Systems, apparatus, and methods for filtering air from a fluid line
Inventors
Robertson, Galen C. • LANE, Andrew W. • CARLSEN, Savannah K. • Piehl, Mark D. • Titkemeyer, Robert W. • Latham, Stephen • Rodenkirch, Douglas • Darley, Jesse • IRWIN, Curtis • CHOURASIA, Amrish
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10661029-B2
Publication Date
2020-05-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
In some embodiments, a housing can define a reservoir. A lower cap can be coupled to the housing and define an outlet, and an upper cap can be coupled to the housing and can define an inlet. The upper cap can include an extending portion extending laterally a distance beyond an outermost extending portion of the lower cap relative to a central axis of the housing such that, when the lower cap and the extending portion of the upper cap contact a horizontal surface, the central axis of the housing is transverse to the surface and a sealing member is configured to sealingly engage a sealing surface of a valve seat prior to a liquid fluid level within a reservoir decreasing below a minimum threshold fluid level.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an apparatus and associated methods for preventing air from entering a patient during fluid administration by using a capped reservoir assembly that includes a valve seat, a through-hole, and a floating sealing member. The apparatus includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion defining first and second reservoirs in fluid communication, with an inlet and an outlet configured by caps coupled to respective ends of the housing portions. A deformable cylindrical sidewall is configured to be deformed between undeformed and deformed configurations to influence valve seat deformation and sealing behavior.
A deformable valve seat defines a sealing surface and a through-hole having a central axis, with the through-hole in fluid communication with an outlet of an outlet cap. The sealing member floats at a liquid fluid level within a first reservoir and seals with the sealing surface prior to the liquid fluid level decreasing below a minimum threshold fluid level. The sealing member transitions from a sealed configuration to an unsealed configuration when the liquid fluid level is above the minimum threshold fluid level, and the cylindrical sidewall is flexed to the deformed configuration such that a seal between the sealing member and the sealing surface is disrupted.
The assembly further includes venting and gas management features to release gas while using a hydrophobic filter to prevent liquid escape through a vent, with an optional umbrella valve. The methods apply cyclical negative pressure via a negative pressure source fluidically coupled to a through-hole and a patient's vasculature to draw fluid through the valve seat until the sealing member seals and fluidically isolates the reservoir from the through-hole, while an inlet is coupled to a fluid source to increase the fluid level and keep the sealing member sealed until the housing wall is deformed to release the sealing member so it can float to the fluid level.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides four independent claims: an apparatus claim for a capped, deformable housing with a floating sealing member and deformable valve seat; a second apparatus claim focused on an upper and lower cap arrangement that maintains a transverse central axis relative to a surface; and two method claims that use negative pressure and housing deformation to create sealed isolation and then release for floating.
Capped deformable reservoir with floating sealing member and deformable valve seat
An apparatus with a first housing portion having a cylindrical sidewall configured to be deformed between undeformed and deformed configurations; a first cap defining an inlet and a second cap defining an outlet; a second housing portion defining a second reservoir in fluid communication with the first reservoir; a blood filter disposed within the second reservoir; a deformable valve seat defining a through-hole in fluid communication with the outlet; and a sealing member configured to float and seal with the sealing surface prior to a liquid fluid level decreasing below a minimum threshold fluid level, where transitioning to an unsealed configuration occurs when the sidewall is flexed so the valve seat is deformed and a seal is disrupted.
Transverse central axis via extending upper cap when sealing
An apparatus with a housing defining a reservoir and having a central axis; a lower cap defining an outlet; a valve seat disposed within the housing and defining a through-hole with fluid communication between the outlet and the reservoir; a sealing member configured to float and seal with the sealing surface prior to the liquid fluid level decreasing below a minimum threshold fluid level; and an upper cap defining an inlet, the upper cap including an extending portion extending laterally beyond an outermost extending portion of the lower cap such that, when the lower cap and the extending portion contact a horizontal surface, the central axis is transverse relative to the horizontal and the sealing member is configured to sealingly engage the sealing surface prior to the liquid fluid level decreasing below the minimum threshold.
Cyclical negative pressure isolation and valve-seat deformation release with fluid source coupling
A method including applying a cyclical negative pressure to a reservoir via a negative pressure source fluidically coupled to a through-hole and a patient's vasculature so fluid is drawn through the through-hole until the sealing member seals with the valve seat fluidically isolating the reservoir; coupling an inlet of the reservoir to a fluid source so fluid flows into the reservoir while the sealing member remains sealed; and deforming a wall of a housing defining the reservoir such that the wall deforms the valve seat, releasing the sealing member from the valve seat so the sealing member can float to the fluid level.
Repeated negative pressure after deforming for renewed sealing isolation
A method including applying, at a first time, a negative pressure to a reservoir via a negative pressure source fluidically coupled to a through-hole and a patient's vasculature such that fluid is drawn through the through-hole until the sealing member seals with the valve seat fluidically isolating the reservoir; coupling an inlet of the reservoir to a fluid source so fluid flows into the reservoir while the sealing member remains sealed; deforming a wall of a housing defining the reservoir to deform the valve seat and release the sealing member so it can float to the fluid level; and applying, after the deforming, a negative pressure to the reservoir via the negative pressure source at a second time so fluid is drawn through the through-hole until the sealing member seals with the valve seat and fluidically isolates the reservoir from the through-hole.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive elements are a floating sealing member that seals with a valve seat prior to fluid level falling below a minimum threshold, a deformable valve seat and/or deformable housing wall that releases or disrupts the seal, negative pressure applied at an outlet or through-hole with coupling to a patient's vasculature to draw fluid until sealing occurs, and positional geometry using upper and lower caps to maintain a transverse central axis relative to a surface.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?