Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which-may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A bacterial fluid filter includes a filter element supported by a backing member. The filter element and backing member are sealed, e.g., with one or more o-ring seals, in a housing to provide a filter assembly capable of filtering fluid under relatively high pressure. In one embodiment, a filter element, backing member, and seal are disposed in a removable and disposable housing that is sized to fit within a filter housing.

Abstract: A bacterial fluid filter includes a filter element supported by a backing member. The filter element and backing member are sealed, e.g., with one or more o-ring seals, in a housing to provide a filter assembly capable of filtering fluid under relatively high pressure. In one embodiment, a filter element, backing member, and seal are disposed in a removable and disposable housing that is sized to fit within a filter housing.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A bacterial fluid filter includes a filter element supported by a backing member. The filter element and backing member are sealed, e.g., with one or more o-ring seals, in a housing to provide a filter assembly capable of filtering fluid under relatively high pressure. In one embodiment, a filter element, backing member, and seal are disposed in a removable and disposable housing that is sized to fit within a filter housing.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A bacterial fluid filter includes a filter element supported by a backing member. The filter element and backing member are sealed, e.g., with one or more o-ring seals, in a housing to provide a filter assembly capable of filtering fluid under relatively high pressure. In one embodiment, a filter element, backing member, and seal are disposed in a removable and disposable housing that is sized to fit within a filter housing.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a gas-supersaturated fluid and delivering the fluid at high delivery pressures to thereby prevent bubble nucleation is disclosed. The system comprises a housing for containing a removable fluid assembly for housing a fluid to be gas-supersaturated and a drive assembly for delivering the fluid to a delivery site. The housing assembly comprises a cylinder and a piston which may be advanced along the inner surface of the cylinder to pressurize and to deliver the fluid. To generate a gas-supersaturated fluid, the housing assembly is removed from the system housing, filled with a fluid, and gas is introduced at or slightly above the desired gas partial pressure into the cylinder.

Abstract: A fluid shut off valve for use in a parenteral fluid administration set includes a disk floating in a fluid chamber that shuts off fluid flow when the fluid in the chamber decreases below a certain level. The chamber includes a valve stem at its lower end that has both a valve seat and an alignment member with an alignment surface on the top end thereof for guiding the disk into proper seating on the valve seat. The valve seat and floating disk have complementary engagement surfaces for also guiding the disk into proper seating on the valve seat. In one embodiment, the alignment member includes fins located both on the valve stem and on the inside wall of the chamber. Because of the configuration of the alignment member, dislodgement of the disk from the valve seat is made easier.

Abstract: A pump mechanism using a drive motor having an external rotor. In one case, cams are mounted on the external surface of the rotor. Cam followers or peristaltic fingers engage the cams and move linearly in response to the rotational cam motion. The cam surfaces are rotated from adjacent cam surfaces to achieve a peristaltic effect through the peristaltic fingers sequentially pressing against the fluid tubing. In another case, the external surface of the rotor is threaded and elongated. A nut is mounted on the rotor and confined to travel in only a linear direction. A coupling arm is connected between the nut and a syringe plunger to force the plunger into the syringe barrel and thereby move the fluid.

Abstract: A valve for fluids employs two telescoping parts which cooperate with one another to block fluid flow when pulled partially apart and open a flow path therethrough when pushed together. A plunger component, having a central bore, a closed off end and perforated walls, is slidingly and sealingly received within the collar of the hollow valve body. When the plunger's closed end is pushed far enough into the valve body so as to expose the apertures, fluid is free to flow from within the valve body into the plunger component. When pulled apart so as to cause the perforations to be positioned within the confines of the collar, flow is blocked. An actuation mechanism integrated into a housing serves to automatically pull the valve's components apart to stop flow when its cover is swung open and conversely causes the two components to be pushed together to open flow when the cover is closed.

Abstract: A sensor system has a two-housing arrangement, each housing of which contains a transducer. One housing includes the transmitter transducer and a flat engaging surface for pressing against the fluid line and deforming it. The other housing includes the receiver transducer mounted so that it is coupled to the bottom of a rectangular U-shaped channel for receiving the fluid line. A spring biases the flat surface of the first housing into contact with the fluid line and deforms the fluid line into the shape of the channel so that the fluid line fills the channel. The channel is shaped to force the fluid line into a general rectangular shape as it is pressed into the channel by the flat surface. Two walls of the deformed fluid line are oriented in a direction perpendicular to the flat engaging surface of the first housing and provide an opposing force to the flat surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting pressure and occlusion in a fluid line is for use with a fluid line being operated upon by a positive displacement, peristaltic pump having several cam follower fingers pressing against the fluid line fluid through the line peristaltically. A sensor follower finger is mounted to the cam shaft of the pump among the other peristaltic fingers in order to cyclicly press against the fluid line and displace the fluid line by a predetermined amount as the cam shaft rotates. The sensor follower finger includes a strain gauge mounted on the sensor finger to generate a signal indicating the degree of force being applied by the sensor finger against the tubing, and a signal processor which receives this force signal and determines the pressure within the fluid line based upon the signal. The signal processor determines the existence of an occlusion based on the signal and provides an alarm if an occlusion is determined.

Abstract: The clamp for flexible tubing may be used in conjunction with an infusion pump instrument or separately. The clamp includes a pair of elongated clamping members pivotally hinged together and biased to clamp a segment of flexible tubing received between the clamping members. A latch is also preferably provided for allowing the clamping members to be releasably latched apart. The latch, and the elongated clamping members are arranged in a manner such that when the clamp has a segment of flexible tubing received between the clamping members and the clamp and tubing are set between the housing and door of an infusion pump, closing the door causes the clamp to release to an open position allowing fluid flow, and opening the door causes the clamp to automatically move to a closed position, clamping the tubing so as to prevent fluid flow.