Cobe Laboratories, Inc.

Robert L White

Dennis J Hlavinka

Frank Corbin, Iii

Todd Curtis Green

Robert J Schuyler

A method and device for sampling biological fluids during collection without opening the functionally closed collection system, thereby compromising the sterility of the collected fluid. A sample bag connected to a fluid line or collection reservoir is filled coincident with fluid collection, then hermetically sealed and physically separated from the collection system using a radio frequency tubing sealer. A vacuum tube collection device is attached to the sample bag to minimize exposure to the fluid during sample handling and processing.

Fluid sampling device for closed collection systems

A tubing set includes at least one fluid conveying tube. The fluid conveying tube has a predetermined outside diameter, and is formed of a material adapted to be dielectrically heated at a sealing location. The insulating sleeve has an inside dimension at least as large as the outside diameter of the fluid conveying tube. The tubular insulating sleeve is positioned in a substantially coaxial relationship with the fluid conveying tube at the sealing location, and has a wall with thickness which insulates the fluid conveying tube to permit sealing the fluid conveying tube, and forming a thin, easily tearable web, by the application of the radio frequency dielectric heating.

Medical tubing set for the use with an improved radio frequency tubing

An insulating sleeve retains heat in the plastic of a flexible plastic medical tube when the plastic of the medical tube is dielectrically heated by a radio frequency tubing sealer. The heat retained by the insulating sleeve permits additional melting of the plastic of the medical tube after a seal has been formed. The additional melting results in forming an easily tearable web between the segments of the medical tube in the same operation as the sealing operation. The medical tube is selectively sealed without forming the easily tearable web by using the radio frequency tubing sealer without the insulating sleeve.

Radio frequency tubing sealer

Using a membrane separating device to remove cell-free fluid from a suspension of cells to preconcentrate cells in the suspension prior to processing in a centrifuge.

Cell processing apparatus and method

A dialysate flow control system is disclosed for an artificial kidney machine. The flow control system produces dialysate flow at negative pressure through the dialyzer and comprises a flow controller and first pump upstream of the dialyzer and a second pump downstream of the dialyzer. The negative pressure between the flow regulator and the first pump is utilized for deaeration and an air accumulator is disposed downstream of the first pump and provided with an air discharge path into the dialysate flow path downstream of the dialyzer. A negative pressure regulator automatically regulates the dialysate pressure in the dialyzer at a manually adjustable value and comprises regulator means responsive to the average value of negative pressure in the dialyzer to provide suction relief to the second pump as needed to maintain the selected pressure value.

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Kittridge, CO, United States of America

Robert L White