Patent ID: 7563248

Claim:
A disposable fluid infusion cartridge comprising a. a heat exchanger comprising upper and lower aspects and an internal heat exchange zone defined by a first and second plurality of overlapping fins, creating a substantially uniform flow path depth, wherein each fin has a ratio of height to width of at least 1:2, whereby fluid enters the lower aspect of the heat exchanger via a lower port and fills a lower flow cavity across the width of the heat exchange zone prior to flowing at least partially across the width of each succeeding overlapping fin and through the heat exchange zone and out an upper port at the upper aspect of the heat exchanger; and b. an air trap comprising upper and lower aspects defining a longitudinal axis extending centrally therebetween, an upper fluid input port, a lower fluid output port positioned off-center from the longitudinal axis, an upper air output port, and a fluid flow disrupter positioned off-center from the longitudinal axis and proximate the lower fluid output port, wherein the fluid input port introduces fluid into the air trap from the heat exchanger in a circular flow, and wherein the circular flow of the fluid at the fluid flow disrupter is disrupted to create a pressure differential proximate the lower fluid output port to draw the fluid into the lower fluid output port, and further comprising a purging mechanism for purging air from the air trap and preventing air from passing beyond the air trap.