Patent · US Expired

Air eliminator

US5674200A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
17References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1996
Grant dateOct 7, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61M2205/7536
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.