Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Baxter Laboratories, Inc.

Robert A Virag

Michael J Finley

Michael W Scharf

Frank Cammarata, Iii

Daniel J Grimm

John M Unger

Mark McGlothlin

Dennis J Reisdorf

Thomas L Michaels

Edward Van Amerongen

Dispensing cap for a medical fluid container

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.

Wettable devices operational with aqueous liquid and method therefor

A nebulizer is provided which includes a liquid container and a cap attachable thereto. The cap includes a outlet port for delivery of a nebulized liquid/gas mixture to a patient, a gas inlet, a venturi in communication with the gas inlet, a conduit through which liquid may be circulated in the cap and heated by an external heater, a liquid outlet adjacent the end of the venturi, so that the gas flowing through the venturi draws out the liquid, and a dial rotatable on the cap. The dial has windows which may be positioned over openings in the cap to allow air from the environment to enter the cap and dilute the gas to a desired concentration. The dial engages the cap securely once its position is set on the cap, so the gas concentration is not inadvertently changed during use of the nebulizer.

Nebulizer

Nebulizer cup

A humidifier for gases, for example for medical administration, may be adapted for insertion into a well of a heater for warming liquid in the humidifier. A seamless metal can defines a cylindrical wall and a closed bottom end, containing wick means for absorbing water and presenting it in dispersed form to gases flowing through the can. Transparent probe means extend into the can and serve as a liquid level control for preferably automatically controlling the liquid level in the can to be maintained in the lower one third of the can.

Ventilator humidifier

A nebulizer for forming a liquid mist in a stream of gas. The nebulizing chamber carries a liquid suction conduit adapted to communicate with a supply of liquid below the nebulizing chamber. Accordingly, as suction is exerted on the nebulizing chamber, for example, by a patient breathing in, liquid is drawn upwardly into the nebulizing chamber through the suction conduit. When the liquid reaches a predetermined level it enters into the nebulizing apparatus of the device, with the result that nebulization only takes place at a predetermined minimum level of suction.

Suction-operated nebulizer

A nebulizer cap for oxygen therapy and the like includes a cap body, having attachment means for sealingly connecting the cap body to a container for liquid to be neubulized. A dip tube is carried by the cap body to extend into the container, with the one end of the tube being in flow communication with conduit means defined by the cap body. The conduit means communicates with the liquid inlet of a nebulizing venturi, while a gas port passes through the cap body to the exterior, and is in communication with a gas inlet of the nebulizing venturi. The conduit leading from the dip tube to the liquid inlet of the venturi is defined by open channels, positioned on an upstanding portion of the cap body. A thin metal heat exchange shell is sealingly positioned over the upstanding portion of the cap body to enclose the channels, which preferably define a zig-zag flow pattern. A toroidal heater can fit over the shell when heating is desired.

Nebulizer cap system having heating means

A parenteral liquid infusion set comprising flow tubing as an intermediate site for the potential access of air suitable for connection with another set or the like, and a drip chamber upstream thereof having a constricted drop-forming member. To avoid the possibility of suction of air through the air access site, a tubing section of constricted bore is provided downstream from the potential air access site and so proportioned as to cause the pressure drop of the portion of the set upstream from the potential air access site to be always less than the pressure drop of the portion of the set downstream from the potential air access site under conditions of normal use and specifically under a precise set of test conditions.

Intravenous solution set having an air access site and constricted inner

A parenteral liquid infusion set comprises flow tubing, and means for connection to blood vessel penetrating means and a parenteral liquid source at opposite ends thereof. A drip chamber is present in the set having a tubular drop-forming member of reduced inner diameter. An intermediately positioned site is present for providing access to the interior of the set from the exterior, the site being positioned downstream from the drip chamber. In accordance with this invention, a portion of the fluid flow tubing downstream from the connection site defines a bore of reduced diameter, when compared with the remainder of the flow tubing, to prevent the creation of a less than atmospheric pressure in the set and to prevent air from being sucked into the flow tubing through an administration set connected at the intermediately positioned site.

Intravenous solution set having a constricted inner diameter portion

A twin check valve pumping system for use with a syringe or other variable volume pumping device for the pumping of liquids. Along a flow path between the check valves, a porous, hydrophobic member is positioned, in communication with a portion of the flow path upstream of the first, inlet check valve. The second, downstream outlet check valve is biased so that pressure in the conduit between the check valves is required for expulsion of liquid. When gas enters the system, such pressure cannot be achieved, because, upon attempted pressurization of the area between the two check valves, the gas passes through the porous, hydrophobic member back to a position upstream of the first, inlet valve. However, aqueous liquids cannot pass through the porous member, and accordingly the device pumps such liquids normally in the absence of gas.

Twin check valve pump system having fail-safe characteristic

A burette chamber is provided which includes a primary and a secondary compartment, a wall member separating the primary and secondary compartments with the wall member providing an opening for communication between the primary and secondary compartments. When the burette chamber is included in an intravenous solution administration set, the set can continuously administer IV solution to a patient as well as to allow intermittent administration of medicaments with return to the continuous administration of IV solution to the patient after completion of medicament administration.

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Lake Zurich, IL, United States of America

Robert A Virag