Abstract: A device for separating and isolating heavier components from lighter components of blood mixtures after centrifugal separation, comprising a barrel for holding the blood mixture having slidably positioned therein an inner container for containing the lighter components, a one-way valve responsive to movement of the container within the barrel (a) for controlling the flow of the lighter components into the container, (b) for preventing the lighter components from re-entering the barrel from the container, and (c) for creating a vacuum to assist in drawing the blood mixture to be separated into the barrel, and a filter for filtering the lighter components during their entry into the inner container. The inner container includes an opening for access to the separated and isolated lighter components.

Abstract: A retractable needle syringe is disclosed which includes an elastomeric anchor connected at the distal end of a syringe barrel with a needle connector releasably connected in the anchor and adapted to carry a needle cannula. A plunger with a piston is provided with a coupling member movable into coupling engagement with a coupling member on the needle connector to connect the needle connector with the plunger. A seal on the piston prevents fluid from flowing out of the cannula when coupling engagement between the piston rod and the needle connector is effected. The coupling member on the plunger moves a portion of the anchor away from the needle connector to reduce the force necessary to remove the needle connector from the anchor. The plunger is moveable proximally in the barrel to move the needle connector and a needle connected thereto into the barrel. The plunger rod has a weakened portion to permit manual breakage of the rod.

Abstract: A physiological fluid sampling device connectable to a hypodermic needle has a sampling chamber of selectably variable volume defined by a sealing member in the form of a piston which is manually movable in a housing member due to its attachment to a plunger extending out of the housing member. The chamber is formed by a closed end of the housing, the housing side wall, and the sealing member, and a bore through the housing end wall permits fluid communication with the needle. The sealing member forms a constant hermetic seal around the housing side wall, but contaminant gases may escape from the chamber through exhaust passageways formed in the sealing member. Each of these passageways contains liquid reactive material so that they automatically seal upon contact with a physiological fluid, such as blood, to prevent re-entry of contaminant gases. Crystalline heparin coats the interior surface of the housing member to stop clotting of arterial blood.

Abstract: A wound dressing comprises a vapor permeable plastic film coated on one side with an adhesive about the periphery of a wound contacting window in the central portion of the dressing. A pair of release liners covers the adhesive coating and include tabs so that the release liners can be peeled from the adhesive coating. Means are provided adjacent to and at opposite lateral sides of the wound contacting window to change abruptly the resistance to peeling of the release liners from the adhesive coated film. Accordingly, when the user feels this change in resistance, he or she knows that the wound contacting window and a small portion of the adhesive about the periphery thereof is uncovered which allows the dressing to be anchored about the patient's wound with the release liners partially in place and the wound contacting window exposed. This minimizes the tendency of the film to wrinkle and/or to fold on itself such that the adhesive adheres to itself.

Abstract: A fluid delivery system is provided with a disposable delivery set which includes an inlet tube, an outlet tube and a column tube connected to a syringe. A motor set is arranged to operate the syringe while sensing the level of fluid in the column tube, whereby the syringe may be reciprocated to provide incremental volumes of fluid to a patient.

Abstract: A drip chamber for an enteral nutrition system having an optical drip detector is provided with an opaque upper portion to reduce the amount of ambient light entering the optical sensor for the drip detector.

Abstract: A stopper for medical containers such as blood collection tubes having integral flange and plug portions, the flange portion being substantially larger in diameter than the plug portion, which plug portion is sized to sealably close the container. The stopper has opposed wells formed in the flange and plug portions, the well in the flange portion having a relatively flat bottom surface at least as large in diameter as the diameter of the opposed well in the plug portion. The flange portion is constructed to be guided into a tube holder into which it is inserted such that one end of a needle projecting into the interior of the tube holder will penetrate the stopper in the area of the opposed wells so as to avoid otherwise contacting the stopper. The enlarged flange portion also serves to facilitate removal of the stopper from the container without contaminating a handler.

Abstract: An enternal nutrition pump system operates in a cyclical manner with a period between cycles being selected in accordance with the desired fluid delivery rate. Each pump cycle may correspond to a single rotation of the rotor or a fractional rotation of the rotor. Rotor rotation may alternatively be sensed by utilization of magnetic sensors or by monitoring of the AC componment of current supplied to a DC motor driving the rotor.

Abstract: A sterile closure device for a stoppered container which includes a cover member positioned over the top portion of the stopper, a shrinkable band member enclosing a peripheral portion of the cover member and the top portion of the stopper and having a pull tab portion by which the band member can be fractured and a spot of adhesive connecting the peripheral portion of the cover member to the band member such that upon fracture of the band member the cover member and tab portion will be removed together.

Abstract: A collapsible and flexible urethral drainage catheter having a flexible tubular body portion containing a drainage lumen and an inflation lumen and having a distal tip portion with a flexibility different from the body portion with a distal end closed by an elongated cylindrical plug member sealed thereto having a segment of the wall thereof adapted when inserted into the distal end of the body portion to mate in intimate contact with the inner wall of the body portion and extending a sufficient distance into the body portion to stiffen the distal tip portion thereof, said drainage lumen communicating with drain ports in the elongated plug member and the distal tip portion of said body member and said inflation lumen communicating with an inflation cuff surrounding a portion of said distal tip portion of the body member.

Abstract: A belt structure of a pneumatic tire with plies (13, 15) consisting of alternating S and Z twist cords and the edges of at least one ply folded.

Abstract: A directional tire (10) having lateral grooves (15,16) arranged in substantially "V" shaped configurations around the tire. The lateral grooves (15,16) on each side of the mid-circumferential plane (M--M) form a series of circumferentially spaced lands (25,26) respectively therebetween, each of which extends from a mid-circumferential portion of the tire to the respective edge of the tread (12 or 13). Each land (25,26) has a first face (27) directed in one rotational direction and a second face (28) directed in the other rotational direction. In order to modify the directional properties of the tire one of said faces, preferably the trailing face (28) in normal use, is broken by axially extending grooves (31,32 and 33).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a method of constructing a tire bead for the same, in which the tire has a bead portion which is reinforced by a bead core of wire running around the bead portion and the wire is housed in a circular elastomeric support which forms a cradle in which the wire is located. The bead can be made by winding wire around the preformed elastomeric cradle.