Double drip chamber for intravenous sytems

Claim 2

A flow meter for measuring the flow rate of a parenteral fluid to be intravenously fed into the veins of a patient comprising: a transparent tube; inlet means attached to one end of said transparent tube for receiving a parenteral fluid, said inlet means defining a first drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into drops of a first predetermined size; outlet means attached to the other end of said transparent tube, said outlet means adapted to discharge said parenteral fluid from said transparent tube; and constrictor means in said tube located intermediate said inlet means and said outlet means and defining a first transparent chamber with said inlet means and a second transparent chamber with said outlet means; said constrictor means adapted to receive drops of parenteral fluid falling from said first drop forming orifice, said constrictor means defining a second drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into drops of a second predetermined size, said second predetermined size being different from said first predetermined size.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one of said predetermined sizes is 1/15 of a milliliter and further wherein the other of said predetermined sizes is 1/60 of a milliliter.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transparent tube is circular in cross section.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first drop forming orifice defined by said inlet means comprises a metal tube for forming drops.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said constrictor means is located approximately in the longitudinal middle of said transparent tube.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a rotameter type flow meter positioned within said transparent tube in such a way that the flow of parenteral fluid past the outside surfaces of said rotameter is prevented.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said, rotameter type flow meter employs a flow rate indicator more dense than said parenteral fluid.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transparent tube is adapted to be positioned so that its inlet end is vertically above its outlet end.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transparent tube is flexible.

Claim 11

A double drip chamber flow meter for indicating the flow rate of a parenteral fluid passing therethrough comprising: a transparent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end and adapted to be positioned with its inlet end vertically above its outlet end; inlet means located in said inlet end defining a first drop forming orifice adapted to form parenteral solution passed to said flow meter into droplets of a first predetermined size; outlet means located in said outlet end and adapted to discharge parenteral fluid from said transparent tube; and constrictor means positioned in said transparent tube intermediate said inlet means and said outlet means, said constrictor means having a fluid passageway therethrough defining an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, said inlet orifice adapted to receive parenteral fluid from said inlet means, and said outlet orifice defining a second drop forming orifice adapted to form parenteral solution passing therethrough into droplets of a second predetermined size different from said first predetermined size and to deliver said droplets to said outlet means.

Claim 12

A double drip chamber flow meter for indicating the flow rate of a parenteral fluid passing therethrough comprising: a transparent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end and adapted to be positioned with its inlet end vertically above its outlet end; inlet means located in said inlet end defining a first drop forming orifice adapted to form parenteral solution passed to said flow meter into droplets of a first predetermined size; outlet means located in said outlet end and adapted to discharge parenteral fluid from said transparent tube; and constrictor means positioned in said transparent tube intermediate said inlet means and said outlet means, said constrictor means having a fluid passageway therethrough defining an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice, said inlet orifice adapted to receive parenteral fluid from said inlet means, and said outlet orifice defining a second drop forming orifice adapted to form parenteral solution passing therethrough into droplets of a second predetermined size different from said first predetermined size and to deliver said droplets to said outlet means.

Claim 13

An intravenous feeding system including a parenteral fluid reservoir, a supply conduit in series flow with said reservoir for transporting said parenteral fluid from said reservoir to a patient, and an intravenous needle attached to said supply conduit for passing parenteral fluid directly into a vein of a patient, the improvement comprising: a double drip chamber flow meter comprising a transparent tube; inlet means at one end of said transparent tube for receiving an amount of parenteral fluid, said inlet means defining a first drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into droplets of predetermined size; outlet means at the other end of said transparent tube for discharging said parenteral fluid from said transparent tube; and constrictor means in said transparent tube located intermediate said inlet means and said outlet means, said constrictor means adapted to receive droplets of parenteral fluid falling from said inlet means, said constrictor means defining a second drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into droplets of a different size from those formed by said inlet means and to deliver said parenteral fluid to said outlet means.

Claim 14

An intravenous feeding system including a parenteral fluid reservoir, a supply conduit in series flow with said reservoir for transporting said parenteral fluid from said reservoir to a patient, and an intravenous needle attached to said supply conduit for passing parenteral fluid directly into a vein of a patient, the improvement comprising: a double drip chamber flow meter comprising a transparent tube; inlet means at one end of said transparent tube for receiving an amount of parenteral fluid, said inlet means defining a first drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into droplets of predetermined size; outlet means at the other end of said transparent tube for discharging said parenteral fluid from said transparent tube; and constrictor means in said transparent tube located intermediate said inlet means and said outlet means, said constrictor means adapted to receive droplets of parenteral fluid falling from said inlet means, said constrictor means defining a second drop forming orifice for forming said parenteral fluid into droplets of a different size from those formed by said inlet means and to deliver said parenteral fluid to said outlet means.