Reservoir status lights indicating status of corresponding reservoirs for extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052425-B2
Application number	US-201414774004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

Extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus with reservoir status lights and methods of monitoring reservoir status using the same are described. The extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus include a plurality of reservoir scales ( 30 ), each of which is configured to weigh a reservoir ( 32 ) used in connection with the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus. A plurality of reservoir status lights ( 40 ) are provided, with one or more of the reservoir status lights ( 40 ) associated with one of the reservoir scales ( 30 ). The one or more reservoir status lights ( 40 ) associated with one of the reservoir scales ( 30 ) emit light from a location that is closer to their associated reservoir scale than to any other reservoir scale of the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising a front face and a bottom end;
one or more pumps located on or in the housing, wherein the one or more pumps are configured to move blood and a treatment solution during extracorporeal blood treatment, wherein the one or more pumps are located above the bottom end of the housing;
a plurality of reservoir scales positioned proximate the bottom end of the housing, wherein each reservoir scale of the plurality of reservoir scales is configured to weigh a reservoir operably attached to the reservoir scale, wherein the reservoir is positioned below the bottom end of the housing, and wherein the plurality of reservoir scales comprises at least a first reservoir scale and a second reservoir scale;
a plurality of reservoir status lights, wherein each reservoir status light of the plurality of reservoir status lights is associated with one reservoir scale of the plurality of reservoir scales, and wherein the plurality of reservoir status lights comprises a first reservoir status light associated with the first reservoir scale and a second reservoir status light associated with the second reservoir scale, and further wherein the first reservoir status light emits light from a location that is closer to the first reservoir scale than the second reservoir scale;
a control unit operably attached to the one or more pumps, the plurality of reservoir scales, and the plurality of reservoir status lights, wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive a weight signal from each reservoir scale of the plurality of reservoir scales, wherein the weight signal from each reservoir scale is indicative of a weight of a reservoir operably attached to the reservoir scale;
make a determination that a reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale has passed a first selected weight limit at least partially based on the weight signal received from the first reservoir scale;
change a mode of light emitted by the first reservoir status light after making the determination that the first reservoir scale has passed the first selected weight limit;
make a determination that a reservoir operably attached to the second reservoir scale has passed a second selected weight limit at least partially based on the weight signal received from the second reservoir scale;
change a mode of light emitted by the second reservoir status light after making the determination that the second reservoir scale has passed the second selected weight limit;
make a determination that the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale has not passed the first selected weight limit;
cause the first reservoir status light to emit light of a first color when the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale has not passed the first selected weight limit;
make a determination that the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the second reservoir scale has not passed the second selected weight limit;
cause the second reservoir status light to emit light of a second color when the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the second reservoir scale has not passed the second selected weight limit, wherein the first color and the second color are different colors.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir status light is located on the first reservoir scale and the second reservoir status light is located on the second reservoir scale.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir status light is located on the housing proximate the first reservoir scale and the second reservoir status light is located on the housing proximate the second reservoir scale.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir scale comprises a loading position in which the first reservoir scale is configured to receive a reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale, and an operating position in which the first reservoir scale is configured to weigh a reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale during operation of the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, and wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first reservoir status light to emit light in an operating mode when the first reservoir scale is in the operating position.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is configured to cause the first reservoir status light to emit light in a loading mode when the first reservoir scale is not in the operating position.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a first passive color indicator on the housing and/or the first reservoir scale, wherein the first passive color indicator matches the first color emitted by the first reservoir status light when the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the first reservoir scale has not passed the first selected weight limit, and wherein the apparatus comprises a second passive color indicator on the second reservoir scale, wherein the second passive color indicator matches the second color emitted by the second reservoir status light when the weight of liquid in the reservoir operably attached to the second reservoir scale has not passed the second selected weight limit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein changing the mode of light emitted by the first reservoir status light after making the determination that the first reservoir scale has passed the first selected weight limit comprises causing the first reservoir status light to vary the intensity of light emitted by the first reservoir status light.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein changing the mode of light emitted by the first reservoir status light after making the determination that the first reservoir scale has passed the first selected weight limit comprises causing the first reservoir status light to change the color of light emitted by the first reservoir status light.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein changing the mode of light emitted by the second reservoir status light after making the determination that the second reservoir scale has passed the second selected weight limit comprises causing the second reservoir status light to vary the intensity of light emitted by the second reservoir status light.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein changing the mode of light emitted by the second reservoir status light after making the determination that the second reservoir scale has passed the second selected weight limit comprises causing the second reservoir status light to change the color of light emitted by the second reservoir status light.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a display screen operably connected to the control unit and an ambient light sensor operably connected to the control unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to reduce the intensity of light emitted from the display screen when ambient light detected by the ambient light sensor is below a selected ambient light threshold.

12. A method of monitoring reservoir status in an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus that comprises one or more pumps located on or in a housing that are configured to move blood and a treatment solution during extracorporeal blood treatment, a first reservoir scale and a second reservoir scale positioned proximate a bottom end of the housing, and a first reservoir status light associated with the first reservoir scale and a second reservoir status light associated with the second reservoir scale, the method compri

Assignees

• Gambro Lundia Ab

Inventors

• O'Mahony John

Classifications

• G01G19/14

  for weighing suspended loads (G01G3/00 takes precedence; incorporation of weighing devices in cranes B66C1/40, B66C13/16) · CPC title

• A61M1/34

  Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration · CPC title

• G01G17/04

  for weighing fluids, e.g. gases, pastes · CPC title

• A61M1/14 Primary

  Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators (semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00){; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis} · CPC title

• G01F23/20

  by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas · CPC title