US 12,144,958 B2
Drip chamber with automatic vent and shutoff
Ryan Gessler, Chugiak, AK (US); Dale Constuble, Chugiak, AK (US); Richard Stryken, Chugiak, AK (US); and Gerold Gugle, Chugiak, AK (US)
Assigned to Mobile I.V. Systems, LLC, Chugiak, AK (US)
Appl. No. 18/253,027
Filed by Mobile I.V. Systems, LLC, Chugiak, AK (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/053410
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 15, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/076325, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 14, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/087,778, filed on Oct. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0050643 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. A61M 5/14 (2006.01); A61M 5/38 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/1411 (2013.01) [A61M 5/38 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drip chamber for intravenous (IV) fluid infusion, the drip chamber comprising:
a drip chamber body having a proximal region and a distal region each at least partially defining an internal volume within an interior of the drip chamber body;
an inlet tube configured to drip the IV fluid into the interior of the drip chamber at the distal region;
an outlet tube extending inward into the interior of the drip chamber body from the proximal region, the outlet tube being in fluid communication with the interior of the drip chamber body to allow the IV fluid to flow out of the drip chamber body; and
a vent configured to automatically set and maintain an air pocket of predetermined size within the interior of the drip chamber, wherein the vent comprises a vent opening at the proximal region coupling the interior of the drip chamber to ambient air, and a pickup tube extending inward into the interior of the drip chamber body from the proximal region, the pickup tube having a first end disposed in the proximal region and in fluid communication with the vent opening, and a second end comprising an air vent intake at a location in the distal region that is spaced apart from the vent opening to define the predetermined size of the air pocket.