Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Mark McGlothlin

Robert A Virag

Dennis J Reisdorf

Ralph Ostensen

A combination anti-reflux valve and gas venting device for use in a urinary drainage bag is described. In the preferred embodiment, the device is made of a flapper valve having a gas venting portion inside the urinary drainage bag. The flapper valve is connected to a gas venting connector means for passage of gas between the outside and inside connector means.

Vented anti-reflux valve

A humidifier (10) used in respiratory therapy is disclosed where the surface tension of a light probe (32) used therewith is maintained greater than the surface tension of the aqueous liquid used in the humidifier (10). Maintaining the surface tension of the light probe (32) greater than the surface tension of the aqueous liquid generally avoids erroneous indication of aqueous liquid level in the humidifier (10). Erroneous indications of liquid level can be caused by gas bubbles adhering to submerged portions of the light probe (32) or liquid droplets adhering to unsubmerged portions of the light probe (32). Surface tension of the light probe (32) can be maintained greater than surface tension of the aqueous liquid by coating the light probe (32) with a surface active agent, by subjecting the light probe (32) to corona discharge or plasma treatment, by coating the interior surface of the humidifier cannister (14) with an amount of surface active agent, by adding an amount of surface active agent to the aqueous liquid in the humidifier (10) or by any combination.

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Vernon Hills, IL, United States of America

Mark McGlothlin