Importance

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Abstract

This buoyant blood stop valve is in the blood line to the patient to stop flow to prevent air embolism when the blood is exhausted from the oxygenator reservoir. The stop valve comprises a downwardly directed hemispherical cup next to the downwardly directed tubular inlet. The top of the cup is open to the inlet to permit free passage of air in and out of the top of the cup. The cup and inlet are formed in the upper valve body, and the lower valve body is secured thereto and faces the upper valve body. The bottom of the lower body has an outlet, and above the outlet is a circular valve seat, such as an O-ring in a recess. Above the O-ring the lower body has a curved bottom, but vanes are formed in the lower body and inwardly directed toward the outlet valve seat at the O-ring. Upper vanes adjacent the inlet are sloped toward the hemispherical cup. A ball, buoyant in blood, is positioned in the body and is guided in its upward floating position by the vanes which direct it toward the hemispherical cup and is guided in its downward, shutoff direction by the vanes in the side of the lower body. During forward, normal flow, the ball is quiescent in the hemispherical cup in the upper body.

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First Claim