Device for transfer of medical substance

Claim 2

A medical device for the transfer of substances, comprising: a cylindrical housing having an outer cylindrical end portion on each of opposite ends thereof, a fiber bundle including a plurality of elongated hollow fiber membranes for the transfer of substances, said hollow fiber membranes having open ends at opposite ends thereof, said fiber bundle being within said housing and extending between opposite ends of said housing to define a first substance transfer chamber between the outer surfaces of said hollow fiber membranes and the inner wall surfaces of said housing, a first substance transferring inlet and a first substance transferring outlet both for communicating with said first substance transfer chamber, first and second partitions for supporting the opposite open ends of said hollow fiber membranes in a fixed position and for separating said open ends from said first substance transfer chamber, a second substance transferring fluid inlet and a second substance transferring fluid outlet both for communicating with interior spaces of said hollow fiber membranes, first and second flow path forming members attached to the opposite ends of said housing, said flow path forming members each comprising a corresponding one of said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet and being provided each with an annular protuberance on a side facing one of said opposite ends of said housing to confront and directly contact and bear against a corresponding one of said partitions in fluid sealing relation, said first and said second partitions each having diameters greater than those of the confronting annular protuberances on the corresponding flow path forming members so that portions of said partitions without said hollow fiber membranes extend radially outwardly of the confronting protuberances; and a packing and sealing material for adhesively sealing interfacial gaps between each of said flow path forming members, the opposite ends of said housing and the corresponding ones of said partitions, said packing and sealing material being made of a material which is homogeneous with the material from which said partitions are made so as to fluid-tightly adhere to said partitions, said flow path forming members and said partitions being adhesively fastened to each other by said packing and sealing material which adhesively and fluid-tightly contacts outer edges of said protuberances of said flow path forming members, said outer cylindrical portion on the opposite ends of said housing and the portions of said partitions which extend radially outwardly of said confronting protuberances.

Claim 3

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 1, wherein said protuberances on the flow path forming members are continuous raised strips, and said continuous raised strips are fixed to said partitions, and said packing material is placed to fill up gaps formed by said flow path forming members and said partitions so as to communicate with vacant portions defined by said raised strips, portions of said flow path forming members other than said raised strips, and said partitions.

Claim 4

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 1, wherein each of said flow path forming members has at least one hole bored therein and said packing material is injected through the holes in said flow path forming members so as to communicate with said gaps between said flow path forming members and said partitions, and said packing material is cured in place.

Claim 5

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 1, wherein one of said first and said second substance transferring fluid is blood.

Claim 6

A medical device for the transfer of substnaces according to claim 4, wherein parts of the device are arranged for the transfer of a medical substance to operate as an artificial lung.

Claim 7

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 5, wherein said hollow fiber memberanes are porous polyolefin resin membranes.

Claim 8

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 4, wherein parts of said device are arranged for the transfer of a medical substance to operate as an artificial kidney.

Claim 9

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 1, wherein said packing material has a high viscosity and high flowability at the time it is placed in said interfacial gaps.

Claim 10

A medical device for transfer of substances according to claim 1, wherein said packing and sealing material is made of substantially the same material as the material from which said partitions are made.

Claim 11

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 9, wherein said flow path forming members are made of polycarbonate.

Claim 12

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 9, wherein said partitions comprise a potting material made of a substance selected from the group consisting of silicone and epoxy resin.

Claim 13

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 9, wherein said partitions comprise a potting material made of polyurethane.

Claim 14

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 12, wherein said polyurethane is one member selected from the group consisting of prepolymer adhesive agent, polyisocyanate adhesive agent, and isocyanate modified polymer.

Claim 15

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 13, wherein said polyurethane is prepolymer adhesive.

Claim 16

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 14, wherein said prepolymer adhesive is a mixture of a prepolymer comprising 4,4'-diphenyl methane diisocyanate and a bifunctional castor oil derivative with a curing agent formed of a mixture of a bifunctional castor oil derivative, a polyfunctional polypropylene glycol and amino alcohol.

