US 6,183,447 B2 · Medical dye delivery system

Abstract

A medical dye delivery system includes a medical dye container and a syringe for withdrawing the medical dye from the container and delivering the dye to a patient. A valve is disposed in the system having an inlet in flow communication with the medical dye container and an outlet in flow communication with the syringe. The valve includes a housing defining a flotation chamber with a valve seat and a flotation member disposed therein. The flotation member seals off the valve seat opening upon medical dye depletion, forcing any remaining fluid flow through a bypass channel that provides restricted flow to provide a tactile warning to the operator of the system that the medical dye container is depleted, yet allow the operator to purge remaining dye from the system. In a preferred embodiment, the flotation member has first and second portions, with a density of the second portion being greater than a density of the first portion. The density of the second portion is sufficient to close against the valve seat, yet is still capable of being suspended above the valve seat when the flotation member floats in the volume of medical dye.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A medical dye delivery system for delivering medical dye through a system flow path to a patient, comprising:

a medical dye container;
a device for withdrawing medical dye from the container and directing the medical dye through the system flow path into a patient;
and
a valve having an inlet in flow communication with the medical dye container and an outlet in flow communication with the withdrawing device, the valve including a housing defining a chamber adapted for containing a volume of the medical dye, a valve seat located in the chamber and having an opening therethrough in flow communication with the outlet, and a flotation member in the chamber, the flotation member adapted for floating in the volume of medical dye and being seated against the valve seat when the chamber is substantially free of medical dye to cover the valve seat opening,
wherein the flotation member comprises a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, the second portion having a density greater than a density of the first portion such that the density of the second portion is sufficient to close against the valve seat but is capable of being suspended above the valve seat when the flotation member floats in the volume of medical dye.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Medical dye delivery system

Life of this patent

Medical dye delivery system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18