Priming apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016331893-A1
Application number	US-201514712634-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 14, 2015
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A priming system including a resilient chamber having flexible walls and a first check valve in a first fluid pathway between the resilient chamber and a fluid reservoir such that a fluid flows through the first check valve only in a direction from the fluid reservoir toward the resilient chamber and the fluid returns to the fluid reservoir through a second fluid pathway between the resilient chamber and the fluid reservoir upon compression of the walls of the resilient chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A priming system comprising:
a resilient chamber having flexible walls; and a first check valve in a first fluid pathway between the resilient chamber and a fluid reservoir, wherein a fluid flows through the first check valve only in a direction from the fluid reservoir toward the resilient chamber; wherein the fluid returns to the fluid reservoir through a second fluid pathway between the resilient chamber and the fluid reservoir upon compression of the walls of the resilient chamber.

2 . The priming system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid pathway and the second fluid pathway extend through a housing fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir.

3 . The priming system of claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a drip chamber between the fluid reservoir and first check valve, wherein the first fluid pathway extends through the drip chamber.

4 . The priming system of claim 2 , wherein the second fluid pathway extends through the drip chamber.

5 . The priming system of claim 1 , wherein the resilient chamber walls expand when the fluid is driven from the fluid reservoir, through the first check valve, and into the resilient chamber.

6 . The priming system of claim 5 , wherein the resilient chamber walls contract and direct the fluid therein through the second fluid pathway and into the fluid reservoir.

7 . The priming system of claim 1 , wherein a second check valve is disposed in the second fluid pathway between the resilient chamber and the fluid reservoir, wherein a fluid flows through the second check valve only in a direction from the resilient chamber to the fluid reservoir.

8 . The priming system of claim 1 , wherein the resilient chamber is hemispherically shaped.

9 . The priming system of claim 1 further comprising a hingedly coupled retaining member, wherein in a closed position, the retaining member engages the resilient chamber, such that the resilient chamber walls are impeded from expanding.

10 . The priming system of claim 1 , wherein the resilient chamber is an elongated cylinder.

11 . A priming device comprising:
a housing having a first fluid pathway and a second fluid pathway; a resilient chamber having flexible walls, wherein the first fluid pathway and the second fluid pathway are fluidly coupled to the resilient chamber; a first check valve in the first fluid pathway such that a fluid flow through the first check valve is only in a direction toward the resilient chamber; wherein compression of the resilient chamber walls directs a fluid out of the resilient chamber and through the second fluid pathway.

12 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a drip chamber such that a fluid received into the first fluid pathway is driven through the drip chamber and the first check valve before entering into the resilient chamber.

13 . The priming device of claim 12 , wherein the resilient chamber walls are expanded by the fluid driven into the resilient chamber.

14 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein when not manually depressed, the resilient chamber walls are configured to expand, and expansion of the resilient chamber walls draws a fluid received through the first fluid pathway into the resilient chamber.

15 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein the resilient chamber is hemispherically shaped.

16 . The priming device of claim 15 , wherein a retaining ring is coupled to the housing such that the resilient chamber extends through and is retained by the retaining ring.

17 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein a second check valve is disposed in the second fluid pathway such that a fluid flow through the second check valve is only in a direction away from the resilient chamber.

18 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein the first fluid pathway and the second fluid pathway each comprises an opening through the housing, each opening being juxtaposed through a portion of the housing, and thereby forming defining a spike.

19 . The priming device of claim 11 , wherein the first fluid pathway comprises an inlet port.

20 . The priming device of claim 19 , wherein the port comprises a flexible valve, wherein in a sealed position the valve seals the inlet port, and in an open position, the valve does not seal the inlet port.

21 . A method of priming, comprising the steps of:
receiving a fluid into a first fluid pathway of a housing; directing the fluid through a first check valve in the first fluid pathway and into a resilient chamber having flexible walls; manually compressing the flexible walls and directing the fluid through a second fluid pathway.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein directing the fluid into the resilient chamber causes the flexible walls to expand.

23 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of directing the fluid through a second check valve in the second fluid pathway.

24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising the step of receiving the fluid into the first fluid pathway from a fluid reservoir.

25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising the step of directing the fluid from the second fluid pathway to the fluid reservoir.

26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising the step of directing the fluid through a drip chamber coupled to the first fluid pathway between the fluid reservoir and the first check valve.

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Yeh Jonathan
• Smith Jake R
• Park Soon Y
• Nguyen Tammy

Classifications

• A61M2005/1402

  Priming · CPC title

• 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

• A61M5/16822 Primary

  by controlling air intake into infusion reservoir (needle sets with air inlet A61M5/162) · CPC title

• A61M5/1411 Primary

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

• A61M39/24

  Check- or non-return valves · CPC title