# US 5,707,520 A · Remover unit for use in filtration circuit for removing at least leukocyte > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,520 A - Document ID: US5707520A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/526,385 - Filed: 1995-09-11 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1993-06-27 - Assignees: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hitoshi Kuroki; Shoji Ochiai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707520A ## CPC - B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties - A61M 1/3633: {Blood component filters, e.g. leukocyte filters} - B01D 39/1676: {of synthetic origin} - B01D 61/18: Apparatus therefor - B01D 67/003: {by selective elimination of components, e.g. by leaching} - A61M 2202/0439: White blood cells; Leucocytes - B01D 2323/02: Hydrophilization - B01D 2323/22: Specific non-solvents or non-solvent system - B01D 2325/0283: Pore size - B01D 2325/36: Hydrophilic membranes - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocyte from blood or blood preparations, which comprises a remover includes a housing having a blood inlet, a blood outlet, and a filter interposed between the blood inlet and the blood outlet, and at least one air vent having a cap for opening and closing the air vent to ambient atmosphere. With the air vents having such a cap, the removal of air in the course of priming the remover, the operation of starting or stopping filtration, the recovery of residual liquids in the remover and the removal of air from the recovery bag can be facilitated. The filter includes a three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter to a number average pore diameter ranging from 1.5 to 2.5. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said at least one air vent being disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet; the downstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood outlet; or being disposed on both the upstream and downstream sides of said remover via tubes each respectively connecting to said blood inlet and said blood outlet; said filter comprising a three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a three-dimensionally reticular, continuous texture with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and having a dust permeability that permits 200 or less dust particles not smaller than 0.3 .mu.m in the atmosphere to pass through said porous member in a period of time in which 100,000 of the same dust particles flow without a filter (blank value). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The remover unit according to claim 1, wherein said air vent has an air filter disposed therein. ### Claim 3 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said at least one air vent being disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet; the downstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood outlet, or being disposed on both the upstream and the downstream sides of said remover via tubes each respectively connecting to said blood inlet and said blood outlet; said filter comprising a three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and a ratio of a weight-average pore diameter to a number-average pore diameter ranging from 1.5 to 2.5. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The remover unit according to claim 3, wherein said air vent has an air filter disposed therein. ### Claim 5 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said at least one air vent being disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet; the downstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood outlet; or being disposed on both the upstream and downstream sides of said remover via tubes each respectively connecting to said blood inlet and said blood outlet; said filter comprising a platelet-adsorbing, three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and a ratio of a weight-average pore diameter to a number-average pore diameter ranging from 1.5 to 2.5. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The remover unit according to claim 5, wherein sid air vent has an air filter disposed therein. ### Claim 7 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent disposed on said housing, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said filter comprising a three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a three-dimensionally reticular, continuous texture with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and having a dust permeability that permits 200 or less dust particles not smaller than 0.3 .mu.m in the atmosphere to pass through said porous member in a period of time in which 100,000 of the same dust particles flow without a filter (blank value). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The remover unit according to claim 7, wherein said air vent is located on the downstream side of said filter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The remover unit according to claim 7, wherein another air vent is further disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The remover unit according to claim 7, wherein said air vent has an air filter disposed therein. ### Claim 11 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent disposed on said housing, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said filter comprising a three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and a ratio of a weight-average pore diameter to a number-average pore diameter ranging from 1.5 to 2.5. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The remover unit according to claim 11, wherein said air vent is located on the downstream side of said filter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The remover unit according to claim 11, wherein another air vent is further disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The remover unit according to claim 11, wherein said air vent has an air filter disposed therein. ### Claim 15 A remover unit for use in a circuit for removing at least leukocytes from blood or blood preparations, which comprises: a remover comprising a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet and a filter interposed between said blood inlet and said blood outlet which allows a stream of said blood or blood preparations to pass through said filter and the removal of at least leukocytes; and at least one air vent disposed on said housing, each having a cap for opening and closing said air vent to ambient atmosphere, said filter comprising a platelet-adsorbing, three-dimensionally reticular, porous member with continuous open pores having a most frequent pore diameter ranging from 1 .mu.m to 5 .mu.m and a ratio of a weight-average pore diameter to a number-average pore diameter ranging from 1.5 to 2.5. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The remover unit according to claim 15, wherein said air vent is located on the downstream side of said filter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The remover unit according to claim 15, wherein another air vent is further disposed on the upstream side of said remover via a tube connecting to said blood inlet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The remover unit according to claim 15, wherein said air vent has an air filter disposed therein.