Membrane fluid diffusion exchange device

Claim 2

A MEMBRANE FLUID DIFFUSION EXCHANGE DEVICE COMPRISING: A HOUSING DEFINING A CLOSED CHAMBER DEVICE COMPRISING TUBLAR DIFFUSING MEMBRANES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SAID CHAMBER, FIRST INLET AND OUTLET MEANES OPENING IN SAID CHAMBER FOR CIRCULATING A TREATING FLUID THEREIN OVER THE EXTERNAL SURFACES OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBRANES, SECOND INLET AND OUTLT MEANES PROVIDED IN SAID HOUSING FOR CIRCULATING IN SAID TUBLAR MEMBRANES A FLUID TO BE TREATED, A PLURALITY OF CAPILLARY DIFFUSING MEMBRANES DISPOSED IN EACH OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBRANES, SAID THIRD INLET AND OUTLET MEANES PROVIDED IN SAID HOUSING FOR CIRCULATING A SIMILAR TREATING FLUID IN SAID CAPILLARY MEMBRANES, SAID TREATING FLUID DIFFUSING THROUGH THE WALLS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBRANES AND SAID CAPPILLARY MEMBRANES TO TREAT SAID FLUID CIRCULATING IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBRANES.

Claim 3

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said treating fluid is oxygen and further including a source thereof.

Claim 4

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said treating fluid is blood plasma or blood serum and further including a source thereof.

Claim 5

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular membranes and capillary membrane are arranged so that the circulation of said fluid to be treated in said tubular membranes is in a direction opposite to the circulation of said treating fluid in said capillary membranes.

Claim 6

A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said closed chamber and said tubular membranes are arranged so that the circulation of said treating fluid from said first inlet means to said first outlet means is in a direction opposite to the circulation of said fluid to be treated in the tubular membranes.

Claim 7

A blood oxygenator comprising: an elongated housing defining therein a closed chamber having a first end and a second end; a plurality of tubular diffusing membranes extending through said chamber from said first end to said second end; first inlet and outlet means opening in said chamber for circulating oxygen therein over the external surfaces of said tubular membranes; second inlet and outlet means disposed respectively in the vicinity of said first and second ends of said chamber for circulating through said tubular membranes the blood to be oxygenated; a plurality of capillary diffusing membranes disposed in each of said tubular membranes; and third inlet and outlet means disposed respectively in the vicinity of said second and first ends of said chamber for circulating oxygen in said capillary membranes, whereby oxygen is allowed to diffuse through the walls of said tubular membranes and said capillary membranes into the blood circulating through said tubular membranes and whereby carbon dioxide is allowed to diffuse from the blood through the walls of said tubular membranes and said capillary membranes into the oxygen passing therein.

Claim 8

A blood oxygenator comprising: an elongated housing defining therein a closed chamber having a first end and a second end; a plurality of tubular diffusing membranes extending through said chamber from said first end to said second end; first inlet and outlet means opening in said chamber for circulating oxygen therein over the external surfaces of said tubular membranes; second inlet and outlet means disposed respectively in the vicinity of said first and second ends of said chamber for circulating through said tubular membranes the blood to be oxygenated; a plurality of capillary diffusing membranes disposed in each of said tubular membranes; and third inlet and outlet means disposed respectively in the vicinity of said second and first ends of said chamber for circulating oxygen in said capillary membranes, whereby oxygen is allowed to diffuse through the walls of said tubular membranes and said capillary membranes into the blood circulating through said tubular membranes and whereby carbon dioxide is allowed to diffuse from the blood through the walls of said tubular membranes and said capillary membranes into the oxygen passing therein.

Claim 9

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 6 wherein the capillary membranes extend spirally in said tubular membranes.

Claim 10

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 6 wherein said first inlet means is mounted to said housing adjacent said second end of said chamber, and wherein said first outlet means is mounted to said housing adjacent said first end of said chamber.

Claim 11

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 6 further comprising collar means at said first end and said second end of said chamber supporting said tubular membranes in substantially parallel relationship in said chamber and sealing said closed chamber.

Claim 12

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 6 wherein said tubular membranes and said capillary membranes are silastic membranes.

Claim 13

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing includes a first manifold mounted in the vicinity of said first end of said chamber for receiving the blood from an artery and conducting the blood into one end of each of said tubular membranes, and a second manifold mounted adjacent said second end of said chamber for receiving the blood from the other end of each of the tubular membranes and returning the blood to a vessel.

Claim 14

A blood oxygenator as defined in claim 11 wherein said third inlet means is disposed to pass oxygen from an outside source thereof into said second manifold and thereby conduct the oxygen into one end of each of the capillary membranes; and wherein said third outlet means is disposed to receive the oxygen from via the first manifold the other end of each of the capillary membranes to return it to the outside source.