject to controlled pressures within another pressure vessel. The pressure vessel can be sourced with positive and/or negative (e.g., vacuum) pressure.

Claims

1. A method for providing substantially stable flow of a biological fluid comprising:

introducing said biological fluid into a sealed flexible chamber contained within an outer chamber that is adapted to provide a space containing a pressure sensitive medium around said sealed flexible chamber, the sealed flexible chamber comprising a fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and the exterior of said outer chamber;

changing the pressure in a uniform and controlled manner within said space around said sealed flexible chamber, wherein said change in pressure is operable to send fluid from said sealed flexible chamber to a receiving container that is in fluid communication with said sealed flexible chamber with uninterrupted flow, and is operable to send fluid from said receiving container to said sealed flexible chamber with uninterrupted flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said biological fluid is pressure sensitive or flow sensitive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said biological fluid comprises whole blood or blood components.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said biological fluid comprises a drug.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contents of said sealed flexible chamber are sterile.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said sealed flexible chamber contains buffy coat.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sealed flexible chamber comprises more than one fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and said exterior of said outer chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and said exterior of said outer chamber comprises at least one valve capable of controlling fluid flow through said fluid path.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring one or more properties of fluid displaced into or out of said sealed flexible chamber using a load cell.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising continuously increasing or decreasing pressure within said space around said sealed flexible chamber using a pressure reservoir.

11. A method for providing substantially stable flow of a biological fluid comprising:

introducing said biological fluid into a sealed flexible chamber contained within an outer chamber that provides a space containing a pressure sensitive medium around said sealed flexible chamber, said sealed flexible chamber comprising a fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and an exterior of said outer chamber; and

,

increasing or decreasing the pressure within said space around said sealed flexible chamber in a uniform and controlled manner using a pressure reservoir and a pressure valve, wherein said pressure reservoir is operable to send fluid from said sealed flexible chamber to a receiving container that is in fluid communication with said sealed flexible chamber with uninterrupted flow, and is operable to send fluid from said receiving container to said sealed flexible chamber with uninterrupted flow.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said fluid is pressure sensitive or flow sensitive.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said biological fluid comprises whole blood or blood components.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said blood components comprise white blood cells, red blood cells or plasma.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said biological fluid comprises a drug.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said drug is selected from the group consisting of insulin, interferon and erythropoietin.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring said increase or decrease of pressure within said space around said sealed flexible chamber.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring the properties of fluid displaced into or out of said sealed flexible chamber.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said pressure sensitive medium comprises air.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said pressure sensitive medium comprises a fluid.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the contents of said sealed flexible chamber are sterile.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein said receiving container is in fluid communication with said sealed flexible chamber via a photoactivation element.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein said sealed flexible chamber comprises more than one fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and said exterior of said outer chamber.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein said fluid path between said sealed flexible chamber and said exterior of said outer chamber comprises at least one valve capable of controlling fluid flow through said fluid path.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising controlling said at least one valve capable of controlling fluid flow through said fluid path.