Baxter International Inc.

Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

James C Richardson

Birendra K Lal

Thomas Edward Dudar

Steven C Jepson

Paul J Soltys

Douglas W Reitz

Michael R Prisco

Edward S Szpara

Richard A Rollins

Lewis E Daniels, Jr

Sarah Louise Corbin

Robert Passaglia

Kathryn M Button

Rebecca S Black

Yuan-Pang S Ding

Phillip A Taylor

Mark A Heiss

A valve assembly for permitting fluid flow in a first direction and for preventing fluid flow in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The valve assembly includes an upper housing, a lower housing coupled to the upper housing to form a generally axially extending housing assembly, and a valve seating section defined within an inner peripheral portion of the lower housing. The valve seating section includes an axially extending inner peripheral surface and a transversely extending surface substantially normal to the axially extending inner peripheral surface. A valve member is seated within the valve seating section of said lower housing. The valve member includes a flange that extends from the valve member in a transverse direction and defines an axially oriented outer peripheral surface thereof. The valve member is retained within the valve seating section of the lower housing by the axially extending inner peripheral surface of the valve seating section transversely compressing the axially oriented outer peripheral surface of the flange to form a press-fit therebetween. Further, the valve member also includes a lower transverse surface which is axially separated from the transversely extending surface of the valve seating section, in which an air space is defined between these two transverse surfaces.

Valve assembly

The present invention provides an intravenous fluid flow regulator 10 for controlling the I.V. administration of medical fluid to a patient. The fluid flow regulator 10 provides a housing 12 having a top 18 and a bottom 20. A flexible diaphragm 14 is positioned within housing 12. A diaphragm holder 16 is provided inside housing 12 for holding a sealing edge 56 of flexible diaphragm 14 in fluid sealing engagement with diaphragm holder 16. The housing 12 and flexible diaphragm 14 define an inlet fluid reservoir 62 and an outlet fluid reservoir 64. The diaphragm holder 16 defines a by-pass fluid channel 54 from inlet fluid reservoir 62, around diaphragm 14, to outlet fluid reservoir 64. The flexible diaphragm 14 being flexible to alternatively move into inlet fluid reservoir 62 and outlet fluid reservoir 64 depending on a fluid pressure differential between inlet fluid reservoir 62 and outlet fluid reservoir 64. A fluid inlet 24 is connected to housing top 18 to provide an inlet fluid passage 27 from an I.V. bag containing medical fluid to inlet fluid reservoir 62. A fluid outlet 34 is connected to housing bottom 20 to provide an outlet fluid passage 44 from outlet fluid reservoir 64 to the patient. At least one rib 48 connected to bottom 20 is provided to prevent movement of flexible diaphragm 14 into outlet fluid reservoir 64 when flexible diaphragm 14 moves into outlet fluid reservoir 64 a predetermined distance.

Fluid flow regulator

A container for housing a beneficial agent that can be removably coupled to a structure defining a fluid flow path. The container comprises a body defining a first and second interior area separated by a wall that terminates at an opening providing fluid communication between the first and second interior area. A cannula is provided that extends from the body for being removably received by the structure defining the fluid path. The cannula includes an inlet opening and inlet fluid flow path and an outlet opening and outlet fluid flow path. The inlet fluid flow path being in fluid communication with the first interior area, and the outlet fluid flow path being in fluid communication with the second interior area. The second interior area houses the solid beneficial agent and allows fluid that flows through the inlet fluid flow path to pass by at least a portion of the beneficial agent.

Container for the controlled administration of a beneficial agent

A disposable dental instrument is described in which the instrument is formed by insert molding a handle about a wire. The wire has a working portion and a embedding portion; both the working portion and the embedding portion have a common diameter. In one embodiment of the subject invention, the handle changes color when exposed to ultraviolet light. In another embodiment of the invention, the instrument can be sterilized using only radiation sterilization techniques.

Disposable dental tool

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Schaumburg, IL, United States of America

James C Richardson