Patent ID: 8439858

Claim:
A blood filter comprising: a housing comprising a cap portion, a base portion, and a generally cylindrical wall portion between the cap portion and the base portion, the housing defining a longitudinal axis and the wall portion forming an inner surface having a curved region that defines a radius of curvature about the longitudinal axis in a transverse plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a filter element disposed within the housing and dividing the housing into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; a support element fixedly connected to the housing for supporting the filter element such that the filter element terminates at a filter tip opposite the base portion; an inlet terminating at, and fluidly open relative to, an opening in the curved region of the inner surface of the generally cylindrical wall portion, wherein the inlet is positioned at an upward angle with respect to the housing; a projection extending downwardly within an interior of the cap portion, the projection radially spaced a first distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the opening for the inlet is radially spaced a second distance from the longitudinal axis, the first distance being less than the second distance, wherein the opening is in fluid communication with the inlet chamber, wherein relative to a direction of the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the inlet opening is spatially between the filter tip and the base portion, and further wherein the inlet is positioned to disperse incoming blood throughout the inlet chamber; and an outlet in fluid communication with the outlet chamber.