1. A catheter for use in a tissue treatment site, the catheter comprising:
a. a first conductive member comprising an outer surface, a lumen capable of transporting fluids along a length of the first conductive member, an opening through the first conductive member allowing fluid communication between the lumen and the outer surface of the first conductive member, a proximal insulated portion, and a distal uninsulated portion;
b. a proximal second conductive member section having an exterior surface comprising an uninsulated distal portion forming a portion of an exterior surface of the catheter and surrounding the insulated portion of the first conductive member; and
c. a semi-permeable membrane having an exterior surface attached to the first conductive member and extending across the opening to regulate fluid passage through the first conductive member, wherein the exterior surface of the proximal second conductive member and the exterior surface of the semi-permeable membrane are co-planar;
d. a first conductor in electrical communication with the first conductive member; and
e. a second conductor in electrical communication with the second conductive member;
wherein when the catheter is inserted into a patient tissue treatment site, electrical current supplied to one of the first or second conductive members passes from the uninsulated portion of the first or second conductive member, through the patient tissue, and to the uninsulated portion of the other of the first or second conductive member to electroporate the tissue at the tissue treatment site; and,
wherein the semi-permeable membrane provides the external surface of a fluid collection chamber within the catheter, which in turn permits therapeutic fluid to pass into and through the lumen of the catheter, to the fluid collection chamber, through the semi-permeable membrane, and into the tissue treatment site.
2. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are in electrical communication with a power source allowing a controlled electric current to flow between the uninsulated portions of the first conductive member and the second conductive member.
3. The catheter of claim 1 wherein when positive fluid pressure is applied to the lumen of the first conductive member, fluid within the lumen will flow out of the lumen through the semi-permeable membrane.
4. The catheter of claim 1 wherein when neutral or less pressure is applied to the lumen of the first conductive member, fluid external to the catheter is drawn through the semi-permeable membrane and into the lumen.
5. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the catheter is sufficiently rigid and sharp to allow the catheter to be introduced into a patient through a skin of the patient without the use of another device.
6. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the semi-permeable membrane extends distally from the uninsulated distal portion of the proximal second conductive member section, and the uninsulated distal portion of the first conductive member extends distally from the semi-permeable membrane.
7. The catheter of claim 6 further comprising an uninsulated distal second hollow conductive member section surrounding the distal portion of the first conductive member and in electrical communication with the distal portion of the first conductive member.
8. The catheter of claim 7 wherein the proximal second conductive member section is proximal to the semi-permeable membrane and wherein the uninsulated distal second hollow conductive member section is distal to the semi-permeable membrane.
9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the uninsulated distal portion of the proximal second conductive member section, the semi-permeable membrane, and the uninsulated distal second hollow conductive member section form an exterior surface of the catheter.
10. The catheter of claim 6 wherein when the catheter is inserted into a patient tissue, electrical current supplied to either the uninsulated portion of the first conductive member or the proximal second conductive member section, the electrical current passes through the patient tissue, and to the other or the uninsulated portion of the first conductive member or the proximal second conductive member to electroporate the tissue.
11. The catheter of claim 6 wherein the fluid collection chamber is formed between the outer surface of the first conductive member and the semi-permeable membrane to allow the collection of fluid prior to exiting through the semi-permeable membrane when positive fluid pressure is applied to the lumen.
12. The catheter of claim 6 wherein the fluid collection chamber is formed between the outer surface of the first conductive member and the semi-permeable membrane such that when neutral or less pressure is applied to the lumen, fluid external to the catheter is drawn through the semi-permeable membrane, into the fluid collection chamber, through the opening and into the lumen.
13. A catheter according to claim 1 wherein the catheter is adapted for use in a procedure that comprises first infusing the treatment site with the fluid, followed by then delivering an electric signal in order to electoporate the tissue.
14. A catheter according to claim 1 wherein the catheter is adapted for use in a procedure that comprises simultaneously infusing the treatment site with the fluid and impressing an electric signal in order to electoporate the tissue.
15. A catheter according to claim 1 wherein the therapeutic fluid is delivered to the fluid collection chamber under positive pressure through the catheter lumen.
