Expandable drip chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517668-B2
Application number	US-202016840024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2020
Priority date	Apr 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Drip chambers are described herein. A drip chamber comprises an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber body. The chamber body defines a chamber volume in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet. The chamber body is movable between a collapsed configuration having a first volume and an expanded configuration having a second volume. The second volume is larger than the first volume, and the chamber body is configured to be moved from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration to draw in a medical fluid from the inlet into the chamber volume to prime the drip chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drip chamber comprising:
an inlet;
an outlet; and
a chamber body defining a chamber volume in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, wherein the chamber body is movable to maintain a collapsed configuration having a first volume and to maintain an expanded configuration having a second volume, the second volume is larger than the first volume, and the chamber body is configured to be moved from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration to draw in a medical fluid from the inlet into the chamber volume to prime the drip chamber, wherein the chamber body comprises:
an upper chamber body defining an upper chamber volume and the inlet; and
a lower chamber body defining a lower chamber volume and the outlet,
wherein the lower chamber body is movable relative to the upper chamber body,
wherein in the collapsed configuration, the lower chamber body is at least partially disposed within the upper chamber volume and adjacent to the inlet, and the lower chamber volume defines the first volume between the inlet and the outlet, and
wherein in the expanded configuration, the lower chamber body is spaced apart from the inlet, and the upper chamber volume and the lower chamber volume collectively define the second volume between the inlet and the outlet.

2. The drip chamber of claim 1 , further comprising a spike extending from a spike base, wherein the spike base is configured to receive the chamber body.

3. The drip chamber of claim 2 , wherein the spike defines the inlet.

4. The drip chamber of claim 1 , wherein the lower chamber body is axially movable relative to the upper chamber body.

5. The drip chamber of claim 1 , further comprising:
a seal assembly configured to sealingly engage the upper chamber body and the lower chamber body.

6. The drip chamber of claim 5 , wherein the seal assembly comprises:
an o-ring disposed between the lower chamber body and the upper chamber body.

7. The drip chamber of claim 6 , wherein the lower chamber body defines a seal groove to retain the o-ring.

8. The drip chamber of claim 7 , wherein the upper chamber body defines a radial extension spaced apart from the inlet, the radial extension configured to engage with the seal groove in the expanded configuration to limit travel of the lower chamber body relative to the upper chamber body.

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Wang Vincent
• Frausto Tomas
• Oda Todd
• Suwito Wantjinarjo
• Mansour George

Classifications

• A61M5/162 Primary

  Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube {; Connections between reservoir and tube (in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14)} · CPC title

• A61M5/1411 Primary

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

• A61M2005/1402

  Priming · CPC title

• A61M5/1412 Primary

  Burettes, measuring cylinders (for laboratory use B01L3/02) · CPC title

• A61M5/00

  Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests ({vaccination appliances for veterinary use A61D1/025} ; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; {combinations of vial and syringe for mixing or transferring their contents A61J1/20; holders for containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/16}) · CPC title