Iv drip chamber with filter and bottom reservoir
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorsDarius Alisantoso, Kiat Jin Cheng, Kevin Neo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drip chamber having an upper reservoir that is separated from a lower reservoir via a filter assembly, wherein a distance between the filter assembly and a bottom surface of the drip chamber is selected to prevent dislodged air bubbles of the filter assembly from being drawn into an intravenous fluid line that is coupled to the bottom surface of the drip chamber, during an infusion procedure.
Claims21
A drip chamber for controlling the flow rate of fluid within an intravenous infusion assembly, comprising:
- a filter assembly positioned within the drip chamber to divide the drip chamber into an upper reservoir having a first volume and a lower reservoir having a second volume, the filter assembly including a small pore filter;
- a bottom surface having an opening through which the fluid flows out from the lower reservoir, the bottom surface configured to receive an intravenous fluid line;
- wherein the small pore filter is spaced at a distance from the bottom surface, the distance being configured such that the downward suction force caused by the fluid as it passes through the opening in the bottom surface that is applied to air bubbles in contact with the small pore filter is less than the upward force caused by the buoyancy of the air bubbles thereby preventing the air bubbles, once dislodged from the small pore filter, from being drawn into the intravenous fluid line during an infusion procedure.
A method for preventing dislodged air bubbles from being drawn into an intravenous fluid line connected to a drip chamber of an intravenous infusion assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a drip chamber that includes a filter assembly that is positioned within the drip chamber to divide the drip chamber into an upper reservoir having a first volume and a lower reservoir having a second volume, the drip chamber having a bottom surface that includes an opening through which fluid flows out from the lower reservoir, the filter assembly comprising a small pore filter;
- and
- connecting an intravenous fluid line to the bottom surface;
- wherein the small pore filter is spaced at a distance from the bottom surface, the distance being configured such that the downward suction force caused by the fluid as it passes through the opening in the bottom surface that is applied to air bubbles in contact with the small pore filter is less than the upward force caused by the buoyancy of the air bubbles thereby preventing the air bubbles, once dislodged from the small pore filter, from being drawn into the intravenous fluid line during an infusion procedure.
An intravenous infusion assembly, comprising:
- a drip chamber comprising:
- a filter assembly positioned within the drip chamber to divide the drip chamber into an upper reservoir having a first volume and a lower reservoir having a second volume, the filter assembly including a small pore filter;
- and
- a bottom surface having an opening through which the fluid flows out from the lower reservoir, the bottom surface configured to receive an intravenous fluid line;
- wherein the small pore filter is spaced at a distance from the bottom surface, the distance being configured such that the downward suction force caused by the fluid as it passes through the opening in the bottom surface that is applied to air bubbles in contact with the small pore filter is less than the upward force caused by the buoyancy of the air bubbles thereby preventing the air bubbles, once dislodged from the small pore filter, from being drawn into the intravenous fluid line during an infusion procedure;
- and
- a section of intravenous fluid line coupled to the bottom surface of the drip chamber, the section of intravenous tubing being configured to access the vasculature of a patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.