Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
A blood oxygenator comprising: a housing which defines a blood receiving compartment, said housing having blood inlet and outlet ports which communicate with said blood receiving compartment through which blood enters and exits said compartment, said housing further having a plurality of gas inlet ports which communicate with said blood receiving compartment through which an oxygen enriched gas enters said compartment; means which selectively communicates with said gas ports for defining at least two gas flow pathways through said compartment; a difuser means associated with a first of said pathways which is operable for fractioning said gas into a plurality of microbubbles which are dispersed in any of said blood in said compartment; a gas feed means associated with a second of said gas pathways which is operable for dispersing a substantially continuous, unsparged defined volume of gas in any of said blood in said compartment separate from said microbubbles dispersed in said body by said fractioning means; wherein said housing compartment includes first a second portions for receiving said blood from said blood inlet ports, said first portion being positioned to receive said plurality of microbubbles from said diffuser means, and said second portion being positioned to receive said substantially continuous, unsparged flow of gas from said gas feed means, said first and second portions being in at least partial fluid communication; and means associated with both of said gas flow pathways which is operable for controlling the flow of gas between said pathways.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
A blood oxygenator comprising: a housing which defines a blood receiving compartment, said housing having blood inlet and outlet ports which communicate with said blood receiving compartment through which blood enters and exits said compartment, said housing further having a plurality of gas inlet ports which communicate with said blood receiving compartment through which an oxygen enriched gas enters said compartment; means which selectively communicates with said gas ports for defining at least two gas flow pathways through said compartment; a difuser means associated with a first of said pathways which is operable for fractioning said gas into a plurality of microbubbles which are dispersed in any of said blood in said compartment; a gas feed means associated with a second of said gas pathways which is operable for dispersing a substantially continuous, unsparged defined volume of gas in any of said blood in said compartment separate from said microbubbles dispersed in said body by said fractioning means; wherein said housing compartment includes first a second portions for receiving said blood from said blood inlet ports, said first portion being positioned to receive said plurality of microbubbles from said diffuser means, and said second portion being positioned to receive said substantially continuous, unsparged flow of gas from said gas feed means, said first and second portions being in at least partial fluid communication; and means associated with both of said gas flow pathways which is operable for controlling the flow of gas between said pathways.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The oxygenator of claim 1 further including a means positioned in said housing compartment which is positioned to engage said blood entering said housing compartment for regulating the temperature of said blood.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The oxygenator of claim 2 wherein said temperature regulating means defines said second portion of said compartment, with said second portion fluidially communicating with said first portion in a manner such that said blood passing through said first portion flows across said regulating means to facilitate said temperature regulation and passes partially into said second portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The oxygenator of claim 3 wherein said temperature regulating means defines a cavity as said second portion within said compartment into which gas flows from said second gas flow pathway, said cavity being defined by said regulating means to provide locations which are at least partially in fluid contact with said blood flowing across said regulating means surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The oxygenator of claim 4 wherein said second portion is formed to minimize mixing of said gas and said blood.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
214 words
A blood oxygenator comprising: a housing which defines at least a first compartment for received blood from a patient having one or more blood ports through which blood enters and exits said compartment, said housing further including one or more ports for directing an oxygen enriched gas into said housing for gas exchange contact with said blood; a heat exchange means positioned in said housing first compartment which is positioned to engage said blood entering said compartment, said heat exchange means being operable for heating or cooling said blood, said heat exchange means being formed to define a subcompartment of said housing first compartment, which subcompartment is in fluid communication with said housing first compartment to receive a portion of said blood from said housing first compartment; means communicating with said gas inlet ports for defining at least two gas flow pathways in said housing through which said oxygen enriched gas may be selectively directed, a first layer of said pathways including a means disposed in said first housing compartment which is operable for fractioning said gas into a plurality of microbubbles into said blood, a second of said pathways including a means which is operable for directing a substantially continuous, unsparged flow of said gas into said sub-compartment for contact with said blood.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
214 words
A blood oxygenator comprising: a housing which defines at least a first compartment for received blood from a patient having one or more blood ports through which blood enters and exits said compartment, said housing further including one or more ports for directing an oxygen enriched gas into said housing for gas exchange contact with said blood; a heat exchange means positioned in said housing first compartment which is positioned to engage said blood entering said compartment, said heat exchange means being operable for heating or cooling said blood, said heat exchange means being formed to define a subcompartment of said housing first compartment, which subcompartment is in fluid communication with said housing first compartment to receive a portion of said blood from said housing first compartment; means communicating with said gas inlet ports for defining at least two gas flow pathways in said housing through which said oxygen enriched gas may be selectively directed, a first layer of said pathways including a means disposed in said first housing compartment which is operable for fractioning said gas into a plurality of microbubbles into said blood, a second of said pathways including a means which is operable for directing a substantially continuous, unsparged flow of said gas into said sub-compartment for contact with said blood.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The oxygenator of claim 6 wherein said regulating means is defined as a body about which said blood in said first portion flows, which body defines said second portion and provides fluid contact between said blood and said gas flowing into said second portion from said second gas flow pathway.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The oxygenator of claim 7 wherein said regulating means is a heat exchange coil.