US3807958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A bubble oxygenerator including a blood foam return exchanger device
Assignee: Williams Harvey Research Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-05
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Granted: 1974-04-30
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Expires: 1992-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A blood foam return exchanger device provides multiple fluid flow guidance channels disposed around the exterior of a bloodoxygen fluid exchanger having multiple oxygenator tubes. The guidance channels, formed by multiple fins disposed parallel to the tubular axis of symmetry of the fluid exchanger, provide additional residence time in the fluid flow channels for the gaseous exchange of the oxygen gas-blood two-phase mixture while descending the channels. The return shell has a return cap terminus disposed a spaced holding chamber volume above the top header plate of the exchanger, turning the blood foam flow downward 180* after ascending the oxygenator tubes. The multiple fins can provide heat exchange surfaces for further precise temperature control of the blood foam. The blood foam exiting from the return exchanger device flows through the surrounding defoamer filter, separating foam into blood and exchanged gases. A relatively short fluid exchanger utilizes the additional blood foam residence time provided by the guidance channels. Still another blood foam return exchanger device has an integral 180* U-bend return loop extension on each oxygenator tube of the fluid exchanger, and an oxygenator tube return length interiorly extending adjacently down the internal perimeter of the heat exchanger boundary case. Each exit terminus of an oxygenator tube return length extends through the exchanger boundary case, providing an exit for the blood foam into and through the surrounding annular defoamer filter.
Inventors
- 👤 R Brumfield
- 👤 E Simmons
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/14; A61M1/32; A61M1/322; A61M1/36; A61M1/3621; A61M1/3623; B; B01; B01D; B01D63/00; B01D63/06; B01D63/069; A61M1/369; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
In an extra-corporeal blood oxygenator and blood temperature controller having a patterned array of multiple, small diameter, equal length oxygenator tubes disposed in a top and bottom pair of fluid-impervious header plates, wherein a blood foam composition can be formed in said multiple oxygenator tubes, the improvement comprising a blood foam return exchanger device combination comprising: a tubular heat exchanger boundary case having a case interior, said base header plate, said top header plate and said multiple oxygenator tubes secured in said case interior in a fluid exchange configuration, said tubular case having multiple fluid flow guidance fins linearly disposed on the exterior of said boundary case parallel to the case tubular axis of symmetry and encircling the exterior case perimeter, said multiple guidance fins integrally secured to said exterior case perimeter and having fin lengths extending from said top header plate to multiple fin exit terminuses at a predetermined distance below said top header plate; and, a return shell adjacently fitting exteriorly around and over said multiple guidance fins, said return shell having a shell length providing multiple blood foam exit terminuses adjacent to said multiple fin exit terminuses, said return shell having a cap terminus disposed above a spaced holding chamber volume above said top header plate, whereby said blood foam composition which can be formed in said multiple oxygenator tubes can flow into said spaced holding chamber volume, thence into the multiple fluid flow guidance channels provided between said return shell and said multiple fluid flow guidance fins and down through said multiple blood foam exit terminuses of said foam return fluid exchanger device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 2 in which said tubular heat exchanger boundary case is formed from a non-toxic metal having a thin organic composition coating disposed completely over the face of said case exposed to said blood foam, said coating being physiologically compatible with said blood foam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 2 in which said return shell is formed from a plastic composition, physiologically compatible with said blood foam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 2 having an annular blood defoamer filter loosely spaced completely circumferentially around said return shell, said filter having one perimeter terminus secured to said tubular boundary case adjacently below said multiple fin exit terminuses, and said filter having a second perimeter terminus secured to said return shell adjacent to said return cap terminus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
228 words
In an extra-corporeal blood oxygenator and blood temperature controller having a patterned array of multiple small diameter, equal length oxygenator tubes disposed in a top and a bottom pair of fluid-impervious header plates, providing a blood foam composition in said multiple oxygenator tubes, the improvement comprising a blood foam return exchanger device combination comprising: a tubular heat exchanger boundary case having a case interior, said base header plate, said top header plate and said multiple oxygenator tubes secured in said case interior in a fluid exchanger configuratIon; and, a tubular return shell adjacently fitting circumferentially around said fluid exchanger configuration, said return shell having multiple fluid flow guidance channels interiorly disposed on the tubular shell wall, said guidance channels disposed between adjacent pairs of fins integrally secured to said tubular shell parallel to the tubular axis of symmetry of said shell, said fins encirclingly disposed contiguous to the exterior of said tubular boundary case, said fins having fin lengths extending from at least said top header plate to multiple fin exit terminuses at a predetermined distance below said top header plate, said tubular return shell having a cap terminus disposed above a spaced holding chamber volume above said top header plate, said multiple fin length providing a blood foam residence time between said fins for completion of blood oxygenation at a required blood flow rate and blood temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 6 in which said tubular return shell is formed from a non-toxic metal having a thin organic composition coating disposed completely over the face of said shell exposed to said blood foam, said coating being physiologically compatible with said blood foam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 6 in which said tubular return shell is formed from a plastic composition, physiologically compatible with said blood foam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The blood foam return exchanger device of claim 6 having an annular blood defoamer filter loosely spaced completely circumferentially around said return shell, said filter having one perimeter terminus secured to said tubular boundary case adjacently below said multiple fin exit terminuses of said tubular return shell and said filter having a second perimeter terminus secured to said return shell adjacent said return cap terminus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
231 words
In an extra-corporeal blood oxygenator and blood temperature controller having a patterned array of small diameter oxygenator tubes disposed in a bottom fluid-impervious header plate, and a heat exchanger tubular boundary case securing said header plate in the boundary case base, the improvement comprising a blood foam return exchanger device combination comprising: said multiple oxygenator tubes having a controlled range of tube lengths, each one of said tubes having a 180* U-bend at the upper extremity thereof, each one of said tubes having a return length extending downwardly inside said exchanger case adjacent to the interior perimeter of said case, each one of said tubes having a tube exit terminus disposed downwardly, through the exchanger case wall and fluid imperviously sealed to said wall, all said exit terminuses disposed at substantially the same terminus line level of said case; a closure securing the top of said heat exchanger case; means for conducting a heat transfer fluid through said heat exchanger case; an annular blood defoamer filter spaced circumferentially around said heat exchanger case and said multiple tube exit terminuses, said filter having one perimeter terminus conductively sealed to said exchanger case adjacently below said case closure, and said filter having the second perimeter terminus conductively sealed to said oxygenator below said terminus line level so that blood foam exiting from said multiple tube exit terminuses must pass through said defoamer filter.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-29 | 1977-10-29 | 1978-04-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-29 | 1981-10-29 | 1982-04-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-29 | 1985-10-29 | 1986-04-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |