Patent ID: 6017332
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: A61M,Y10T

Abstract:
A medical dye delivery system for delivering medical dye through a system flow path to a patient, comprising:a medical dye container;a device for withdrawing medical dye from the container and directing the medical dye through the system flow path into a patient; anda valve having an inlet in flow communication with the medical dye container and an outlet in flow communication with the withdrawing device, the valve including a housing defining a chamber adapted for containing a volume of the medical dye, a valve seat located in the chamber and having an opening therethrough in flow communication with the outlet, and a flotation member in the chamber, the flotation member adapted for floating in the volume of medical dye and being seated against the valve seat when the chamber is substantially free of medical dye to cover the valve seat opening,wherein the valve further comprises a bypass channel in flow communication with the withdrawing device, the bypass channel configured to provide restricted flow relative to flow through the valve seat opening, the bypass channel permitting purging of remaining medical dye from the system flow path, andwherein the bypass channel comprises a slot in a wall of the valve seat forming an opening between the valve seat and the flotation member, the slot opening being substantially smaller than the valve seat opening, whereby the flotation member does not cover the slot when seated against the valve seat.