Blood filtering component, apparatus, and method

Abstract

An apparatus including a hollow body, an inlet fluidly coupled to the hollow body, a piston slidably engaged within the hollow body, and a filter module arranged within the hollow body between the inlet and piston. The piston and hollow body cooperatively generate a negative pressure, relative to ambient, within the hollow body during distal piston translation from a first position to a second position, thereby drawing a fluid, such as blood, through the filter module into the hollow body. The piston and hollow body cooperatively generate a positive pressure, relative to ambient, within the hollow body during piston translation from the second position to the first position to egress the filtered fluid from the hollow body. The filter module may include a filter housing, a filter medium disposed within the housing, and a body valve configured to seal an open distal face of the filter housing.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A blood filtering apparatus, comprising:
 a filter housing formed of one or more side walls, the filter housing having a partially or fully open proximal face and distal face;   a filter medium disposed within the filter housing; and   a body valve positioned on a distal end of the filter housing, wherein the body valve is partially attached to the filter housing via a joint, the body valve movable between an open and a closed configuration, wherein, in the closed configuration, the body valve seals the distal face of the filter housing, and wherein, in the open configuration, the body valve bends at the joint such that one or more unattached portions of the body valve move outward away from the filter housing   
     
     
         18 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the filter housing is sized and configured to fit securely within a blood filtering apparatus and to form a liquid-tight seal with an inner wall of the blood filtering apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a sealing surface protruding from the one or more side walls of the filter housing, wherein the sealing surface is configured to compress against the inner wall of the blood filtering apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the filter housing and the sealing surface are monolithic. 
     
     
         21 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the filter housing, the sealing surface, and the body valve are monolithic. 
     
     
         22 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the filter medium is pleated. 
     
     
         23 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the filter housing is cylindrical. 
     
     
         24 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the filter housing is transparent. 
     
     
         25 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising an inlet positioned on a proximal end of the body valve and configured to receive blood. 
     
     
         26 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a hollow body positioned at a distal end of the body valve and configured to store filtered blood. 
     
     
         27 . The blood filtering apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the hollow body comprises a filter retention area configured to retain the filter housing. 
     
     
         28 . A filter module, comprising:
 a filter medium formed of a mesh;   an elastomeric housing disposed at least partially around the filter medium, wherein the elastomeric housing comprises an inner column configured to create a hollow inner surface between a sidewall of the elastomeric housing and the inner column;   wherein the elastomeric housing further comprises a sealing surface configured to create a seal between the filter module and a fluid uptake device configured to receive the filter module; and   a mechanical body valve configured to mechanically seal the filter, wherein the mechanical body valve comprises a body valve flap movable between an open and a closed configuration, wherein, in the closed configuration, the body valve flap seals a distal face of the elastomeric housing, and wherein, in the open configuration, the body valve flap bends such that one or more unattached portions of the body valve flap move outward away from the elastomeric housing.   
     
     
         29 . The filter module of  claim 28 , wherein the mesh is pleated and comprises triangle-shaped facets, and wherein the filter medium is positioned in a circle around the inner column. 
     
     
         30 . The filter module of  claim 28 , wherein the pleated mesh has a plurality of pores sized to prevent passage of blood clots and large biological particulates through the pores while permitting passage of blood cells through the pores. 
     
     
         31 . The filter module of  claim 28 , wherein the mechanical body valve opens to allow fluid to flow through the filter medium when subjected to a negative pressure and closes with ambient or positive pressure. 
     
     
         32 . The filter module of  claim 28 , wherein the mechanical body valve comprises a flap that closes when external pressure is applied on the filter module and opens when pressure within the filter module is increased. 
     
     
         33 . A blood filtering apparatus, comprising:
 a fluid uptake device comprising a fluid passageway; and   the filter module of  claim 28  disposed within the passageway of the fluid uptake device.