16. A catheter according to claim 1 wherein an electric signal is impressed upon the tissue having a voltage differential of less than 1 to 2000 mVcm2.
17. A catheter according to claim 1 wherein the catheter further comprises means for permitting the aspiration of fluid from the tissue site.
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 bird feeder comprising:
a seed reservoir having a feed port therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir;
a perch positioned adjacent the feed port and extending outwardly from the reservoir wall; and
an adjustable port element rotatable with respect to the reservoir wall, said adjustable port element configured to rotate between a first position in which the port element allows birds to access feed through a feed port only while hanging upside down from the perch, and a second position in which the port element allows birds to access feed while standing in an upright position on the perch.
2. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjustable port element rotates in a plane that is generally parallel with the reservoir wall.
3. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjustable port element is coupled to said perch.
4. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjustable port element is movably coupled to said perch.
5. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 3, wherein said coupling between the adjustable port element and the perch is fixed.
6. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 3, wherein said perch is fixed with respect to the reservoir wall.
7. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said seed reservoir side wall has at least a first feed port and a second feed port therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir, said first and second feed ports being spaced apart and in generally vertical alignment with one another.
8. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 7, wherein the perch is fixed and extends outwardly from a perch base supported on the reservoir wall, said perch base being between, vertically aligned with, and generally equally spaced away from said first and second feed ports.
9. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 8, wherein the adjustable port element includes a mounting end rotatable around said perch and a second end distal from said mounting end, said second end having a blocking structure that prevents access to said first feed port or said second feed port as the adjustable port element is rotated around the perch.
10. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 9, wherein the blocking structure includes a covering member positioned over said feed port to be blocked and a locking member associated with said covering member, said locking member configured to be received into the feed port to be blocked and secured to the reservoir side wall, said locking member when secured within said feed port preventing rotation of said adjustable port element.
11. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the perch is positioned above a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position, and said perch being positioned below a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position.
12. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 11, wherein the feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position is the same feed port that provides birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position.
13. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 11, wherein the feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the first position, and a feed port providing birds with access to seed in the reservoir when the adjustable port element is in the second position are two different feed ports.
14. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein rotating the adjustable port element between said first and second positions requires that the adjustable port element be rotated about 180 degrees.
15. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjustable port element includes a mounting end rotatable around said perch and a second end having a blocking structure that prevents access to a feed port positioned adjacent the blocking structure.
16. A bird feeder comprising:
a seed reservoir having a side wall with at least two feed ports therein through which birds can access seed held within the reservoir, said two feed ports being spaced apart and in generally vertical alignment with one another;
a perch extending outwardly from a perch base supported on the reservoir wall, said perch base being between, vertically aligned with, and generally equally spaced away from the two feed ports; and
an adjustable port element rotatable with respect to the reservoir wall, said adjustable port element configured to rotate between a first position in which the port element allows birds to access feed through a feed port only while hanging upside down from the perch, and a second position in which the port element allows birds to access feed while standing right side up on the perch.
17. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 16, wherein said two feed ports, said perch and said adjustable port element form a feeding station, said bird feeder having a plurality of feeding stations spaced from one another on the reservoir side wall.
18. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 17, wherein said reservoir is an elongated cylindrical tube having a plurality of feeding stations positioned in spaced relationship from one another along and around said tube, said plurality of feeding stations including a first feeding station on a first side of the reservoir and a second feeding station on a second side of the reservoir, the second side being opposite the first side, said first and second feeding stations being in substantially horizontal alignment with one another.
19. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 18, wherein a single elongated perch member extends across an interior of the reservoir and through opposing apertures formed in the reservoir side wall, said elongated perch member having a first end protruding on the first side and a second end protruding on the second side, said first and second ends forming perches for the first and second feeding stations, respectively.
20. The bird feeder as set forth in claim 18, wherein said plurality of feeding stations includes a third feeding station and a fourth feeding station respectively positioned on opposite sides of the reservoir, said opposite sides being different from said first and second sides of the reservoir, said third and fourth feeding stations being spaced below and around the reservoir tube to be approximately 90\xb0 out from the first and second feeding stations.