1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a filter system and, more particularly, to a filter system for removing solids or semi-solids from a fluid or liquid carrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many uses for filter systems and/or devices for removing certain types of materials from a carrier, such as fluid. One such application is the removal of solid or semi-solid material, such as bone chips, flesh, blood clots or the like, from a fluid carrier generated during some types of medical procedures or surgeries by using a filtration process. This filtration process permits the fluid carrier to be treated separately from the material that is trapped by the filtration process.
One such example of this type of filtration process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,246 to Beckham et al. (the '246 patent). The '246 patent discloses a manifold assembly for use with a medical waste collection device for filtering a fluid carrier, generated during a medical process, that may contain material within the fluid carrier. The manifold assembly includes a manifold housing, inlet ports, an outlet port, and a series of filters disposed between the inlet and outlet ports. The filters eliminate the material from the fluid carrier passing therethrough. Duck-bill valves are placed only on the inlet ports to establish unidirectional flow and to prevent reverse flow of the fluid carrier therethrough. However, when the manifold assembly is removed from the medical waste collection device, the residual fluid that may linger in the manifold assembly is not prevented from dripping from the outlet port.
This invention provides a manifold assembly for directing and filtering material from fluid flowing into a medical waste collection device. The assembly comprises a manifold housing defining a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port in spaced relationship to the inlet ports to establish a fluid path. A primary filter is disposed in the fluid path between the inlet ports and the outlet port to filter the material from the fluid in the fluid path. An outlet check-valve is disposed at the outlet port for opening in response to a predetermined vacuum pressure applied to the outlet port from the medical waste collection device.
By incorporating an outlet check-valve on the outlet port, when vacuum pressure is not applied to the outlet port, the outlet-check valve will remain drip-free. Therefore, when the manifold assembly is removed from the medical waste collection device, any fluid remaining in the manifold assembly will not drip. This results in a more sterile manifold assembly.
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a manifold assembly 100 for directing and filtering material 102 from fluid flowing into a medical waste collection device is shown generally at 104.
The manifold assembly 100 comprises a manifold housing 106, a primary filter 108, and an outlet check-valve 114. However, it is typical that there is a plurality of filter layers 108, 110, 112. The manifold housing 106 defines a plurality of inlet ports 116 and an outlet port 118 in spaced relationship to the inlet ports 116 to establish a fluid path 120, as illustrated in
Each of the inlet ports 116 includes an entrance tube 124 disposed about an entry axis 126. The entry axes 126 can be parallel or non-parallel. Each of the inlet ports 116 also include an exit tube 128, disposed on an exit axis 130, transverse to the entry axis 126. Each of the entrance tubes 124 include a directional wall 132, normal to the entry axis 126, for turning the fluid entering from the entry axis 126 into the inlet exit tube 128, along the exit axis 130. An inlet check-valve 134 is disposed at each of the inlet ports 116 for opening in response to a predetermined vacuum pressure applied to the outlet port 118 from the medical waste collection device 104. Additionally, each of the inlet check-valves 134 is disposed about one of the exit tubes 128.
The manifold housing 106 includes a manifold body 136 and a manifold top 138 and the inlet ports 116 can be disposed on either the manifold body 136 or the manifold top 138. The integration of the inlet ports 116 within the manifold top 138 improves manufacturability by reducing the number of parts in the total manifold assembly 100.
The manifold body 136 is substantially rigid and includes a bottom 140 and a peripheral wall 142 extending upwardly from the bottom 140. The outlet port 118 is disposed in the bottom 140 of the manifold body 136 and extends downwardly therefrom about an outlet axis 144 to an outlet end 146. The outlet port 118 is centrally disposed and the bottom 140 is conical and slopes downwardly from the peripheral wall 142 to the outlet port 118. The outlet port 118 extends to a lower end 148 and a retaining flange 150 extends radially inward at the outlet end 146 where the outlet check-valve 114 is disposed on the retaining flange 150 within the outlet port 118 on the outlet axis 144.
