Device for separating gas from a liquid path
Inventors
Wright, David Walter • Garland, Jeffrey C.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8128740-B2
Publication Date
2012-03-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention is targeted at the process of separating gas, such as air, from a liquid path. Specifically, the invention provides a means to remove gas from a dynamic liquid path, manage the removed gas and liquid path. The invention provides a means to remove gas from a dynamic liquid path using the buoyant property of gas in a less buoyant liquid, having ingress and egress ports for liquid and gas flow, and separate points of egress for liquid and trapped gas and integral liquid channels.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an apparatus for separating gas from a liquid path. A chamber housing defines a chamber capable of holding at least one of liquid and gas, with a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls, and includes a first chamber opening configured to allow at least one of gas and liquid to enter the chamber.
The chamber further includes a second chamber opening configured to allow at least gas to exit the chamber, and a third chamber opening configured to allow liquid to exit the chamber. A plurality of channels is formed within the housing, and each channel is in fluid communication with one of the first, second and third chamber openings, with the chamber structured to allow uninhibited fluid communication between the first, second and third chamber openings.
The second and third chamber openings are located relative to one another such that when the apparatus is tilted at any angle up to 70° in any direction with respect to the at rest position, the second chamber opening remains above the third chamber opening. In a transporting context, the transporter/cassette arrangement is described for an organ or tissue transporter while maintaining the same gas-liquid separation behavior during tilting.
Claims Coverage
The document provides multiple independent claims covering the gas-separating apparatus and its use in transporting an organ or tissue, plus a method claim. Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on a multi-opening chamber housing with internal channels providing uninhibited fluid communication, and placement/orientation relationships that maintain separate gas and liquid exit behavior under tilting, including an organ or tissue transporting apparatus and a method.
Multi-opening chamber with internal channels enabling uninhibited communication
An apparatus for separating gas from a liquid path, comprising a chamber housing defining a chamber capable of holding at least one of liquid and gas; a first chamber opening configured to allow at least one of gas and liquid to enter the chamber; a second chamber opening configured to allow at least gas to exit the chamber; a third chamber opening configured to allow liquid to exit the chamber; and a plurality of channels formed within the housing, each channel being in fluid communication with one of the first, second and third chamber openings, wherein the chamber is structured to allow uninhibited fluid communication between the first, second and third chamber openings.
Relative placement of gas and liquid openings for tilt robustness up to 70°
An apparatus for separating gas from a liquid path, wherein the second and third chamber openings are located relative to one another such that when the apparatus is tilted at any angle up to 70° in any direction with respect to the at rest position, the second chamber opening remains above the third chamber opening.
Transporter apparatus with tilting-maintained gas separation for organ or tissue transport
An apparatus for transporting an organ or tissue, comprising an organ or tissue transporter and a chamber housing connectible to the organ transporter defining a chamber capable of holding at least one of liquid and gas, the chamber comprising a first chamber opening configured to allow at least one of gas and liquid to enter the chamber; a second chamber opening configured to allow at least gas to exit the chamber; a third chamber opening configured to allow liquid to exit the chamber; a plurality of channels formed within the housing, each channel being in fluid communication with one of the first, second and third chamber openings, wherein the chamber is structured to allow uninhibited fluid communication between the first, second and third chamber openings, and wherein the second and third chamber openings are located relative to one another such that when the apparatus is tilted at any angle up to 70° in any direction with respect to the at rest position, the second chamber opening remains above the third chamber opening.
Method of tilt-maintained gas removal while maintaining liquid for exclusive liquid exit up to about 90°
A method for separating gas from a liquid path in a chamber housing that defines a chamber capable of holding at least one of liquid and gas, the method comprising supplying at least one of liquid and gas to the chamber through a first chamber opening in one of the walls; removing gas from the chamber through a second chamber opening in one of the walls, the second chamber opening being located in a middle portion in a length of a top portion of the chamber when the apparatus is in the at rest position; removing liquid from the chamber through a third chamber opening in one of the walls, the third chamber opening being located in a middle portion in a bottom portion of the chamber when the apparatus is in the at rest position; maintaining enough liquid in the chamber that when the chamber is tilted at an angle up to approximately 90 degrees, only liquid leaves the chamber through the third chamber opening; wherein each of the chamber openings is in fluid communication with one of a plurality of channels formed within the chamber housing; the chamber is structured to allow uninhibited fluid communication between the first, second and third chamber openings; and the second and third chamber openings are located relative to one another such that when the apparatus is tilted at any angle up to 70° in any direction with respect to the at rest position, the second chamber opening remains above the third chamber opening.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is an apparatus and a method that separate gas from a liquid path using a chamber housing having separate gas-entry, gas-exit, and liquid-exit openings connected by internal channels that permit uninhibited fluid communication, together with a defined relative placement of the gas-exit and liquid-exit openings to keep the gas-exit opening above the liquid-exit opening during tilting up to 70°, including an organ or tissue transporting apparatus and a method.
Stated Advantages
Allows uninhibited fluid communication between the first, second and third chamber openings.
Maintains that, when tilted at any angle up to 70° in any direction with respect to the at rest position, the second chamber opening remains above the third chamber opening.
In the method, maintains enough liquid such that when the chamber is tilted at an angle up to approximately 90 degrees, only liquid leaves the chamber through the third chamber opening.
Documented Applications
Transporting an organ or tissue using an organ or tissue transporter connected to a chamber housing configured for separating gas from a liquid path.
Separating gas from a liquid path in a chamber housing using supplying at least one of liquid and gas and removing gas and liquid through different chamber openings.
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