Constant flow I.V. device

Abstract

This invention relates to a novel apparatus useful for the gravity fed delivery of a liquid from a first liquid reservoir to a second liquid reservoir. This apparatus is especially useful for the administration of intravenous (I.V.) solutions, where a constant flow, despite varying conditions of pressure in said second fluid reservoir (i.e. the blood-stream of the patient) is desirable if not absolutely required. The instant novel apparatus includes an upper chamber, means for passing said liquid from said first liquid reservoir to said upper chamber, means for maintaining a predetermined volume of said liquid in said upper chamber, said predetermined volume being less than the total volume of said upper chamber, thereby providing a non-liquid containing volume in said upper chamber, a lower chamber, first fluid communication means between said predetermined volume of liquid and said lower chamber, operable to pass said liquid from said upper chamber to said lower chamber, means for passing said liquid from said lower chamber to said second liquid reservoir, which include a port operably sealed by a filter which, when wet, will pass said liquid, but will not pass gases therethrough, and second fluid communication means between said non-liquid containing volume and said lower chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the instant novel apparatus comprises contiguous chambers, the bottom wall of said upper chamber forming the top wall of said lower chamber, and said first fluid communication means include a valve operable to regulate the flow of liquid therethrough. In this preferred embodiment, said second fluid communication means may be operably sealed by a valve, e.g. a filter valve, which passes gases but not liquids therethrough.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.