Drip chamber

An improved drip chamber for use in a fluid delivery system for administering parenteral fluids to a patient, said drip chamber comprising:

• a housing;
• an inlet in fluid communication with said housing;
• a baffle positioned within said housing adjacent said fluid inlet;
• an outlet in fluid communication with said housing;
• a filter membrane carrier assembly positioned over said fluid outlet and said filter membrane carrier assembly having a means for filtering said fluid;
• and
• means for displacing said filter membrane carrier assembly to release entrapped air bubbles from beneath said means for filtering said fluid.

An improved drip chamber for use in a fluid delivery system for administering parenteral fluids to a patient, said drip chamber comprising:

• a housing having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and walls defining a chamber wherein at least the lower portion of said walls are made of a resilient plastic, said housing being interiorily shaped to provide an annular seat in the lower portion thereof;
• a baffle positioned beneath said fluid inlet having a plurality of radially spaced flanges which extend outward to engage said walls;
• a filter positioned across said fluid outlet and configurated to engage said seat;
• and
• a filter carrier connected to said filter, said carrier comprising an outlet tube connected to said resilient wall portion so that said filter carrier is biased by said resilient wall portion such that said filter engages said seat, and wherein said filter and filter carrier are displaceable so as to momentarily unseat said filter from said seat.

An improved drip chamber for use in a fluid delivery system for administering parenteral fluids to a patient, said drip chamber comprising:

• a housing having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and walls defining a chamber wherein at least the lower portion of said walls are made of a resilient plastic, said housing being interiorly shaped to provide an annular seat in the lower portion thereof;
• a baffle positioned beneath said fluid inlet;
• a filter positioned across said fluid outlet, said filter comprising a framework configurated as a truncated cone having a seat in the upper portion thereof and a filter membrane supported on said framework;
• and
• a stem attached to said baffle, said stem having a portion configurated to engage said seat, and wherein said stem is biased by said resilient wall portion such that said stem engages said seat, and wherein said stem and said baffle are displaceable so as to momentarily unseat said stem from said seat.