Patent ID: 7588684

Claim:
A fluid processing system comprising: a fluid circuit including a filter with a membrane; the fluid circuit further including blood and non-blood circuits separated from each other by the membrane; the blood circuit having an inlet and an outlet connected to a connector assembly, the connector assembly including a first fluid passage coupled to the outlet of the fluid circuit and a second fluid passage that does not communicate with the first fluid passage and is coupled to the inlet of the fluid circuit, the first and second fluid passages being housed in a common assembly constructed for coupling to a container, which is filled with sterile fluid and serves as a fluid source, so as to form a loop such that fluid is circulated by the connector assembly through the container in the loop, thereby collecting in the container air residing in the blood circuit, at least a portion of the loop including the blood circuit from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the membrane is arranged at a portion of the blood circuit between the blood circuit inlet and the blood circuit outlet.