Iv membrane attachment systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016279349-A1
Application number	US-201615078722-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

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 be positioned within an exterior wall of a drip unit, and may be secured to a seat of the exterior wall by an attachment component. The attachment component may have various forms, such as a secondary exterior wall that cooperates with the exterior wall to define a drip chamber, a washer positioned such that the anti-run-dry membrane is between the washer and the seat, and an adhesive ring formed of a pressure sensitive adhesive and secured to the anti-run-dry membrane and the seat via compression. Interference features may protrude inward from the exterior wall or outward from the anti-run-dry membrane to help keep the anti-run-dry membrane in place.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An intravenous delivery system comprising:
a drip unit comprising:
an exterior wall shaped to at least partially define a drip chamber that receives a liquid from a liquid source, the exterior wall comprising a seat;
an anti-run-dry membrane comprising a plurality of pores that are permeable to the liquid, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed of a hydrophilic material configured to resist passage of air through the pores, the anti-run-dry membrane comprising an attachment surface; and
an attachment component that secures the attachment surface to the exterior wall, proximate the seat.

2 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment component comprises a secondary exterior wall that cooperates with the exterior wall to define the drip chamber, wherein the secondary exterior wall comprises an attachment feature shaped to mate with the exterior wall such that the exterior wall and the secondary exterior wall abut the anti-run-dry membrane to keep the anti-run-dry membrane in place.

3 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment component comprises a secondary exterior wall that cooperates with the exterior wall to define the drip chamber, wherein at least one selection from the group consisting of the exterior wall and the secondary exterior wall is formed by molding the selection adjacent to the membrane and the other of the exterior wall and the secondary exterior wall, such that after completion of molding of the selection, the anti-run-dry membrane is trapped between the exterior wall and the secondary exterior wall.

4 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment component comprises a washer positioned such that the anti-run-dry membrane is between the washer and the seat, wherein the washer is secured to the exterior wall to hold the attachment surface in engagement with the seat.

5 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the washer comprises a membrane facing surface with a plurality of anchoring elements that protrude through the anti-run-dry membrane, wherein each of the anchoring elements comprises a distal end butt welded to the seat.

6 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment component comprises an adhesive ring formed of a pressure-sensitive adhesive and secured to the anti-run-dry membrane and the seat via compression of the adhesive ring.

7 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall comprises a plurality of interference features that protrude radially inward in contact with the anti-run-dry membrane, wherein the interference features are sized to provide radial interference with an outer edge of the anti-run-dry membrane, the radial interference tending to retain the anti-run-dry membrane relative to the exterior wall.

8 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a plurality of interference features that protrude radially outward in contact with the exterior wall, wherein the interference features are sized to provide radial interference with an interior surface of the exterior wall, the radial interference tending to retain the anti-run-dry membrane relative to the exterior wall.

9 . The intravenous delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising:
tubing comprising a first end connectable to the drip unit and a second end; and an intravenous access unit connectable to the second end of the tubing to deliver the liquid intravenously to a patient.

10 . A method for manufacturing an intravenous delivery system, the method comprising:
providing a drip unit by:
providing an anti-run-dry membrane comprising a plurality of pores that are permeable to a liquid to be delivered to a patient, wherein the anti-run-dry membrane is formed of a hydrophilic material configured to resist passage of air through the pores, the anti-run-dry membrane comprising an attachment surface;
providing an attachment component;
positioning the attachment component to abut the anti-run-dry membrane; and
securing the attachment component to an exterior wall to keep the anti-run-dry membrane in place with the attachment surface abutting a seat of the exterior wall, wherein the exterior wall is shaped to at least partially define a drip chamber that receives the liquid from a liquid source.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing the exterior wall; wherein providing the attachment component comprises providing a secondary exterior wall comprising an attachment feature; wherein positioning the attachment component to abut the anti-run-dry membrane comprises positioning the secondary exterior wall such that the secondary exterior wall cooperates with the exterior wall to define the drip chamber; wherein securing the attachment component to the exterior wall comprises mating the attachment feature with the exterior wall such that the exterior wall and the secondary exterior wall abut the anti-run-dry membrane to keep the anti-run-dry membrane in place.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the attachment component comprises providing a secondary exterior wall;
wherein securing the attachment component to the exterior wall comprises performing a molding process by which, upon completion of the molding process, the exterior wall is positioned to cooperate with the secondary exterior wall to define the drip chamber and keep the anti-run-dry membrane in place.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing the exterior wall; wherein the attachment component comprises a washer; wherein positioning the attachment component to abut the anti-run-dry membrane comprises positioning the washer such that the anti-run-dry membrane is between the washer and the seat; wherein securing the attachment component to the exterior wall comprises securing the washer to the exterior wall in a manner that maintains engagement between the attachment surface and the seat.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the washer comprises a membrane facing surface with a plurality of anchoring elements;
wherein positioning the washer such that the anti-run-dry membrane is between the washer and the seat comprises causing the anchoring elements to protrude through the anti-run-dry membrane; wherein securing the washer to the exterior wall comprises butt welding a distal end of each of the anchoring elements to the seat.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing the exterior wall; wherein the attachment component comprises an adhesive ring formed of a pressure-sensitive adhesive; wherein securing the attachment component to the exterior wall comprises compressing the adhesive ring to secure the anti-run-dry membrane to the seat via the adhesive ring.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the exterior wall comprises a plurality of interference features that protrude inward;
wherein positioning the attachment component to abut the anti-run-dry membrane comprises contacting an outer edge of the anti-run-dry membrane with the interference features such that the interference features provide radial interference with the outer edge, the radial interference tending to retain the anti-run-dry membrane relative to the exterior wall.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the anti-run-dry membrane comprises a plurality of interference features that protrude outward;
wherein positioning the attachment component to abut the anti-run-dry membrane comprises contacting an interior surface of the exterior wall with

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Claar Steven
• Mallay Kohorneh A
• Stoddard Brent R
• Staley Shaun
• Hortin Justin G

Classifications

• B29C65/4895

  Solvent bonding, i.e. the surfaces of the parts to be joined being treated with solvents, swelling or softening agents, without adhesives · CPC title

• A61M2205/7527

  liquophilic, hydrophilic · CPC title

• B29K2105/20

  Inserts · CPC title

• B29C66/612

  Making circumferential joints · CPC title

• A61M2005/1657

  Filter with membrane, e.g. membrane, flat sheet type infusion filter · CPC title