Low profile filter

Claim 1

A low profile filter assembly for IV sets, comprises: a tubular, open-ended elongate housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a pair of substantially identical, axially aligned, tubular inlet and outlet filter adaptors secured in the inlet and outlet ends, respectively, of the housing, said filter adaptors having aligned fluid passage means defined therein; a substantially conically shaped, submicron filter member having an inlet end and an outlet end connected, respectively, to the inlet and outlet filter adaptors, said filter member inlet end being connected to said inlet adaptor to conduct fluid from said inlet adaptor to said filter member, the inlet end being larger than the outlet end; and lengths of flexible tubing connected to the inlet and outlet filter adaptors to convey IV fluid to and from the filter assembly; a cap member closing said filter outlet end thereby forcing the IV fluid to exit from said filter member prior to reaching said filter member outlet end so that IV fluid flows from said filter member into said housing, said filter member being attached to said cap member; a slot shaped opening defined in said outlet filter adaptor providing fluid communication between said housing and said outlet adaptor fluid passage; a plurality of supporting ribs extending longitudinally of said housing and supporting said filter member, each of said ribs including an inner portion and an outer portion, said filter member being sandwiched between said rib inner and outer portions; said ribs each being attached at one end to said inlet filter adaptor and at another end to said bypass flow slot via said end cap; a collar attaching said rib one ends to said inlet filter adaptor; said filter assembly having a maximum transverse dimension only about twice as great as the diameter of the tubing.