The manifold body 136 further includes a plurality of spaced support spokes 152 extending radially from the outlet port 118 and the primary filter 108 is supported by the support spokes 152. The manifold body 136 further includes an outer rim 154 disposed adjacent the peripheral wall 142 and about, and engaging, the support spokes 152. Each of the support spokes 152 have inner edges 156 parallel with the outlet port 118 with the inner edges 156 surrounding the outlet port 118. The outer rim 154 is spaced from the peripheral wall 142 to define a groove 158 therebetween.
The manifold top 138 is also substantially rigid and is disposed over the peripheral wall 142 to define a chamber 160. The manifold top 138 includes a peripheral brim 162 that extends over and engages the exterior of the peripheral wall 142. A snap together lock 164 interconnects the peripheral brim 162 and the peripheral wall 142 to removably connect and retain the manifold top 138 on the manifold housing 106. Additionally, a tab 166 extends laterally away from the peripheral brim 162 to provide a gripping surface for removal of the manifold top 138.
The manifold top 138 includes a skirt 168 defining a cylinder, extending downwardly to a bottom edge 170. The cylinder, which is disposed between the outer rim 154 and the peripheral wall 142 for engaging the primary filter 108 about the outer rim 154 and the bottom edge 170 of the skirt 168, is received in the groove 158. The primary filter 108 has a diameter that is slightly larger than the other filters 110, 112. Thus, the bottom edge 170 of the skirt 168 engages a perimeter of the primary filter 108 to compress the perimeter into the groove 158.
To assist with the insertion of the skirt 168 of the manifold top 138 inside of the peripheral wall 142 of the manifold body 136, a plurality of alignment ribs 172 are disposed on the skirt 168. These alignment ribs 172 engage the peripheral wall 142 of the manifold housing 106 to center the manifold top 138 with the manifold body 136. Additionally, a plurality of retainers 198 are disposed on and spaced about the skirt 168 in the chamber 160 where the filters 108, 110, 112 are disposed above the support spokes 152 and disposed below the retainers 198 for retaining the filters 108, 110, 112 on the support spokes 152.
The filters 108, 110, 112 are disposed in the fluid path 120 between the inlet ports 116 and the outlet port 118 to filter the material 102 from the fluid in the fluid path 120. The outlet check-valve 114 is disposed at the outlet port 118. When an external vacuum is applied to the outlet port 118, from the medical waste collection device 104, at a predetermined vacuum pressure, the resulting pressure differential across the outlet port 118 causes the outlet check-valve 114 to open. The outlet check-valve 114 is drip-free which means that when vacuum is not applied to the outlet port 118, the outlet check-valve 114 remains closed and residual fluid does not leak. It is preferable that these valves are check-valves 114, 134 as check-valves 114, 134 have a higher closing force than the duck bill valves that have been used in the prior art. However, a mechanical valve is also acceptable. Additionally, the check-valves 114, 134 are preferably made of silicone rubber, although other materials 102 that yield a drip-free valve would also be acceptable.
An example of an acceptable check-valve 114,134 is shown in
Optionally, there are a plurality of port caps 192, for covering the plurality of inlet ports 116. The port caps 192 can be used to selectively cover each of the respective inlet ports 116. The port caps 192 can be used to cap off the inlet ports 116 prior to removing the manifold assembly 100 from the medical waste collection device 104 thereby containing the manifold assembly 100 contents after use in the absence of inlet check-valves 134. Also, a plurality of connection straps 194 can be used for retaining each of the port caps 192 to the manifold housing 106 when each port cap 192 is not covering the associated inlet port 116. The connection straps 194 are integrally formed on the manifold housing 106 and connect each of the port caps 192 to the manifold housing 106. Alternatively, the connection straps 194 can be completely removable from the manifold housing 106.
In a second embodiment of the invention, shown in
In a third embodiment of the invention, shown in
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, shown in
Additionally, it is preferable that the manifold housing 106 is semi-transparent for viewing the material 102 in the manifold housing 106 and to determine if the manifold assembly 100 has already been used. This is important because the manifold assembly 100 is intended to be used only one time.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/512,671, which was filed on Oct. 20, 2003.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60512671 | Oct 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10969619 | Oct 2004 | US |
Child | 11935313 | Nov 2007 | US |