Knurled sheetlike permeable membrane, for production thereof, and body fluid filtering apparatus
AssigneeTerumo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsYukio Seita, Shoichi Nagaki, Shinichiro Kuroda
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Abstract
A sheetlike permeable membrane is characterized by being provided on at least one surface thereof with a plurality of minute protuberances. When a plurality of such sheetlike permeable membranes are incorporated as superposed in a modular structure, the minute projections on the surfaces of these permeable membranes form a stable and proper body fluid flow path between the adjacent permeable membranes and permit dimensional reduction of the modular structure and impart improved performance thereto. Thus, the permeable membranes are suitable for use in such body fluid filtration apparatus as blood plasma separation apparatus.
Claims29
A body fluid filtration apparatus comprising a plurality of superposed permeable membrane units each composed of a pair of sheetlike permeable membranes vertically separated to form a filtrate flow path therein, sealed along the matched peripheral parts of said permeable membranes, and provided in at least one portion of said permeable membranes with a filtrate outlet, having said superposed permeable membrane units enclosed with a case provided with a body fluid inlet, a body fluid outlet, and a filtrate outlet, and having said filtrate outlets of said permeable membrane units adapted to communicate with said filtrate outlets of said case, said permeable membranes have on at least one surface thereof a plurality of minute protuberances which are made of a resin having properties for enabling said protuberances to be set by heat, light or electron beam and compatible with or adhesive to the material of said permeable membrane, and said body fluid filtration apparatus is provided with a body fluid route having body fluid flow paths formed between the adjacent permeable membrane units and filtrate flow paths formed inside the individual permeable membrane units by virtue of said minute protuberances formed on at least one surface of each of said permeable membranes for allowing the body fluid entering said case through said body fluid inlet to advance through said body fluid flow paths, pass through the permeable membranes, and to reach said body fluid outlet and also provided with a filtrate route for allowing the filtrate produced by the body fluid passing through the permeable membranes and entering said permeable membrane units through the medium of said permeable membranes to pass through said filtrate flow paths inside said permeable membrane units to reach said filtrate outlet of said case via said filtrate outlets of said permeable membrane units.
A body fluid filtration apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of permeable superposed membrane units separated by an intervening sheetlike flow path, said membrane units being composed of a filtrate flow path forming member coated on the entire surface thereof with a sheetlike permeable membrane and provided in at least one portion of said permeable membranes with a filtrate outlet, having said superposed permeable membrane units enclosed with a case provided with a body fluid inlet, a body fluid outlet, and a filtrate outlet, and having said filtrate outlets of said permeable membrane units adapted to communicate with said filtrate outlets of said case, which body fluid filtration apparatus is provided with a body fluid route having body fluid flow paths formed one each between said permeable membranes and said sheetlike flow path regulating members by virtue of a plurality of minute protuberances formed on each of the surfaces of said permeable membranes opposed to said sheetlike flow path regulating members, and means for allowing the body fluid entering said case through said body fluid inlet to advance through said body fluid flow paths, pass through said permeable membranes, and for reaching said body fluid outlet and a filtrate route allowing the filtrate produced by the body fluid passing through said permeable membranes and entering said permeable membrane units through the medium of said permeable membranes to pass through said filtrate flow paths inside said permeable membrane units and to reach said filtrate outlet of said case via said filtrate outlets of said permeable membrane units.
A filtration apparatus, comprising:
- a case having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a filtrate outlet;
- at least two sheetlike permeable membranes arranged inside the case, each membrane having an open part and at least one having a filtrate permeating hole, wherein said membranes are sealed in a unit along their matched peripheral edges and along a peripheral edge of the open part;
- a plurality of protuberances arranged on at least a surface of each of the permeable membranes;
- and
- a sealing member arranged at an outer periphery of each of said filtrate permeating holes for guiding filtrate from inside said permeable membrane unit to said filtrate outlet.
A fluid filtration apparatus comprising:
- a case having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a filtrate outlet;
- at least two sheetlike permeable membranes arranged inside the case, each permeable membrane having an open part for receiving fluid from the fluid inlet and at least one permeable membrane having a filtrate permeating hole for guiding filtrate to said filtrate outlet, wherein said membranes are sealed in a unit along their matched peripheral edges and also sealed along the peripheral edges of the open part;
- a path forming member sandwiched between said permeable membranes;
- a plurality of protuberances arranged on an outside surface of said permeable membrane unit;
- and
- a sealing member arranged at an outer periphery of each of said filtrate permeating holes for guiding filtrate from inside said sealed permeable membrane unit to said filtrate outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.