US5080652A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Infusion apparatus
Assignee: I Flow Corp
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Filing: 1990-03-12
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Granted: 1992-01-14
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Expires: 2010-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A liquid infuser apparatus includes an elastic sleeve mounted on an elongated member and within a spherical housing to enable it to expand naturally to maintain a constant pressure over the infusion period. An alternate embodiment includes a holding reservoir that may be pre-filled, and a pressure reservoir that is loaded from the holding reservoir preparatory to infusion.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory E. Sancoff
- 👤 Frederic P. Field
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M5/00; A61M5/14; A61M5/142; A61M5/145; A61M5/148; A61M5/152; A61M2209/00; A61M2209/04; A61M2209/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a chamber for accommodating natural expansion of an elastic bladder to a predetermined volume and an opening into said chamber; an elongated substantially cylindrical non-extensible support member disposed in said chamber and having an end disposed at said opening; a pressure reservoir comprising an inner chemically inert bladder and an outer elastic bladder mounted on said support member, said inert bladder being in non-stretched surface contact with said support member, and said inert bladder and said elastic bladder sealingly secured at longitudinally spaced fixed positions thereon in said chamber for holding a liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom; inlet means for introducing a liquid into said pressure reservoir; and outlet means for dispensing liquid from said pressure reservoir to a selected site.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a chamber for accommodating natural expansion of an elastic bladder to a predetermined volume and an opening into said chamber; an elongated substantially cylindrical non-extensible support member disposed in said chamber and having an end disposed at said opening; a pressure reservoir comprising an inner chemically inert bladder and an outer elastic bladder mounted on said support member, said inert bladder being in non-stretched surface contact with said support member, and said inert bladder and said elastic bladder sealingly secured at longitudinally spaced fixed positions thereon in said chamber for holding a liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom; inlet means for introducing a liquid into said pressure reservoir; and outlet means for dispensing liquid from said pressure reservoir to a selected site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said chemically inert bladder is formed of a semi-elastic material and is expandable to a predetermined volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said inner bladder comprises a semi-elastic sleeve slip fitted over said support member and secured thereto with the ends thereof extending axially outward in a manner to enable folding over at the ends when being filled; and said outer elastic bladder comprises an elastic sleeve mounted over said inner sleeve and secured to said support member with the ends thereof extending axially outward in a manner to enable folding over at the ends when being filled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 3 wherein: said support member is an elongated generally cylindrical mandrel mounted in said housing and having opposite ends exposed to the exterior of said housing, said inlet means comprises an inlet port in one end of said mandrel, and said outlet means comprises an outlet port in the other end of said mandrel; and said inner and outer sleeves are sealingly clamped at opposite ends thereof around opposite ends of said mandrel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said support member is an elongated generally cylindrical mandrel mounted in said housing and having opposite ends exposed to the exterior of said housing, an inlet port in one end of said mandrel, and an outlet port in the other end of said mandrel; and said elastic sleeve is sealingly clamped at opposite ends thereof around opposite ends of said mandrel on the exterior of said housing;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein said inner bladder is a sleeve made of Kraton rubber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 6 wherein: said support member is an elongated generally cylindrical mandrel mounted in said housing and having opposite ends exposed to the exterior of said housing, an inlet port in one end of said mandrel, and an outlet port in the other end of said mandrel; and said elastic bladder comprises a first elastic sleeve radially stretched over said inner sleeve for pre-compressing said inner sleeve, and a second elastic sleeve slip fitted over said first elastic sleeve, and said sleeves are sealingly clamped at opposite ends thereof around opposite ends of said mandrel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said support member is an elongated generally cylindrical mandrel mounted in said housing and having opposite ends exposed to the exterior of said housing, an inlet port in one end of said mandrel, and an outlet port in the other end of said mandrel; and said elastic bladder comprises a first elastic sleeve radially stretched over said inert bladder for compressing said inner bladder, and a second elastic sleeve slip fitted over said first elastic sleeve, and said sleeves are sealingly clamped at opposite ends thereof around opposite ends of said mandrel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said elastic bladder comprises a first elastic sleeve slip fit mounted on said support member in a non-stretched condition; and a second elastic sleeve mounted over said first elastic sleeve, said sleeves being secured to said support member with the ends thereof extending axially outward so that said sleeves fold over onto the ends thereof when being filled to said predetermined volume.