Abstract:
A hand held ultraviolet blood purifier system is disclosed, which has an outer housing having two battery operated ultraviolet light sources mounted thereto, with a removable syringe therebetween, the syringe having a blood repository and treatment chamber, a plunger and a hollow needle for withdrawing and returning blood.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to a hand held ultraviolet blood purifier system of the portable self contained type.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     In the prior art, it has been known to use ultraviolet light to purify water and other fluids. Most of the systems using ultraviolet light are stationary flow-through systems which include a chamber having an ultraviolet light source with a fluid inlet and outlet. The fluid to be treated flows through the chamber past the ultraviolet light source, which destroys the various viruses, bacteria and some other contaminants. It is desirable to be able to treat the blood of a person, whose blood is contaminated with viruses, and bacteria, some of which may be resistant to antibiotics. It is also desirable to be able to treat blood specimens in a laboratory, to determine if various viruses and bacteria respond to exposure to ultraviolet light and are destroyed.  
         [0005]     A system or device to be useful must be hand held, portable, self contained, and easily used by a person.  
         [0006]     In treating the blood of a person it is desirable to be able to withdraw a portion of a person&#39;s blood supply, treat it and then return it to the person.  
         [0007]     No suitable system or device is currently available that fulfills the requirements.  
         [0008]     Likewise, no suitable system or device is currently available for use in a laboratory to treat blood with ultraviolet light to destroy viruses and bacteria.  
         [0009]     The hand held system of the invention is suitable to treat a person&#39;s blood, and also treat blood specimens in a laboratory.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A hand held ultraviolet blood purifier system is provided which is self contained, has two ultraviolet light sources with a replaceable syringe therebetween, is battery operated, is useful to treat the blood of a person and blood specimens in a laboratory.  
         [0011]     The principal object of the invention is to provide a hand held self-contained ultraviolet blood purifier system.  
         [0012]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that is battery operated.  
         [0013]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that is easily carried on and by an individual.  
         [0014]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that may be used to treat a person&#39;s blood or to treat blood specimens in a laboratory.  
         [0015]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that is simple and inexpensive to construct,. and lends itself to mass production.  
         [0016]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that has a disposable syringe.  
         [0017]     A further object of the invention is to provide a blood purifier system that is durable and long lasting in use.  
         [0018]     Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof in which:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a blood purifier system in accordance with the invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the system of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 , and  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a schematic of the electrical circuitry of the system of the invention. 
     
    
       [0025]     It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein are merely illustrative, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structures, and embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]     When referring to the preferred embodiment, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Use of such terminology is intended to encompass not only the described embodiment, but also technical equivalents, which operate and function in substantially the same way to bring about the same result.  
         [0027]     Referring now to the drawings and  FIG. 1-4 , a hand held ultraviolet blood purifier system  10  is therein illustrated. The purifier system  10  has an outer housing  11 , which can be of synthetic plastic, polyethylene plastic being particularly suitable. The outer housing  11  is of rectangular configuration with a top plate  12  and bottom plate  14 . The housing  11  as shown at the left in  FIGS. 1 and 3  has a compartment  15 , with a side wall  16 , front wall  17  and right side wall  18 . The compartment  15  has a plurality of batteries  18 ′ therein, four being illustrated of well known type. The batteries  18 ′ as shown in  FIG. 5  are series/parallel connected on the positive side to a circuit board  19 , of well known type, by wire  20 . The circuit board  19  is connected to a switch  21  by wire  22 , with a wire  23  connecting the switch  21  to one side  24  of an ultraviolet bulb  25 , which is mounted to side wall  18  and has a removable transparent semi-circular cover  26  therearound.  
         [0028]     The ultraviolet bulb  25  is of well known type, and available from Top Bulb, 5204 Indianapolis Boulevard, East Chicago, Ind., 46312-3838. The other side  30  of bulb  25  is connected by wire  31  to ground G, with a wire  32  connected to the ground side of the batteries  18 ′.  
         [0029]     Referring to the right side of system  11 , another compartment  35  is provided, having a left side wall  36 , a front wall  37  and a right side wall  38 . A plurality of batteries  18 ′ are mounted in compartment  35 , with the identical circuitry as described for compartment  15 . An ultraviolet light bulb  25  is mounted to the left side wall  36 , with a removable transparent cover  26  around light bulb  25 .  
         [0030]     Between the transparent covers  26  a syringe  40  is provided, which is of cylindrical shape, with a transparent outer housing  41 , carried in a syringe harness  42  in the top plate  12 , and a syringe harness  43  in bottom plate  14 . The syringe harnesses  42  and  43  are preferably of O-ring configuration, and grip the outer housing  41 , but permit the syringe  40  to be removed as required. The syringe  40  includes a plunger  45 , finger grips  46  at the top  47 , and has a hollow syringe needle  48 .  
         [0031]     The plunger  45  is in housing  41 , which forms a blood repository and disinfection chamber  50  in housing.  41 .  
         [0032]     In use, the ultraviolet bulbs  25  are activated, the syringe needle  48  is inserted into a person&#39;s vein, and the plunger  45  withdrawn, causing blood (not shown) to be drawn up into the chamber  50 , where it is subject to exposure to ultraviolet light.  
         [0033]     When treatment is completed, depending on the blood contaminants, the plunger  45  is pushed back in the housing  41 , forcing the treated blood back into the person&#39;s vein. The operation can continue as desired. After use, the syringe  40  can be removed from the outer housing  11 , and discarded in a chemotherapeutic waste container, a new syringe  40  can be inserted and a new patient treated.  
         [0034]     It should be noted that the needle  48  can also be inserted into a blood sample (not shown) to be treated, and the treated blood then returned as desired.  
         [0035]     It will thus be seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved.