The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 15, 1980
Filed:
May. 25, 1978
Barry A Solomon, Bedford, MA (US);
Michael J Lysaght, Waltham, MA (US);
United States of America, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A filtration device for effecting separation of a blood cell-free liquid filtrate from a blood cell-containing liquid suspension in continuous laminar flow therethrough, employing a microporous filtration membrane. The filtration flow channels along the surface of the upstream side of the membrane wall are provided with a width across the membrane wall surface which gradually and uniformly increases from the inlet end to the outlet end of the flow channel, whereby the membrane wall shear rate of the suspension in laminar flow through the flow channel will gradually and uniformly vary along the length of the flow channel from a maximum value at its inlet end to a minimum value at its outlet end. Such variation in shear rate corresponds with the variation in the transmembrane pressure conditions along the length of the flow channel so as to enable better control of the filtration operating conditions to insure optimal filtration rates per area of membrane without damage to the blood cells. Useful applications of the device include the separation of plasma from whole blood in a continuous flow plasmapheresis procedure, and the removal of cryoprotective agents from previously frozen, thawed preparations of blood cells.