Claim 17

A medical device for the transfer of substances, comprising: a cylindrical housing having an outer cylindrical portion on each of opposite ends thereof, a fiber bundle including a plurality of elongated hollow fiber membranes for the transfer of substances, said hollow fiber membranes having open ends at opposite ends thereof, said fiber bundle being within said housing and extending between opposite ends of said housing to define a first substance transfer chamber between the outer surfaces of said hollow fiber membranes and the inner wall surfaces of said housing, a first substance transferring inlet and a first substance transferring outlet both located on said cylindrical housing for communicating with said first substance transfer chamber, first and second partitions for supporting the opposite open ends of said hollow fiber membranes in a fixed position at the opposite ends of said cylindrical housing and for separating said open ends from said first substance transfer chamber, each of said partitions being formed of a resilient material; a second substance transferring fluid inlet and a second substance transferring fluid outlet both for communicating with interior spaces of said hollow fiber membranes, first and second flow path forming members attached to the opposite ends of said housing, said flow path forming members each comprising a corresponding one of said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet and being provided each with an annular protuberance on a side facing one of said opposite ends of said housing for directly contacting and bearing against a confronting end of a corresponding one of said partitions in fluid sealing relation, said annular protuberances, the corresponding partition and flow path forming member defining a second substance transfer chamber in communication with said interior spaces of said fiber membranes and separate from said first substance transfer chamber, said first and second partitions each having diameters greater than those of the confronting annular protuberances on the corresponding flow path forming members so that portions of said partitions without said hollow fiber membranes extend radially outwardly of the confronting protuberances, and a packing and sealing material for adhesively sealing interfacial gaps between each of said flow path forming members, the opposite ends of said housing and the corresponding ones of said partitions, said packing and sealing material being made of a material which is homogeneous with the material from which said partitions are made so as to fluid-tightly adhere to said partitions, said flow path forming members and said partitions being adhesively fastened to each other by said packing and sealing material which adhesively and fluid-tightly contacts outer edges of said protuberances of said flow path forming members, said outer cylindrical portion on the opposite ends of said housing and the portions of said partitions which extend radially outwardly of said confronting protuberances.

Claim 18

A medical device for the transfer of substances, comprising: a cylindrical housing having an outer cylindrical portion on each of opposite ends thereof, a fiber bundle including a plurality of elongated hollow fiber membranes for the transfer of substances, said hollow fiber membranes having open ends at opposite ends thereof, said fiber bundle being within said housing and extending between opposite ends of said housing to define a first substance transfer chamber between the outer surfaces of said hollow fiber membranes and the inner wall surfaces of said housing, a first substance transferring inlet and a first substance transferring outlet both located on said cylindrical housing for communicating with said first substance transfer chamber, first and second partitions for supporting the opposite open ends of said hollow fiber membranes in a fixed position at the opposite ends of said cylindrical housing and for separating said open ends from said first substance transfer chamber, each of said partitions being formed of a resilient material; a second substance transferring fluid inlet and a second substance transferring fluid outlet both for communicating with interior spaces of said hollow fiber membranes, first and second flow path forming members attached to the opposite ends of said housing, said flow path forming members each comprising a corresponding one of said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet and being provided each with an annular protuberance on a side facing one of said opposite ends of said housing for directly contacting and bearing against a confronting end of a corresponding one of said partitions in fluid sealing relation, said annular protuberances, the corresponding partition and flow path forming member defining a second substance transfer chamber in communication with said interior spaces of said fiber membranes and separate from said first substance transfer chamber, said first and second partitions each having diameters greater than those of the confronting annular protuberances on the corresponding flow path forming members so that portions of said partitions without said hollow fiber membranes extend radially outwardly of the confronting protuberances, and a packing and sealing material for adhesively sealing interfacial gaps between each of said flow path forming members, the opposite ends of said housing and the corresponding ones of said partitions, said packing and sealing material being made of a material which is homogeneous with the material from which said partitions are made so as to fluid-tightly adhere to said partitions, said flow path forming members and said partitions being adhesively fastened to each other by said packing and sealing material which adhesively and fluid-tightly contacts outer edges of said protuberances of said flow path forming members, said outer cylindrical portion on the opposite ends of said housing and the portions of said partitions which extend radially outwardly of said confronting protuberances.

Claim 19

A medical device for transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein said protuberances on the flow plath forming members are continuous raised strips, and said continuous raised strips are fixed to said partitions, and said packing material is placed to fill up gaps formed by said flow path forming members and said partitions so as to communicate with vacant portions defined by said raised strips, portions of said flow path forming members other than said raised strips, and said partitions.

Claim 20

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein each of said flow path forming members has at least one hole bored therein and said packing material is injected through the holes in said flow path forming members so as to communicate with said gaps between said flow path forming members and said partitions, and said packing material is cured in place.

Claim 21

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein parts of the device are arranged for the transfer of a medical substance to operate as an artificial lung.

Claim 22

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein parts of said device are arranged for the transfer of a medical substance to operate as an artifical kidney.

Claim 23

A medical device for the transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein said packing, material has a high viscosity and high flowability at the time it is placed in said interfacial gaps.

Claim 24

A medical device for transfer of substances according to claim 16, wherein said packing and sealing material is made of substantially the same material as the material from which said partitions are made.