Flow indicators for ambulatory infusion
OwnerMenachem A. Krausinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intravenous infusion flow indicator including a housing defining an infusion liquid inlet and an infusion liquid outlet, a hydrophilic membrane disposed in the housing and being operative, when wetted, for permitting liquid flow and preventing air flow therethrough to the liquid outlet, wherein the liquid flow may be observed as droplets, the housing defining at least one volume, whose size and configuration are selected such that irrespective of the orientation of the housing following priming, infusion liquid within the housing is always in touching relationship with the membrane, thereby permitting continued infusion liquid flow therethrough.
Claims16
An intravenous infusion flow indicator comprising a housing defining an infusion liquid inlet and an infusion Liquid outlet, and a hydrophilic membrane disposed in the housing and being operative, when wetted, for permitting liquid flow and preventing air flow therethrough to the liquid outlet, wherein said housing comprises a droplet forming element and a droplet viewing volume, said droplet viewing volume being configured to remain at least partially filled with air, wherein when said housing is right side up said liquid flow may be observed as droplets in said droplet viewing volume, and wherein said membrane partitions said liquid inlet from said liquid outlet to constrain the liquid flow to follow a path from said liquid inlet through said membrane to said liquid outlet wherein the liquid flow cannot exit said housing by bypassing said membrane, and wherein said membrane is juxtaposed to said liquid inlet such that following priming, even when said housing is upside down, infusion liquid within the housing is always in touching relationship with the membrane, thereby permitting continued infusion liquid flow therethrough.
An intravenous infusion flow indicating method comprising:
- providing a housing defining an infusion liquid inlet and an infusion liquid outlet, and a hydrophilic membrane disposed in the housing and being operative, when wetted, for permitting liquid flow and preventing air flow therethrough to the liquid outlet, wherein said housing comprises a droplet forming element and a droplet viewing volume, said droplet viewing volume being configured to remain at least partially filled with air, wherein when said housing is right side up said liquid flow may be observed as droplets in said droplet viewing volume, and wherein said membrane partitions said liquid inlet from said liquid outlet to constrain the liquid flow to follow a path from said liquid inlet through said membrane to said liquid outlet wherein the liquid flow cannot exit said housing by bypassing said membrane, and wherein said membrane is juxtaposed to said liquid inlet such that following priming, even when said housing is upside down, infusion liquid within the housing is always in touching relationship with the membrane, thereby permitting continued infusion liquid flow therethrough;
- priming said membrane with infusion liquid for full wetting thereof;
- and
- supplying infusion liquid under controlled pressure via said housing and said membrane to a patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.