US5674173A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for separating particles
Assignee: Terumo BCT Inc
•
Filing: 1995-04-18
•
Granted: 1997-10-07
•
Expires: 2015-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A fluid chamber and method are disclosed for filtering or separating particles. The fluid chamber includes a wall extending between an inlet and outlet to form a fluid chamber interior. The interior converges from a position of maximum cross-sectional area toward the inlet. A groove or a step may be formed on an inner surface of the fluid chamber wall to improve particle separation within the fluid chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis Hlavinka
- 👤 Robert Langley
- 👤 Linda Taylor
- 👤 John C. Walker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:24
CPC Classifications
B; B04; B04B; B04B5/00; B04B5/04; B04B5/0442; A; A61; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/02; A61M1/0209; A61M1/0218; A61M1/0227; A61M1/0236; A61M1/36; A61M1/3618; A61M1/362; A61M1/3621; A61M1/3627; A61M1/3633; A61M1/3693; A61M1/3696; B04B2005/0471
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising: an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber; an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber; a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet; and at least one groove formed on the inner surface of the wall, the groove at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis letting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising: an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber; an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber; a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet; and at least one groove formed on the inner surface of the wall, the groove at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis letting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the groove is located on the inner surface of the wall at the position of the maximum cross section area of the interior.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the groove includes top and bottom portions orientated substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber and a side connecting the top and bottom portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fluid chamber of claim 3, wherein the side of the groove surrounds the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The fluid chamber of claim 3, wherein the side of the groove is parallel to longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the groove has inner and outer portions, the inner portion of the groove being located closer to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber than the outer portion of the groove, the groove having a depth extending from the inner portion of the groove to the outer portion of the groove and a width extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the wall of the fluid chamber having a lip located adjacent the inner portion of the groove, the lip having at least one edge defining at least one entrance into the groove, the entrance having a width, extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, less than the width of the groove.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The fluid chamber of claim 6, wherein the groove includes a top portion and a bottom portion, the lip forming an inner groove wall extending between the top and bottom portions of the groove, the entrance being an opening in the inner groove wall extending along a portion of the groove.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The fluid chamber of claim 6, wherein the groove includes portions along a length of the groove and the fluid chamber interior includes a Coriolis jetting region, the lip having edges defining first and second entrances extending along the portions of the groove, the first entrance being located proximate the Coriolis jetting region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The fluid chamber of claim 6, wherein the groove includes a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion being located closer than the top portion to the inlet of the fluid chamber, the edge of the lip being spaced from the bottom portion of the groove to form the entrance into the groove.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, further comprising at least one step formed on the inner surface of the wall between the position of the maximum cross sectional area and the inlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The fluid chamber of claim 10, wherein the step includes a base surface orientated substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber and a side surface connected to the base surface, the side surface being substantially orthogonal to the base surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the interior of the fluid chamber converges from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the outlet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the fluid chamber is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of a transparent plastic material and a translucent plastic material to allow for viewing of contents of the fluid chamber interior during separation of the particle constituents.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the groove directs flow of a Coriolis jet of liquid entering the fluid chamber interior through the inlet partially around the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, further comprising at least one step formed on the inner surface of the wall between the position of the maximum cross sectional area and the outlet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The fluid chamber of claim 1, wherein the wall includes a lip partially covering the groove, the lip having an outer surface facing the groove and an inner surface facing the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The fluid chamber of claim 16, wherein the groove includes a top portion and a bottom portion, the lip extending from the top portion to the bottom portion and including at least one opening allowing flow of the liquid into the groove.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The fluid chamber of claim 16, wherein the fluid chamber interior includes a Coriolis jetting region, the opening being located in the Coriolis jetting region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The fluid chamber of claim 16, wherein the lip includes an edge and the inner surface of the wall includes a portion spaced from the edge of the lip to form at least one entrance into the groove.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
194 words
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising: an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber; an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber; a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet; and at least one step formed on the inner surface of the wall, the step at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis jetting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
194 words
A fluid chamber for separating particle constituents from a liquid, said chamber having a longitudinal axis and being rotatable about a rotation axis transverse to said longitudinal axis, the fluid chamber comprising: an inlet allowing flow of the liquid and the particle constituents into an interior of the fluid chamber; an outlet allowing flow of the liquid from the interior of the fluid chamber after separation of the particle constituents in the interior of the fluid chamber; a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall having an inner surface forming the interior of the fluid chamber along said longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber, the interior having a maximum cross sectional area at a position intermediate the inlet and outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the inlet; and at least one step formed on the inner surface of the wall, the step at least partially surrounding the longitudinal axis and reducing Coriolis jetting of liquid flowing in the fluid chamber interior from the inlet to the outlet by channeling Coriolis jetting flow in a circumferential direction at least partially around the longitudinal axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step is located between the position of the maximum cross sectional area and the inlet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step is located between the position of the maximum cross sectional area and the outlet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step includes a surface formed into a concavity.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the interior of the fluid chamber converges from the position of the maximum cross sectional area toward the outlet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the fluid chamber is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of a transparent plastic material and a translucent plastic material to allow for viewing of contents of the fluid chamber interior during separation of the particle constituents.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step directs flow of a Coriolis jet of liquid entering the fluid chamber interior through the inlet partially around the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step includes a side surface orientated substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fluid chamber of claim 20, wherein the step includes a base surface orientated substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fluid chamber of claim 28, further including a side surface connected to the base surface, the side surface being substantially orthogonal to the base surface.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
31 words
The fluid chamber of claim 29, further including a side surface connected to the base surface, the side surface being orientated at an acute angle with respect to the base surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1684870A
Cited
US2616619A
Cited
US2878995A
Cited
US3771715A
Cited
US3823869A
Cited
US3825175A
Cited
US4425112A
Cited
US4091989A
Cited
US4187979A
Cited
US4268393A
Cited
US4269718A
Cited
US4350283A
Cited
US4322298A
Cited
US4416654A
Cited
US4464167A
Cited
US4425172A
Cited
US4701267A
Cited
US4701267B1
Cited
US4675117A
Cited
US4846974A
Cited
US4708710A
Cited
US4708712A
Cited
US4936998A
Cited
US4933291A
Cited
DE3700122A1
Cited
US5213970A
Cited
US5316666A
Cited
US5370802A
Cited
US4885137A
Cited
US4808151A
Cited
US4939087A
Cited
US4939081A
Cited
US4798579A
Cited
US5078671A
Cited
US5501795A
Cited
US5229012A
Cited
US5316667A
Cited
EP0406485A1
Cited
EP0408462A2
Cited
EP0419346A2
Cited
US5089146A
Cited
US5203999A
Cited
US5282982A
Cited
US5298171A
Cited
US5360542A
Cited
US5362291A
Cited
WO1994002157A1
Cited
US5397479A
Cited
WO1994027698A2
Cited
US5409813A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-10-06 | 2001-04-07 | 2001-10-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-06 | 2005-04-07 | 2005-10-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-06 | 2009-04-07 | 2009-10-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |