Method for producing a drip chamber, drip chamber, infusion system or transfusion system
A method of manufacturing a drip chamber includes connecting an upper part, a lower part, and a middle part together. The upper part and the lower part are connected in a fluid-tight manner via the middle part. Alternatively, the upper part and the lower part are directly connected in a fluid-tight manner, and the middle part is attached to the upper part and/or lower part. The middle part can create a direct fluid-tight connection with the upper part and lower part by a lower end portion of the upper part and an upper end portion of the lower part being joined to the middle part. Alternatively, the middle part bridges a lower end portion of the upper part and an upper end portion of the lower part. The lower edge of the upper part and the upper edge of the lower part are directly joined to each other.
1 . A method of manufacturing a drip chamber comprising the steps of:
A) providing an upper part for the drip chamber with a first connection connectable to a container;
B) providing a lower part for the drip chamber with a second connection connectable to a tube;
C) providing a middle part for the drip chamber, the middle part being formed and provided separately from the upper part and the lower part;
D) placing the upper part into direct contact with the lower part to form a continuous chamber therebetween;
E) positioning the middle part to surround both the upper part and the lower part;
F) bonding the upper part to the middle part to form a first fluid-tight connection; and
G) bonding the lower part to the middle part to form a second fluid tight connection,
wherein the upper part is not bonded directly to the lower part in the completed drip chamber.
2 . A drip chamber manufactured by the method according to claim 1 .
3 . A drip chamber for an infusion or transfusion system, the drip chamber comprising:
an upper part having a first connection connectable to a container;
a lower part with a second connection connectable to a tube; and
a middle part that is prefabricated separately from the upper part and the lower part,
wherein a lower end portion of the upper part and an upper end portion of the lower part are directly contacting and not directly bonded to each other, and the middle part is joined to a lower end portion of the upper part at a first fluid tight connection and to an upper end portion of the lower part at a second fluid tight connection.
4 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 , wherein:
the first fluid tight connection comprises a first solvent bond or weld, and
the second fluid tight connection comprises a second solvent bond or weld.
5 . The drip chamber according to claim 4 , wherein:
the upper part comprises a first polymer material,
the lower part comprises a second polymer material that is different from the first polymer material,
the middle part comprises a third polymer material that is different from the first polymer material and the second polymer material, and
the first polymer material is not bondable with the second polymer material by solvent bonding or welding, the first polymer material is bondable with the third polymer material by solvent bonding or welding, and the second polymer material is bondable with the third polymer material by bonding or welding.
6 . The drip chamber according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first polymer material, the second polymer material and/or the third polymer material is a styrene-based polymer material.
7 . The drip chamber according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first polymer material a polystyrene material or a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer material.
8 . The drip chamber according to claim 7 ,
wherein the polystyrene material is a highly transparent polystyrene material, or
wherein the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer material is a highly transparent styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer material.
9 . The drip chamber according to claim 6 ,
wherein the third polymer material is a styrene-butadiene copolymer material.
10 . The drip chamber according to claim 6 ,
wherein the third polymer material is a styrene-butadiene copolymer material.
11 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 ,
wherein at least a portion of a wall of the upper part has a light transmission in a visible spectral range of at least 90%.
12 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 ,
wherein the middle part provides a protrusion on an outer surface of the drip chamber.
13 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first connection is formed as a piercing device for piercing a wall or a septum of a container for a liquid to be administered to a patient, and/or
wherein the first connection is connected to the container in a non-detachable manner.
14 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 ,
wherein the second connection comprises a coupling device connectable to a complementary coupling device at an end of a tube such that a tight fluid connection exists between an interior of the drip chamber and the tube.
15 . An infusion or transfusion system comprising a drip chamber according to claim 3 .
16 . The drip chamber according to claim 3 , wherein the middle part surrounds an outer surface of the upper part and an outer surface of the lower part.
17 . The drip chamber according to claim 16 , wherein the upper end portion of the lower part surrounds the lower end portion of the upper part.
18 . The drip chamber according to claim 16 , wherein a lower end portion of the upper part comprises a corrugated structure.
19 . The drip chamber according to claim 18 , wherein the corrugated structure comprises a cylindrical body having corrugations extending along an axis extending from the first connection to the second connection.
20 . A drip chamber for an infusion or transfusion system comprising:
an upper part with a first connection connectable to a container;
a lower part with a second connection connectable to a tube; and
a middle part,
wherein the upper part and the lower part are each connected to the middle part with the middle part surrounding an outer surface of the upper part and an outer surface of the lower part, such that the upper part and the lower part are each connected to the middle part in a fluid-tight manner, and the upper part and the lower part are not connected directly to each other.