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 9 wherein said inner bladder is a sleeve made of Kraton rubber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 1 wherein: said support member is an elongated substantially cylindrical member extending substantially through said housing; and said elastic bladder comprises a plurality of elastic sleeves extending over and along said support member and sealingly clamped thereto at opposite ends thereof, with said opposite ends extending axially outward so that said sleeves fold over onto the ends thereof when inflated.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a predetermined substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a substantially spherical chamber; an elongated generally cylindrical non-extensible support member disposed in and extending through said chamber; a substantially chemically inert first sleeve slip fit mounted on said support member in non-stretched surface contact therewith, and an elastic second sleeve mounted snugly over said first sleeve in said chamber, the ends of said first sleeve and said second sleeve sealingly secured at spaced fixed positions on said support member for defining a pressure reservoir for holding a liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom; inlet means in said support member for introducing a liquid into said elastic sleeve; and outlet means in said support member for conveying a liquid from said pressure chamber to a selected site.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a predetermined substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a substantially spherical chamber; an elongated generally cylindrical non-extensible support member disposed in and extending through said chamber; a substantially chemically inert first sleeve slip fit mounted on said support member in non-stretched surface contact therewith, and an elastic second sleeve mounted snugly over said first sleeve in said chamber, the ends of said first sleeve and said second sleeve sealingly secured at spaced fixed positions on said support member for defining a pressure reservoir for holding a liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom; inlet means in said support member for introducing a liquid into said elastic sleeve; and outlet means in said support member for conveying a liquid from said pressure chamber to a selected site.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 12 wherein: said support member is an elongated generally cylindrical mandrel mounted in said housing and having opposite ends exposed to the exterior of said housing, said inlet means comprises an inlet port in one end of said mandrel, and said outlet means comprises an outlet port in the other end of said mandrel; and said first sleeve and said second sleeve are sealingly clamped at opposite ends thereof around opposite ends of said mandrel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 13 wherein said first sleeve is made of Kraton rubber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 14 further comprising a third elastic sleeve mounted over said elastic second sleeve.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 15 wherein said second sleeve is pre-stretched radially over said first sleeve.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a substantially spherical chamber for containing a pressure reservoir of a predetermined volume; an elongated non-extensible generally cylindrical support member disposed in and extending through said chamber; an expansible elastic pressure reservoir mounted on said support member in said chamber for holding said liquid under pressure during dispensing thereof; said elastic pressure reservoir comprises a substantially chemically inert first sleeve slip fit mounted on said support member in non-stretched surface contact therewith, and an elastic second sleeve snugly mounted with a slightly radial pre-stretch over said first sleeve in said chamber for defining a pressure reservoir for holding in liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom, said first sleeve and said second sleeve each sealingly secured at the ends thereof to said support member at spaced fixed positions thereon and expandable naturally to a substantially spherical configuration at said predetermined volume; inlet means in said support member for introducing a liquid into said elastic sleeve; and discharge means for conveying a liquid from said pressure reservoir to a selected site.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure at a substantially constant flow rate over a period of time comprising: a housing having a substantially spherical chamber for containing a pressure reservoir of a predetermined volume; an elongated non-extensible generally cylindrical support member disposed in and extending through said chamber; an expansible elastic pressure reservoir mounted on said support member in said chamber for holding said liquid under pressure during dispensing thereof; said elastic pressure reservoir comprises a substantially chemically inert first sleeve slip fit mounted on said support member in non-stretched surface contact therewith, and an elastic second sleeve snugly mounted with a slightly radial pre-stretch over said first sleeve in said chamber for defining a pressure reservoir for holding in liquid in a pressurized state for dispensing therefrom, said first sleeve and said second sleeve each sealingly secured at the ends thereof to said support member at spaced fixed positions thereon and expandable naturally to a substantially spherical configuration at said predetermined volume; inlet means in said support member for introducing a liquid into said elastic sleeve; and discharge means for conveying a liquid from said pressure reservoir to a selected site.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 17 wherein: said housing is formed of a hard transparent plastic and of a spherical configuration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 18 wherein said first sleeve is made of Kraton rubber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus for dispensing a liquid under pressure according to claim 19 wherein said pressure reservoir includes a third sleeve snug fit over said second sleeve.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-13 | 1995-07-15 | 1996-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-13 | 1999-07-15 | 2000-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-13 | 2003-07-15 | 2004-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |