Modular intravenous assembly

Abstract

Modular intravenous (IV) assemblies are provided. The modular IV assembly includes a drip chamber having a body and an inlet connector, a base housing coupled directly to a base portion of the drip chamber, the base housing having an inlet port in fluid connection with the drip chamber and a flow path cavity in fluid connection with the inlet port and a flow control assembly coupled directly to a first portion of the base housing. Any of a filter assembly, an anti-run dry member, a check valve and an air vent assembly may be included in the modular IV assembly. IV sets and methods of use are also provided.

1 . A modular intravenous (IV) assembly, comprising:
 a drip chamber having a body and an inlet connector;   a base housing coupled directly to a base portion of the drip chamber, the base housing having an inlet port in fluid connection with the drip chamber and a flow path cavity in fluid connection with the inlet port;   a flow control assembly coupled directly to a first portion of the base housing, the flow control assembly comprising;
 a roller housing; 
 a roller; and 
 a flow control membrane disposed between the roller and the flow path cavity in the base housing; and 
   a filter assembly coupled directly to a second portion of the base housing, the filter assembly comprising:
 a filter housing coupled directly to the second portion of the base housing; and 
 a filter membrane disposed between the filter housing and the second portion of the base housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to prevent fluid flow through the base housing when the roller is engaged with the flow control membrane adjacent to a start position of a flow area, the flow area having a constant width and a varying depth. 
     
     
         3 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to provide full fluid flow through the base housing when the roller is engaged with the flow control membrane adjacent to an end portion of a flow area, the flow area having a varying width and a constant depth. 
     
     
         4 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to provide increasing fluid flow through the base housing as the roller engaged with the flow control membrane moves from an end portion of a flow area, the flow area having a varying width and a constant depth. 
     
     
         5 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are on opposing surfaces of the base housing. 
     
     
         6 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the filter membrane comprises a hydrophilic material that prevents gas from passing through the filter membrane when the filter membrane is wetted. 
     
     
         7 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the filter membrane is disposed adjacently at a distance from an inner surface of the second portion of the base housing, and wherein a space between the inner surface of the second portion and the first surface of the filter membrane is configured to provide a flow path for fluid entering the second portion of the base housing from the flow control assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 7 , wherein a second surface of the filter membrane is disposed adjacently at a distance from an inner surface of the filter housing, and wherein a space between the inner surface of the filter housing and the second surface of the filter membrane is configured to provide a flow path for fluid passing through the filter membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an anti-run dry member comprising one of an individual layer disposed on the filter membrane and an integrally formed material comprising the filter membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluid exit housing coupled directly to the filter housing; and   a one-way check valve disposed between an exit cavity in an outer surface of the filter housing and the fluid exit housing, the check valve configured to allow fluid to flow out from the exit cavity through an exit port in the fluid exit housing while preventing fluid from flowing in an opposing direction into the exit cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 10 , wherein one of:
 the fluid exit housing, the check valve and the exit cavity are disposed at a top portion of the base housing adjacent to the drip chamber; and   the fluid exit housing, the check valve and the exit cavity are disposed at a bottom portion of the base housing.   
     
     
         12 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the drip chamber further comprises a self-leveling assembly, the self-leveling assembly comprising:
 a bottom housing portion disposed at the base portion of the drip chamber and adjacent to the base housing;   a leveling outlet port aligned with the inlet port in the base housing;   first and second leveling inlet ports disposed adjacent opposing sides of the leveling outlet port; and   a barrier disposed within the first leveling inlet port.   
     
     
         13 . A modular intravenous (IV) assembly, comprising:
 a drip chamber having a body and an inlet connector;   a base housing coupled directly to a base portion of the drip chamber, the base housing having an inlet port in fluid connection with the drip chamber and a flow path cavity in fluid connection with the inlet port;   a flow control assembly coupled directly to a first portion of the base housing, the flow control assembly comprising;
 a roller housing; 
 a roller; and 
 a flow control membrane disposed between the roller and the flow path cavity in the base housing; and 
   an air vent assembly coupled directly to a second portion of the base housing, wherein the first and second portions are on opposing surfaces of the base housing, the air vent assembly comprising:
 a vent cavity disposed in the second portion of the base housing; 
 a vent port disposed in the vent cavity, the vent port coupled to an air flow path in the base housing; and 
 an air vent membrane disposed in the vent cavity, wherein the air vent membrane comprises a small pore hydrophobic material that prevents liquid from passing through the air vent membrane into the vent port while allowing gas to pass through the air vent membrane and vent out through the vent port. 
   
     
     
         14 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to prevent fluid flow through the base housing when the roller is engaged with the flow control membrane adjacent to a start position of a flow area, the flow area having a constant width and a varying depth. 
     
     
         15 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to provide full fluid flow through the base housing when the roller is engaged with the flow control membrane adjacent to an end portion of a flow area, the flow area having a varying width and a constant depth. 
     
     
         16 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the flow control assembly is configured to provide increasing fluid flow through the base housing as the roller engaged with the flow control membrane moves from an end portion of a flow area, the flow area having a varying width and a constant depth. 
     
     
         17 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a filter assembly comprising:
 a filter housing coupled directly to the second portion of the base housing; and   a filter membrane disposed between the filter housing and the second portion of the base housing.   
     
     
         18 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 17 , wherein a first surface of the filter membrane is disposed adjacently at a distance from an inner surface of the second portion of the base housing, wherein a space between the inner surface of the second portion and the first surface of the filter membrane is configured to provide a flow path for fluid entering the second portion of the base housing from the flow control assembly, wherein a second surface of the filter membrane is disposed adjacently at a distance from an inner surface of the filter housing, and wherein a space between the inner surface of the filter housing and the second surface of the filter membrane is configured to provide a flow path for fluid passing through the filter membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising an anti-run dry member comprising one of an individual layer disposed on the filter membrane and an integrally formed material comprising the filter membrane. 
     
     
         20 . The modular IV assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the drip chamber further comprises a self-leveling assembly, the self-leveling assembly comprising:
 a bottom housing portion disposed at the base portion of the drip chamber and adjacent to the base housing;   a leveling outlet port aligned with the inlet port in the base housing;   first and second leveling inlet ports disposed adjacent opposing sides of the leveling outlet port; and   a barrier disposed within the first leveling inlet port.