Abstract: A bacteria-retaining medical valve including a housing defining a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a valve located within the housing downstream of the liquid inlet and a bacterial filter assembly located within the housing downstream of the valve and upstream of the liquid outlet, the bacterial filter assembly including hydrophilic bacterial impermeable passageways which are configured to permit liquid passage therethrough and prevent bacterial passage therethrough and air passage therethrough and hydrophobic bacterial impermeable passageways which are configured to permit air passage therethrough and prevent bacterial passage therethrough and liquid passage therethrough.

Abstract: A drip chamber for intravenous infusion including a support member having a longitudinal axis, two ends and at least one support face distanced from both ends, a membrane joined to the at least one support face, and a support member outlet formed in the support member and in fluid communication with the membrane, the support member outlet including a bore and being fluidly communicable with an outlet of the drip chamber.

Abstract: A drip chamber for intravenous infusion including a support member having a longitudinal axis, two ends and at least one support face distanced from both ends, a membrane joined to the at least one support face, and a support member outlet formed in the support member and in fluid communication with the membrane, the support member outlet including a bore and being fluidly communicable with an outlet of the drip chamber.

Abstract: A needle protector device comprising a protector tube slidingly disposed in an outer tube and slidingly disposed over a syringe comprising a needle, the protector tube comprising at least one abutment initially in engagement with the outer tube such that the protector tube is constrained from moving distally with respect to the syringe, a biasing device disposed inside the outer tube operative to provide an urging force on the protector tube in a direction that tends to urge the protector tube distally towards a tip of the needle, and a release mechanism operative to move the at least one abutment out of engagement with the outer tube upon distal pushing of a plunger of the syringe, such that when the at least one abutment is out of engagement with the outer tube, the biasing device urges the protector tube distally towards the tip of the needle.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically optically inspecting electrical circuits by matching portions of an electrical circuit being inspected to corresponding portions in a reference, wherein an adaptive spatial tolerance representing a permissible deviation in the location of corresponding portions is applied to a portion. The spatial tolerances for each portion is in part a function of a characteristic of the portion, for example one or more of: the proximity of the portion to other portions of predetermined type, a spatial location of the portion in an electrical circuit, a material from which the portion is formed, the color of the portion and the intensity of light reflected by the portion. Non-defective matching portions an electrical circuit being inspected and in a reference must be separated by a distance which is less than the adaptive spatial tolerance.

Abstract: A filter unit for removing leukocytes from a leukocyte-containing suspension by passing the suspension through a filter unit. The filter unit may comprise a main filter for blocking the leukocytes and a post-filter for preventing leakage of the leukocytes having a higher median pore size than the main filter and placed downstream of the main-filter.

Abstract: A needle protector device comprising a protector tube slidingly disposed in an outer tube and slidingly disposed over a syringe comprising a needle, the protector tube comprising at least one abutment initially in engagement with the outer tube such that the protector tube is constrained from moving distally with respect to the syringe, a biasing device disposed inside the outer tube operative to provide an urging force on the protector tube in a direction that tends to urge the protector tube distally towards a tip of the needle, and a release mechanism operative to move the at least one abutment out of engagement with the outer tube upon distal pushing of a plunger of the syringe, such that when the at least one abutment is out of engagement with the outer tube, the biasing device urges the protector tube distally towards the tip of the needle.

Abstract: This invention discloses a donor blood sampling apparatus attached to a tubing branch, a donor needle attached to an upstream tube, the donor needle being adapted for drawing blood from a body and a main collection bag attached to a donor tube, characterized by a flow controller.

Abstract: A membrane support (10, 20) for assembly into a drip chamber (5), characterized by a support member (7) having a longitudinal axis (8, 27), two ends (9) and at least one support face distanced from both ends (9) and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis (8, 27), a membrane (16, 26) joined to the at least one the support face, and a support member outlet (11, 32) formed in the support member (7) and in fluid communication with the membrane (16, 26), the support member outlet (11, 32) being fluidly communicable with an outlet of a drip chamber (5).

