Dialysis apparatus for purification of a medium, preferably blood

Claim 1

In a dialysis apparatus embodying a plurality of stacked alternating first and second fluid-directing flow plate elements sealingly separated from one another by a semi-permeable diaphragm member providing separate fluid flow passage systems on opposite sides of the diaphragm member for passage respectively of a medium to be purified, and of a purification medium, wherein a supply and discharge of the respective mediums is obtained through supply and discharge conduit means connected with respectively separate hole and passage means in end portions of said stacked elements and communicating with said respective flow passage systems; the improvement comprising: a. a first flow passage system for the medium to be purified including a plurality of longitudinally elongated parallel ribs uniformly spaced on opposite sides of the first flow plate element, said ribs providing straight, unimpeded, constant direction flow paths; b. a second flow passage system for the purification medium including a plurality of series of longitudinally aligned parallel ribs on opposite sides of the second flow plate element, which plurality of series are arranged longitudinally in a side-by-side manner and laterally separated slightly by longitudinally directed flow passages, the ribs of each respective series being angled differently from those of each adjacent series effecting constantly changeable flow patterns of the purification medium flowing therethrough; c. wherein the respective ribs of said first and second flow plate elements are of substantially the same height from a planar base portion thereof, and respective patterns of the ribs and rib series are the same in number and disposed so as to be substantially opposite one another when in interleaved assembly with the apparatus, thereby maintaining the interposed diaphragm member in positively gripped condition and substantially uniformly spaced from the planar base portions of said plate elements.