Baxter International Inc.

Fenwal, Inc.

Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.

Allen R Wons

Daniel R Lynn

David P Fisher

John C Burnham

Julian P Breillatt, Jr

Daryl Richard Calhoun

David B Howard

Billy W Minshall

Randy Murphy

Philip H Coelho

Ludwig Wolf, Jr

Randy K Murphey

William R Bratten

Roberto E Perez

Julian C Breillatt

Gregory Soudant

Michihiro Tsuji

Tat C Mui

Shin-Ichiroh Oka

Daniel R Calhoun

Blood collection systems include an integral flexible filter to remove leukocytes from blood components.

Blood collection systems including a flexible filter

A method of making a blood filter assembly provides first and second filter housing elements from a flexible thermoplastic material, each of the first and second housing elements including a molded port. The method places a filter media between the first and second filter housing elements and applies radio frequency heating and pressure to form a peripheral seal that joins the first and second filter housing elements to the filter media and encapsulates the filter media between the first and second housing elements.

Method of making a filter assembly having a flexible housing

Blood collection systems including an integral, flexible filter

A fluid filter assembly for filtering fluids such as blood is described. The assembly includes first and second filter housing elements formed by an injection molding process. Each element is flexible and includes a peripheral flange formed thereabout and a fluid communicating port formed therein. Filter media, such as a filter membrane, is sealed between the mating flanges of two elements. The fluid filter assembly is capable of collapsing and expanding during the filtration process depending upon the composition of the fluid passed there through. A method for making the filter assembly and systems for using the filter assembly are also disclosed.

Filter assembly having a flexible housing and method of making same

Filter assembly having a flexible housing

A flexible, three-dimensional container is made by a prescribed vacuum-molding and heat sealing process. The container possesses a precise, defined geometry before and during use. The container is formed from first and second walls. The first wall has a planar area and a vacuum-molded cavity area drawn out of the plane of the planar area into a predefined three-dimensional geometry. A second wall overlies the first wall to close the cavity area and thereby forms an interior compartment. A thermal seal joins the two walls together. The seal is formed by heating the second wall and the first wall in the planar area, while assuring that the cavity area of the first wall is not subject to heating and possible deformation of its precise vacuum-molded geometry.

Flexible, three-dimensional containers and methods for making them

A container has first and second walls, each formed of a thermoplastic sheet having a peripheral edge. A peripheral seal joins the peripheral edges together to form an interior chamber enclosed by the first and second walls. A port communicates with the interior chamber. The port is spaced from and does not extend through the peripheral seal. The port comprises a hollow thermoplastic tube, which extends through a slit in one of the first and second sheets and is oriented tangentially thereto. The slit is fused by heat about the tube, forming a heat fused junction. A medical product or a blood filter material can be housed in the interior chamber.

Container with a tangential port

A blood filtration device encapsulates a filter pad assembly Within a flexible housing. The filter pad assembly includes first and second filter media layers. A first heat and pressure sealed region integrally bonds the peripheries of the first and second media layers together. The flexible housing comprises a peripheral rim aligned with the first heat and pressure sealed region of the first media layer. A second heat and pressure sealed region, formed after the first heat and pressure sealed region, joins the rim of the flexible housing to the first heat and pressure sealed region, thereby forming a composite seal that encapsulates the filter pad assembly within the housing.

Apparatus for filtering leukocytes from blood cells

A port is formed in a thermoplastic container wall by slitting the wall, inserting a thermoplastic tube through the slit, placing a mandrel in the tube, placing opposed dies defining a bore over the sheet and tube, and dielectrically heating the thermoplastic to fuse the tube and sheet. Preferably the bore defined by the dies is of a diameter slightly less than that of the tube, and has an enlarged central area which forms a thickened section of material over the slit.

Method of making a medical container port tangential to the container

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Antioch, IL, United States of America

Allen R Wons