US 4,053,418 A · Embossed membrane support

Abstract

An elongated, flexible and embossed support member is disclosed herein for use in a coil-type artificial kidney dialyzer to support an elongated, flattened and tubularly shaped semipermeable membrane. The membrane is of cellophane or a cellulose derivative and has the characteristic of stretching further in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction. The support member includes an imperforate fluid-impermeable web having angle ribs on one side and skip ribs on the other side for positioning and supporting the membrane within the dialyzer. The angle ribs extend angularly from one longitudinal edge of the member to the other longitudinal edge and the skip ribs are arranged in longitudinal rows, with each row including a plurality of intermittently spaced skip ribs. The skip ribs are higher than the angle ribs and both sets of ribs are of a height effective to prevent the membrane from contacting the web.

Claims4

Dependent claims

An embossed and elongated flexible support member for use in a coil dialyzer for supporting an elongated, tubularly shaped, semipermeable membrane, which membrane is characterized by stretching further in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction, said support member comprising:

an elongated imperforate impermeable web;
means on one side of said web defining a plurality of angle ribs for engaging and supporting a side of said membrane and for cooperation in defining a plurality of angular flow channels;
means on the other side of said web defining a plurality of skip ribs for engaging and supporting a side of said membrane, said ribs arranged in a plurality of longitudinally extending rows with the ribs in each row being spaced from each other and for cooperation in defining sinuous flow channels through said rows;
and
the height of said skip ribs and angle ribs being effective to prevent contact between said membrane and said web, wherein the height of said skip ribs are of a greater height than said angle ribs.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Embossed membrane support

Life of this patent

Embossed membrane support

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4