Abstract: A cardiotomy reservoir for separating air from blood including a housing having top, bottom and side walls and defining upper and lower cylindrical chambers. A defoaming element comprising an annulus of sponge material is disposed in the upper end of said lower chamber and extends around the periphery of the housing. The upper chamber includes a channel for directing blood to the sponge annulus whereby the blood flows through the latter to the lower chamber, the sponge annulus including an antifoaming agent for causing air bubbles in the blood to coalesce and form larger air bubbles as the blood flows through the sponge annulus. A passage is disposed between the sponge annulus and the upper chamber whereby large air bubbles exit the sponge annulus and move through the passage to the upper chamber where air but not blood is vented automatically to the atmosphere through a hydrophobic membrane.

Abstract: A blood filter such as may be used in a cordiopulmonary bypass system includes a housing having upper and lower chambers with a cylindrical filter element disposed in the lower chamber. The inlet to the housing is in the upper chamber, which is upstream of the lower chamber, and the outlet is through the lower chamber and communicates with the interior of the filter element. Thus, blood enters the upper chamber and flows to the lower chamber where it passes through the filter element from the outer side to the interior to remove microemboli such as gas bubbles, fat emboli and agglomerates, the filtered blood exiting through the outlet. In order to remove a substantial amount of the gas in the blood, and particularly gross bubbles, upstream of the filter element, the upper chamber is cylindrical and the inlet directs the blood tangentially to flow around the periphery of the chamber.

Abstract: A filter assembly is provided comprising a housing; a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in the housing, each opening into a fluid chamber; and, disposed in the fluid chamber across the line of fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet so that all flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet must pass therethrough, a filter element composite comprising a filter sheet material sandwiched between layers of foraminous spacer sheet material. The filter element composite has an upstream side and a downstream side and separates the chamber into a first portion on one side of the filter element composite communicating with the fluid inlet, and a second portion on the other side of the filter element composite communicating with the fluid outlet.

Abstract: A vented filter spigot for gravity feed intravenous liquid administration is provided having a filter spigot housing; a filter chamber in the housing; an inlet and an outlet in the housing, the housing being arranged to have the inlet oriented up and the outlet oriented down when installed for liquid feed from a liquid supply for intravenous administration; the inlet being shaped for attachment to a supply of liquid in a container for intravenous administration, and the outlet being shaped for attachment to an intravenous liquid administration apparatus; a liquid-permeable filter that is gas-impermeable when wet disposed in the filter chamber in a manner so as to extend generally vertically when the inlet is oriented up, and across the line of fluid flow through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet so that all through flow must pass through the filter; and dividing the chamber into two generally vertically-extending portions, one upstream and one downstream of the filter; a vent in an uppermost portion of

Abstract: Process and apparatus are provided for forming corrugated filter sheet by folding a long strip of sheet material into corrugations extending longitudinally of the strip, press-bending the sheet along the longitudinal fold lines of the intended corrugations; and gradually drawing in the sheet from the sides towards the center, while pushing the sheet out from each side along the fold lines, so as to form the intended corrugations, reducing the width of the sheet according to the height and width of the corrugations.

Abstract: A disposable box filter is provided comprising a box housing in at least two portions and having a fluid chamber with two fluid ports, and a filter element in corrugated sheet form extending across the fluid chamber, held by the housing across the line of flow between the fluid ports, with the corrugations supported in a fixed uniform spacing against differential fluid pressure and fluid flow.

Abstract: A filter for intravenous liquid administration is provided having a filter housing; a filter chamber in the housing; an inlet member and an outlet member in the housing in fluid flow communication with the filter chamber; a filter in the filter chamber disposed across the line of fluid flow through the chamber from the inlet member to the outlet member so that all through flow must pass through the filter; and dividing the chamber into two portions, one upstream and one downstream of the filter; a vent in the housing in flow communication with the upstream portion of the filter chamber; and a liquid-impermeable gas-permeable porous member disposed across the line of flow through the vent, so that all vent flow must pass through the member, the member restricting such flow to gas to which it is permeable; the inlet member being shaped for attachment to a supply of liquid for intravenous administration; and the outlet member being shaped for attachment to an intravenous liquid administration apparatus.