What is claimed is:
1. A method of making a glass optical element, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a optical element having an optical surface relief structure on one side;
preparing a heated glass substrate material having an exposed first surface, the glass substrate material heated to a temperature sufficient to soften at least the first surface;
contacting the first surface of the glass substrate material with the surface relief structure of the optical element for a predetermined time period;
applying a pressure forcing the optical element and the glass substrate material against one another for at least a portion of the predetermined time period to substantially replicate the surface relief structure in the first surface of the glass substrate material;
releasing the pressure;
separating the optical element and the glass substrate material; and
cooling the glass substrate material.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing further comprises the step of:
forming a holographic surface structure as the surface relief structure on the one side of the optical element.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing further comprises the steps of:
creating a holographic surface structure in a photoresist medium carried on a substrate body;
coating the photoresist medium with a layer of silver material replicating the holographic surface structure in the silver material layer;
electroplating the silver material layer with a nickel material layer; and
removing the nickel and silver layers from the photoresist medium to form a metal shim as the optical element having the holographic surface structure as the surface relief structure.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing further comprises the steps of:
preparing a softened glass material from a molten glass during its manufacture as the glass substrate material; and
exposing a surface of the softened glass material to define the exposed first surface.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
preparing a softened glass material from a molten glass during its manufacture as the glass substrate material;
contacting an exposed surface of the softened glass material with the master optical element; and
separating the optical element from the softened glass material prior to cooling the softened glass.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing further comprises the steps of:
providing a glass plate substrate; and
placing the glass plate substrate in a heated furnace.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing further comprises the steps of:
providing a direct heat source; and
exposing at least the exposed first surface of the glass material substrate to the heat source.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of preparing further comprises the step of:
providing a glass plate substrate; and
heating at least the exposed first surface with an oxyacetylene flame.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
placing the glass substrate material on the surface relief structure of the optical element prior to the step of contacting.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
placing the optical element on a support surface; and
placing the glass substrate material on the surface relief structure of the optical element prior to the step of contacting.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of contacting further comprises the steps of:
positioning the glass substrate material over the surface relief structure of the optical element; and
lowering the glass substrate material into contact with the optical element.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of contacting further comprises the steps of:
positioning the glass substrate material over the surface relief structure of the optical element; and
raising the optical element into contact with the glass substrate material.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of contacting further comprises the steps of:
positioning the optical element over the glass substrate material; and
lowering the optical element into contact with the glass substrate material.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of applying pressure further comprises the steps of:
providing a pressure plate connected to a drive cylinder;
placing the optical element and the glass substrate material adjacent one another beneath the pressure plate; and
operating the drive cylinder to force the pressure plate against one of the optical element and the glass substrate material.
15. A glass light diffuser produced by a process comprising the steps of:
providing an optical diffuser having an optical surface relief structure on one side;
preparing a heated glass substrate material having an exposed first surface, the glass substrate material heated to a temperature sufficient to soften at least the first surface;
contacting the first surface of the glass substrate material with the surface relief structure of the optical diffuser for a predetermined time period;
applying a pressure forcing the optical diffuser and the glass substrate material against one another for at least a portion of the predetermined time period to substantially replicate the surface relief structure in the first surface of the glass substrate material;
releasing the pressure;
separating the optical diffuser and the glass substrate material; and
cooling the glass substrate material.
16. A glass optical element comprising:
a unitary body structure made from a glass material having at least one optical surface; and
an optical surface relief structure replicated onto the at least one optical surface from a optical element.
17. The glass optical element according to claim 16, wherein the glass material is selected from a group of glass materials comprising borosilicate, light flint, brown flint, brown, flint, light barium brown and fused glass.
18. The glass optical element according to claim 16, wherein the glass material is comprised of a composite glass.
19. The glass optical element according to claim 16, wherein the glass material is a semi-transparent glass material.
20. The glass optical element according to claim 16, wherein the surface relief structure is a holographic surface structure.
21. The glass optical element according to claim 16, wherein the surface relief structure is a light diffusing surface capable of producing a light output of a desired characteristic.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A medical system comprising:
a liquid pump;
tubing in communication with the liquid pump; and
at least one processor that operates with the liquid pump to:
pump liquid through the tubing, the tubing having an end and a hydrophobic filter at the end, the filter allowing air but not the liquid to escape from the end of the tubing,
receive a signal indicating a pressure increase inside the tubing, and
cause the pumping to stop when air has been purged substantially from the tubing.
2. The medical system of claim 1, which includes at least one of a dialysate supply bag and a disposable dialysis unit in fluid communication with the liquid pump.
3. The medical system of claim 1, which includes a sensor that senses the pressure increase and generates the pressure increase signal.
4. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the filter is positioned so that liquid backing up against the filter causes the pressure increase.
5. The medical system of claim 1, which includes a removable tip protector secured to the tubing, the tip protector housing the filter and defining a space, the space minimized to lessen an amount of liquid that escapes from the tip protector due to priming.
6. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the tubing includes multiple tubes, and which includes a body having tubing connections configured to connect the multiple tubes according to steps of a procedure.
7. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the tubing includes a patient line that is connected to the patient after the pumping is stopped.
8. The medical system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine whether one of a patient drain procedure and a patient fill procedure needs to be performed once the patient line is connected to a patient.
9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the signal indicating a pressure increase inside the tubing occurs when air has been purged substantially from the tubing.
10. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the filter is attached: (i) to a tip protector located at the end of the tubing; (ii) to a connector located at the end of the tubing; or (iii) to the tubing through a process selected from the group consisting of: sonic sealing and heat sealing.
11. A medical system comprising:
a liquid pump;
tubing in communication with the pump and connected at one end to a body, the body including a hydrophobic filter that allows air but not liquid to escape from an end of the tubing; and
at least one processor that operates with the liquid pump to:
pump liquid through the tubing,
receive a signal indicating a pressure increase inside the tubing, and
cause the pumping to stop upon receiving the signal.
12. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the tubing including multiple tubes, and wherein the body includes multiple connections for the tubes, the connections arranged according to steps of a procedure.
13. The medical system of claim 12, wherein the filter is fitted to a patient line tubing connection of the body.
14. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the filter is positioned so that liquid backing up against the filter causes the pressure increase inside the tubing.
15. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform at least one procedure selected from the group consisting of: (i) urge a patient line connection with the patient after the pumping is stopped; and (ii) sense whether one of a patient drain procedure and a patient fill procedure needs to be performed once the patient line is connected to the patient.
16. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the body is a tip protector located at the end of the tubing or a connector located at the end of the tubing.
17. A medical system comprising:
a body, a drain line, a supply line and a patient line;
a hydrophobic filter located at an end of the patient line, the filter allowing air but not liquid to escape from the end of the patient line;
a liquid pump; and
at least one processor that operates with the pump to:
pump liquid through at least the patient line,
receive a signal indicating a pressure increase inside the patient line, and
cause the pumping to stop when air has been purged substantially from the tubing.
18. The medical system of claim 17, wherein the filter is attached: (i) to a tip protector located at the end of the patient line; (ii) to a connector located at the end of the patient line; or (iii) to the patient line through a process selected from the group consisting of: sonic sealing and heat sealing.
19. The medical system of claim 17, which includes a body having a drain line connection, a supply line connection and a patient line connection, the end of the patient line connected to the patient line connection, the filter fitted with the patient line connection.
20. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the signal indicating a pressure increase inside the patient line occurs when air has been purged substantially from the patient line.