Membrane support system

Claim 2

A membrane support comprising: a bed; a plurality of wedge support elements mounted upon the bed in an array, each wedge support element being separated (a) by a generally V-shaped groove from the corresponding wedge elements on each side and (b) by a generally U-shaped channel from corresponding wedge elements at each end; and a peripheral border integral with the bed defining a fluid reservoir for intimately exposing a membrane traversing the wedge support elements to fluid in the reservoir, said peripheral border defining spaced recesses along one side of the membrane support for admitting a liquid to the bed and spaced recesses along the opposed side for discharging the liquid from the bed, said discharging recess having a smaller dimension than said admitting recesses to regulate desired back pressure to assure total immersion of membrane in dialysate solution.

Claim 3

A membrane support as defined in claim 1 wherein said wedge support elements present a flat surface at the tip of the wedge.

Claim 4

A membrane support as defined in claim 1 wherein said peripheral border has a thickness which is greater than the vertical dimension of the wedge support elements, the border further comprising a contoured recess which defines a fluid path into or out of the bed.

Claim 5

A membrane support as defined in claim 1 wherein said bed is formed of a flexible material and is superimposed over and removably attached to a rigid structural frame.

Claim 6

A membrane support for an extracorporeal hemodialyzer comprising: an array of stacked rigid plates; a veneer superimposed upon and removably attached to each plate and forming a convoluted membrane path, the veneer comprising: a bed; a plurality of wedge support elements mounted upon the bed in a regular array, each wedge support element being separated (a) by a generally V-shaped groove from the corresponding wedge elements on each side and (b) by a generally U-shaped channel from the corresponding wedge elements at each end; a peripheral border integral with the bed defining a fluid reservoir for intimately exposing a membrane traversing the wedge support elements to fluid in the reservoir; and means aligning each plate and superimposed veneer.

Claim 7

A membrane support for an extracorporeal hemodialyzer comprising: an array of stacked rigid plates; a veneer superimposed upon and removably attached to each plate and forming a convoluted membrane path, the veneer comprising: a bed; a plurality of wedge support elements mounted upon the bed in a regular array, each wedge support element being separated (a) by a generally V-shaped groove from the corresponding wedge elements on each side and (b) by a generally U-shaped channel from the corresponding wedge elements at each end; a peripheral border integral with the bed defining a fluid reservoir for intimately exposing a membrane traversing the wedge support elements to fluid in the reservoir; and means aligning each plate and superimposed veneer.

Claim 8

A membrane support as defined in claim 5 wherein said veneer comprises a flexible assembly of wedge support elements, the assembly being secured by male-female coupling means to an inside face of each rigid plate in the stacked array.

Claim 9

A membrane support as defined in claim 5 wherein said aligning means comprises a dowel in at least one part of the veneer and a mating recess in at least one corresponding opposed part of the veneer.

Claim 10

A membrane support assembly for an extracorporeal hemodialyzer comprising: a plurality of vertically stacked support plates defining a convoluted membrane path therebetween; a lower beam upon which the vertically stacked support plates rest, said lower beam having attached vertically projecting members; an upper beam connected to the vertically projecting members, said upper beam comprising biasing means for exerting a downwardly directed force; and a rigid floating beam having parallel side members and at least one cross-member integrally joining the side members, the beam being adapted to rest upon the uppermost of the support plates and said cross-member comprising means impinged upon by the biasing means for distributing the downwardly directed force over the vertically stacked support plates.

Claim 11

A membrane support assembly for an extracorporeal hemodialyzer comprising: a plurality of vertically stacked support plates defining a convoluted membrane path therebetween; a lower beam upon which the vertically stacked support plates rest, said lower beam having attached vertically projecting members; an upper beam connected to the vertically projecting members, said upper beam comprising biasing means for exerting a downwardly directed force; and a rigid floating beam having parallel side members and at least one cross-member integrally joining the side members, the beam being adapted to rest upon the uppermost of the support plates and said cross-member comprising means impinged upon by the biasing means for distributing the downwardly directed force over the vertically stacked support plates.

Claim 12

A membrane support assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein at least said upper beam comprises means for selectively separating the upper beam from the vertically projecting members.

Claim 13

A membrane support assembly as defined in claim 8 further comprising a container encLosing the stacked support plates, the container comprising: a back wall having inlet port means for admitting dialyzing fluid; end walls, each having a vertical groove therein; a bottom plate supporting the back wall and side walls; a front wall adapted to span between the end walls and sized to fit within the vertical grooves therein; and means for releasably securing the front wall to the end walls.

Claim 14

A membrane support comprising: a bed adapted to receive at least a portion of a folded membrane which conducts blood longitudinally along the bed; a plurality of support elements mounted upon the bed in an array for supporting the folded membrane, the support elements defining a path for dialysate fluid which path is transverse across the bed and which crosses the direction of blood flow; and a peripheral border integral with the bed defining a fluid reservoir for intimately exposing a membrane traversing the support elements to fluid in the reservoir, said peripheral border defining spaced openings along one side of the membrane support for admitting dialysate fluid to the bed and spaced openings along the opposite side for discharging the dialysate fluid from the bed, said discharging opening having a smaller transverse dimension than the admitting opening to develop desired back pressure to assure total immersion of the membrane in dialysate fluid.

Claim 15

A membrane support comprising: a bed adapted to receive at least a portion of a folded membrane which conducts blood longitudinally along the bed; a plurality of support elements mounted upon the bed in an array for supporting the folded membrane, the support elements defining a path for dialysate fluid which path is transverse across the bed and which crosses the direction of blood flow; and a peripheral border integral with the bed defining a fluid reservoir for intimately exposing a membrane traversing the support elements to fluid in the reservoir, said peripheral border defining spaced openings along one side of the membrane support for admitting dialysate fluid to the bed and spaced openings along the opposite side for discharging the dialysate fluid from the bed, said discharging opening having a smaller transverse dimension than the admitting opening to develop desired back pressure to assure total immersion of the membrane in dialysate fluid.