US4540492A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for treating whole blood
Assignee: EMD Millipore Corp
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Filing: 1982-12-20
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Granted: 1985-09-10
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Expires: 2002-12-20
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for oxygenating blood or for separating whole blood into a plasma fraction and an enriched plasma-depleted blood fraction comprising at least two contiguous membrane units, each unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, a first spacer layer and a second spacer layer. The membrane layers and the spacer layers are configured so that only plasma or oxygen passes through the membrane layers from or into whole blood. Plasma and plasma-deplected blood or oxygen-depleted gas and oxygenated blood are separately collected while preventing admixture thereof with whole blood.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen B. Kessler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 08:27
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D63/00; B01D63/08; B01D63/082; B01D63/084; B01D63/085
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
Apparatus for treating whole blood to effect material transfer from or into the whole blood which comprises: at least two contiguous membrane units, each unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, a first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer and a first surface of said second layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being securely bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said first spacer layer having a plurality of channels extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, said channels having a width and length to permit continuous removal of whole blood from a patient for passage through said channels and continuous reintroduction of plasma depleted blood to the patient, each of said channels being between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height, inlet means for introducing whole blood into said channels and blood outlet means for removing treated blood from said channels, said second spacer including means for introducing material into said whole blood or for removing material from said whole blood through said membrane layers, sealing means associated with each of said first and second spacers for preventing whole blood from being admixed with material introduced into said whole blood without first passing said material through a membrane layer or for preventing whole blood from being admixed with blood from which a blood fraction has been removed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
Apparatus for treating whole blood to effect material transfer from or into the whole blood which comprises: at least two contiguous membrane units, each unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, a first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer and a first surface of said second layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being securely bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said first spacer layer having a plurality of channels extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, said channels having a width and length to permit continuous removal of whole blood from a patient for passage through said channels and continuous reintroduction of plasma depleted blood to the patient, each of said channels being between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height, inlet means for introducing whole blood into said channels and blood outlet means for removing treated blood from said channels, said second spacer including means for introducing material into said whole blood or for removing material from said whole blood through said membrane layers, sealing means associated with each of said first and second spacers for preventing whole blood from being admixed with material introduced into said whole blood without first passing said material through a membrane layer or for preventing whole blood from being admixed with blood from which a blood fraction has been removed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means for collecting plasma and plasma-depleted whole blood from said membrane units and for introducing whole blood into said membrane units.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means for introducing a free-oxygen containing gas into channels positioned within said second spacer, means for introducing whole blood into the channels of said first spacer, means for removing oxygenated blood from said membrane units and means for removing oxygen-depleted gas from said membrane units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
232 words
Apparatus for separating whole blood into a plasma fraction and an enriched, plasma-depleted blood fraction which comprises at least two contiguous membrane units, each unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, a first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer, and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer and a first surface of said second membrane layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said first spacer layer having a plurality of channels extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, each of said channels being between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height, between 1 and 10 cm in length, cumulatively between about 20 and 100 cm in width, and individually between about 0.05 and 0.5 cm in width, inlet means for introducing whole blood into said channels, blood outlet means for removing blood depleted of plasma from said channel, said second spacer including means connected to a plasma outlet adapted to collect plasma from said whole blood, sealing means associated with each of said first and second spacers for preventing whole blood or plasma-depleted blood from passing into said plasma outlet, and means for separately collecting plasma and plasma-depleted whole blood from said membrane units and for introducing whole blood into said membrane units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
232 words
Apparatus for separating whole blood into a plasma fraction and an enriched, plasma-depleted blood fraction which comprises at least two contiguous membrane units, each unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, a first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer, and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer and a first surface of said second membrane layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said first spacer layer having a plurality of channels extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, each of said channels being between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height, between 1 and 10 cm in length, cumulatively between about 20 and 100 cm in width, and individually between about 0.05 and 0.5 cm in width, inlet means for introducing whole blood into said channels, blood outlet means for removing blood depleted of plasma from said channel, said second spacer including means connected to a plasma outlet adapted to collect plasma from said whole blood, sealing means associated with each of said first and second spacers for preventing whole blood or plasma-depleted blood from passing into said plasma outlet, and means for separately collecting plasma and plasma-depleted whole blood from said membrane units and for introducing whole blood into said membrane units.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the channels in said first spacer layer are each between about 0.06 and 0.12 mm in height.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the channels in said first spacer layer are each between about 4 and 6 cm in length.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the channels in said first spacer layer are each and between about 50 and 70 cm in cumulative width.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said second spacer include a plurality of parallel channels each directly connected to a plasma outlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the plurality of channels in said second spacer are connected to a passageway running perpendicular to said channels and said passageway is connected to said plasma outlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
217 words
The process for treating whole blood to effect material transfer from or into the whole blood which comprises: continuously introducing whole blood into first channels of a first spacer of a membrane unit, said first channels each between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height and extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said membrane unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, said first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer, and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer as a first surface of said second layer, continuously removing treated blood from said first channels, effecting material transfer between said whole blood, through said membrane layers and from or into second channels in said second spacer, removing material from said second channels through an outlet connected with said second channels, and providing sealing means with each of said first and second spacers to prevent whole blood from being admixed with material introduced into said whole blood without first passing said material through a membrane layer or for preventing whole blood from being admixed with blood from which a blood fraction has been removed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
217 words
The process for treating whole blood to effect material transfer from or into the whole blood which comprises: continuously introducing whole blood into first channels of a first spacer of a membrane unit, said first channels each between about 0.02 and 0.2 mm in height and extending through the thickness of said first spacer layer, each of said membrane layers and said spacer layers being bonded over their entire mating surfaces, said membrane unit consisting of a first membrane layer, a second membrane layer, said first spacer layer positioned on a first surface of the first membrane layer, and a second spacer layer positioned between a second surface of said first membrane layer as a first surface of said second layer, continuously removing treated blood from said first channels, effecting material transfer between said whole blood, through said membrane layers and from or into second channels in said second spacer, removing material from said second channels through an outlet connected with said second channels, and providing sealing means with each of said first and second spacers to prevent whole blood from being admixed with material introduced into said whole blood without first passing said material through a membrane layer or for preventing whole blood from being admixed with blood from which a blood fraction has been removed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 10 wherein a free-oxygen containing gas is introduced into the channels of said second spacer and wherein free oxygen is transferred into said blood within said first spacer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 10 wherein plasma is removed from said whole blood, through said membrane layers and into the second channels in said second spacer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the first channels have a length between about 1 and 10 cm, a cumulative width between about 20 and 100 cm and an individual width between about 0.05 and 0.5 cm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3398091A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-09-09 | 1989-03-11 | 1989-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-09 | 1993-03-11 | 1993-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-09 | 1997-03-11 | 1997-09-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |