Bubble trap systems for infusion pump devices
View Patent ↗Bubble traps for removing bubbles from a stream of liquid and flexible containers comprising such bubble traps are disclosed. The bubble trap includes a containment chamber fluidly coupled to an outlet conduit. At least one grate is disposed between the containment chamber and the outlet conduit. The at least one grate includes a plurality of grate inlets formed in a grate wall and fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit with a plurality of grate conduits such that the containment chamber is fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit. The grate traps bubbles entrained in the stream of liquid flowing from the containment chamber to the outlet conduit in the containment chamber when the bubbles are greater than or equal to a diameter of the grate inlets.
1. A bubble trap for removing bubbles from a stream of liquid, the bubble trap comprising:
a containment chamber;
an outlet conduit; and
an insert part disposed between the containment chamber and the outlet conduit, comprising a grate, wherein the grate comprises a plurality of grate inlets each having a defined geometry with a sharp edged circumference and formed in a grate wall fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit with a plurality of grate conduits such that the containment chamber is fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit, wherein the grate traps bubbles entrained in the stream of liquid flowing from the containment chamber to the outlet conduit in the containment chamber when the bubbles are greater than or equal to a diameter of a grate inlet, and wherein the insert part is substantially disc-shaped with the outlet conduit positioned at a center of a disc with the plurality of grate conduits extending radially outward from the outlet conduit, wherein at every orientation angle of the insert part in relation to a container at least one of the plurality of grate conduits will open to the containment chamber providing a fluid connection between an access point of the container and the containment chamber.
2. The bubble trap of claim 1 further comprising a junction conduit fluidly coupled to the plurality of grate conduits and the outlet conduit.
3. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein a cross-sectional area of the plurality of grate conduits increases from the plurality of grate inlets in a direction towards the outlet conduit.
4. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the plurality of grate inlets have diameters from 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm.
5. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the plurality of grate inlets are positioned in the at least one grate such that a bubble retained by a grate inlet only blocks a portion of a combined cross sectional area of the plurality of grate inlets.
6. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the plurality of grate inlets comprises a first grate inlet and a second grate inlet.
7. The bubble trap of claim 6 wherein the first grate inlet and the second grate inlet are spaced apart by 5 to 100 times the diameter of the first grate inlet or the second grate inlet.
8. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the at least one grate comprises a first grate and a second grate, wherein the first grate and the second grate are disposed between the containment chamber and the outlet conduit such that the first grate and the second grate are fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit.
9. The bubble trap of claim 8 wherein the first grate and the second grate are in parallel with one another.
10. The bubble trap of claim 8 wherein the first grate and the second grate are in series with one another.
11. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a circumference of a grate inlet to a cross sectional area of the grate inlet is greater than a ratio of a circumference to a cross sectional area of a circular grate inlet with an equivalent cross sectional area.
12. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein an edge formed by the intersection of a grate inlet and a grate conduit is not chamfered.
13. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the containment chamber has a dead volume of less than 200 microliters.
14. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein an inlet conduit fluidly couples the containment chamber to a reservoir upstream of the containment chamber.
15. The bubble trap of claim 14 wherein the plurality of grate inlets are offset from the inlet conduit.
16. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein the at least one grate is formed from hydrophilic material.
17. The bubble trap of claim 1 further comprising a gas permeable membrane disposed in the containment chamber upstream of the at least one grate.
18. The bubble trap of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one grate comprises a first grate and a second grate; and
a second containment chamber and the second grate are positioned downstream of the first grate between the first grate and the outlet conduit.
19. A flexible container for holding a fluid, the flexible container comprising:
an outer wall comprising a flexible material sealed with a peripheral sealing rim defining a containment chamber in the flexible material;
an outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the containment chamber; and
an insert part comprising at least one grate disposed between the containment chamber and the outlet conduit, the at least one grate comprising a plurality of grate inlets each having a defined geometry with a sharp edged circumference and fluidly coupled to the outlet conduit and the containment chamber with a plurality of grate conduits, wherein bubbles entrained in a stream of fluid flowing from the containment chamber to the outlet conduit are trapped in the containment chamber when the bubbles are greater than or equal to a diameter of a grate inlet;
an insert part positioned in the flexible container, wherein:
the outlet conduit extends partially through a thickness of said insert part and is fluidly coupled to an access point in the outer wall of the flexible container;
the plurality of grate inlets are positioned on a peripheral edge of the insert part;
the plurality of grate conduits extend through the insert part from the plurality of grate inlets to the outlet conduit such that the plurality of grate inlets are fluidly coupled to the access point; and
the insert part is substantially disc-shaped with the outlet conduit positioned at a center of a disc with the plurality of grate conduits extending radially outward from the outlet conduit, wherein at every orientation angle of the insert part in relation to the flexible container at least one grate conduit will open to the containment chamber providing a fluid connection between the access point and the containment chamber.
20. The flexible container of claim 19 wherein:
the outlet conduit is formed in the peripheral sealing rim and comprises an access opening; and
the plurality of grate conduits extend from the containment chamber at least partially through the peripheral sealing rim to the outlet conduit.
21. The flexible container of claim 19 wherein the outlet conduit and the at least one grate are formed in a port that extends through the outer wall, the port comprising:
a base plate positioned in the containment chamber; and
an adapter positioned on the base plate and extending through the outer wall, wherein the plurality of grate inlets are positioned on a peripheral edge of the base plate, the plurality of grate conduits are positioned in the base plate and the outlet conduit extends through the adapter and into the base plate terminating at a junction conduit disposed in the base plate.
22. The flexible container of claim 21 further comprising a septum disposed in the outlet conduit.
23. The flexible container of claim 19 wherein the insert part is retained in the outer wall by a neck formed in the outer wall.