Abstract: A filter unit for removing leukocytes from a leukocyte-containing suspension by passing the suspension through a filter unit. The filter unit may comprise a main filter for blocking the leukocytes and a post-filter for preventing leakage of the leukocytes having a higher median pore size than the main filter and placed downstream of the main-filter.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for automatically optically inspecting electrical circuits by matching portions of an electrical circuit being inspected to corresponding portions in a reference, wherein an adaptive spatial tolerance representing a permissible deviation in the location of corresponding portions is applied to a portion. The spatial tolerances for each portion is in part a function of a characteristic of the portion, for example one or more of: the proximity of the portion to other portions of predetermined type, a spatial location of the portion in an electrical circuit, a material from which the portion is formed, the color of the portion and the intensity of light reflected by the portion. Non-defective matching portions an electrical circuit being inspected and in a reference must be separated by a distance which is less than the adaptive spatial tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drip chamber for an intravenous infusion set. The invention also relates to a method of making drip chambers, and further, to an intravenous infusion set including a drip chamber. The invention is provided with a drip chamber comprising a housing defining a chamber to be located in a vertical position and including an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom; a first hydrophilic filter covering the outlet effective, when wet, to permit the flow therethrough of a liquid and to block the flow therethrough of air; and a second hydrophilic filter covering the inlet also effective, when wet, to permit the flow therethrough of a liquid and to block the flow therethrough of air.

Abstract: A method for selectively removing leukocytes from a suspension which also contains platelets, such as a platelet concentrate or whole blood. The method includes passing the suspension through a filter which includes a polysaccharide-type coating. The coating may include one or more of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxybutylmethyl cellulose, dextran and hydroxyethyl starch. Also provided is a filter for selectively removing leukocytes from a suspension which also contains platelets. The filter includes a substrate which is coated with a polysaccharide-type composition.

Abstract: A method for selectively removing leukocytes from a suspension which also contains platelets, such as a platelet concentrate or whole blood. The method includes passing the suspension through a filter which includes a polysaccharide-type coating. The coating may include one or more of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxybutylmethyl cellulose, dextran and hydroxyethyl starch. Also provided is a filter for selectively removing leukocytes from a suspension which also contains platelets. The filter includes a substrate which is coated with a polysaccharide-type composition.

Abstract: An intravenous cannula assembly having a cannula with a distal end insertable into a patient, a guide needle movable to an operative position with respect to the cannula and having as distal end for piercing the patient. The guide needle is movable to a retracted position via the proximal end of the cannula for removal therefrom and having a protective enclosure for enclosing the guide needle.

Abstract: A protective cover for a vehicle formed of a sheet of protective material having a plurality of magnetic portions distributed at intervals throughout the sheet to secure the cover to the vehicle. The sheet is pleated or otherwise adapted to be disposed in a closed storage configuration. Adjacent magnets correspond spatially to one another so as to be magnetically attracted to one another when the sheet is folded or otherwise disposed in its storage configuration. Adjacent pairs of magnets are further separated from subsequent pairs of magnets to minimize overlap of the magnets and corresponding width of the folded sheet.Preferably, the sheet is formed of a plastic material, such as a nonwettable polyethylene material. Further, to adequately protect the vehicle from sunlight, the sheet should have an optical opacity of at least 80%.The invention is attached to a vehicle by initially attaching a portion of the cover to a portion of the vehicle using at least one of the plurality of magnets.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for gel electrophoresis, for sample transfer, for identifying a macromolecule, for blotting including dot blotting, and for colony hybridization, involving polyaldehyde activated microporous membranes.

Abstract: A vacuum filter assembly for filtering a feed liquid includes a filter membrane held in a cover attachable to the filtrate container. The cover is formed with a feed liquid nipple on one side of the filter membrane, a filtrate outlet tube on the other side of the filter body, and a vacuum port. A portion of the surface of the membrane is non-wettable by the feed liquid to facilitate restarting the filtration if the filtration is interrupted. Also, the vacuum port includes a vacuum tube covered at its end by another membrane having pores permeable by air but not by the feed liquid, for fixing the maximum level of the filtrate within the filtrate container.

Abstract: A process for preparing charge modified filtration media including the steps of forming a filtration microporous or macroporous membranous or nonmembranous medium structure having internal and external surfaces and including a quaternizable nitrogen containing polymer exposed at the internal and external surfaces, permanently charging the exposed quaternizable nitrogen, and rendering the polymer insoluble in solution and permanently adhered within the filtration medium structure.Charge modified filtration media including a filtration medium structure as described having internal and external surfaces, characterized by a quaternizable nitrogen containing polymer exposed at the internal and external surfaces and having permanently charged quaternizable nitrogen. The quaternized nitrogen containing polymer is insoluble in solution and permanently adhered within the filtration medium structure.

Abstract: Porous blended polymer (polyethersulfone, phenoxy resin) filtration membranes are provided which are useful for filtering macromolecules or particles from fluids. The invention also concerns a process for filtering matter from a fluid, employing the membranes.