Anti-run dry membrane

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10973993-B2
Application number	US-201916272669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2019
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

An intravenous delivery system may have a liquid source containing a liquid, tubing, and an anti-run-dry membrane positioned such that the liquid, flowing form the liquid source to the tubing, passes through the anti-run-dry membrane. The anti-run-dry membrane may have a plurality of pores through which the liquid flows, and may be formed of a hydrophilic material that resists passage of air through the pores. The intravenous delivery system may further have a bubble point raising component that raises the bubble point of the anti-run-dry membrane. The bubble point raising component may, in some embodiments, be a high surface energy coating or additive.

First claim

We claim:

1. An intravenous delivery system comprising:
a drip unit, comprising:
an exterior wall;
a cartridge disposed within the exterior wall, wherein the cartridge comprises an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall comprises a plurality of slots, wherein the inner wall comprises another plurality of slots; and
an anti-run-dry membrane retained within the cartridge between the outer wall and the inner wall;

tubing coupled to the exterior wall, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is positioned such that liquid flowing towards the tubing passes through the anti-run-dry membrane, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a plurality of pores through which the liquid flows, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed of a hydrophilic material configured to resist passage of air through the pores; and
a bubble point raising component configured to raise a bubble point of the anti-run-dry membrane.

2. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed of a membrane material having a membrane surface energy, wherein the bubble point raising component comprises a coating applied to the anti-run-dry membrane, wherein the coating is formed of a coating material comprising a coating surface energy higher than the membrane surface energy.

3. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed primarily of a membrane material having a membrane surface energy, wherein the bubble point raising component comprises an additive added to the membrane material prior to formation of the anti-run-dry membrane, wherein the additive is formed of an additive material comprising an additive surface energy higher than the membrane surface energy.

4. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed of a hydrophilic material, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a roughened surface finish that increases wettability of the anti-run-dry membrane.

5. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the bubble point raising component comprises a liquid cooling unit that cools the liquid before the liquid contacts the anti-run-dry membrane to raise the bubble point of the anti-run-dry membrane.

6. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein, during flow of the liquid through the anti-run-dry membrane toward the tubing, the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a nonplanar shape.

7. The intravenous delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the nonplanar shape comprises a generally tubular shape.

8. The intravenous delivery system of claim 6 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a membrane material that has been plastically deformed by application of a manufacturing process configured to stretch the anti-run-dry membrane into the nonplanar shape.

9. The intravenous delivery system of claim 6 , wherein of the effective pore size is less than 3 micrometers.

10. The intravenous delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a thickness of less than 90 micrometers.

11. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall comprises a shelf, wherein the cartridge rests on the shelf.

12. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall comprises a peripheral portion, wherein the peripheral portion is generally tubular or a frustoconical shape.

13. The intravenous delivery system of claim 12 , wherein the drip unit further comprises a drip feature that determines a rate at which the liquid is received by the drip unit, wherein the peripheral portion is proximate the drip feature.

14. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid source containing a liquid and in fluid communication with the drip unit.

15. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the other plurality of slots extends longitudinally along a length of the inner wall.

16. The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slots extends longitudinally along a length of the outer wall.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Staley Shaun
• Whitaker Weston O
• Larsen Jon

Classifications

• A61M5/1411

  Drip chambers (A61M5/162, A61M5/1689, A61M5/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D53/62

  Carbon oxides · CPC title

• A61M5/44

  having means for cooling or heating the devices or media · CPC title

• A61M5/38 Primary

  using hydrophilic or hydrophobic filters · CPC title

• A61M5/36

  with means for eliminating or preventing injection or infusion of air into body (dialysis systems, blood oxygenators A61M1/14; haemofiltration equipment A61M1/34; {automatic tube cut-off A61M39/281}) · CPC title