Valve system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10197180-B2
Application number	US-201615146509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2016
Priority date	Jan 12, 2009
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

The present specification is directed to a valve that has an orifice closing member adjacent to an orifice through which fluid can flow, a displacement member having a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion is adjacent to the orifice closing member when the valve is in an open position, a first magnet and a second magnet where the first and second magnets are sufficiently proximate to the displacement member to exert a magnetic force on the displacement member, and an actuator for generating a magnetic field to move the displacement member toward the first magnet, cause the first portion to press against the orifice closing member, and cause the orifice closing member to close the orifice.

First claim

I claim:

1. A valve system to control fluid flow through a fluid pathway in a disposable manifold, wherein the disposable manifold is configured to be inserted into a kidney dialysis system, the valve system having a first stable state and a second stable state and comprising:
a valve seat positioned in the disposable manifold, wherein the disposable manifold comprises blood flow paths and dialysate flow paths;
a orifice closing member positioned in the disposable manifold opposite the valve seat, wherein the valve seat and orifice closing member define an orifice;
a displacement member positioned in the kidney dialysis system and external to the disposable manifold; and
a first magnet and a second magnet proximate the displacement member and positioned in the kidney dialysis system and external to the disposable manifold;
wherein an input of energy modulates magnetic fields of the first magnet and the second magnet, which causes the displacement member to move in a direction towards the valve seat in the disposable manifold to effectuate the first state and in a direction away from the valve seat in the disposable manifold to effectuate the second state, and wherein maintenance of the first or the second state does not require energy input.

2. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the orifice is closed to fluid flow when the valve system is in the first state and wherein the orifice is open to fluid flow when the valve system is in the second state.

3. The valve system of claim 2 , wherein the orifice closing member comprises a compressible material.

4. The valve system of claim 3 , wherein the movement of the displacement member compresses the compressible material toward the valve seat and into the orifice when the valve system is in the first state.

5. The valve system of claim 3 , wherein the movement of the displacement member causes the compressible material to expand away from the valve seat and out of the orifice when the valve system is in the second state.

6. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the displacement member presses against the orifice closing member to cause the orifice closing member to compress against the valve seat when the valve system is in the first state.

7. The valve system of claim 1 , comprising a separation between the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet generate a magnetic field in the separation, and wherein the magnetic field has a direction.

8. The valve system of claim 7 , wherein the valve system further comprises an actuator capable of generating an electromagnetic force, wherein the electromagnetic force reverses the direction of the magnetic field.

9. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet and the second magnet provide a bearing surface for movement of the displacement member.

10. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet, having a first pole, is larger than the second magnet, having a second pole.

11. The valve system of claim 10 , wherein the first pole and the second pole repel each other and wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are configured to have the first pole and the second pole face each other.

12. A kidney dialysis system having a disposable manifold removably inserted therein, wherein the disposable manifold comprises an orifice positioned within a fluid pathway, wherein the disposable manifold comprises blood flow paths and dialysate flow paths and wherein the orifice is defined by a valve seat on one side and a compressible material on an opposing side, the kidney dialysis system further comprising:
a moveable displacement member positioned in the kidney dialysis system and outside the disposable manifold and configured to move in a direction towards the disposable manifold in a first state and in a direction away from the disposable manifold in a second state, wherein the movement of the displacement member is effectuated by a first magnet and a second magnet, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet generate a magnetic field, wherein an input of energy modulates the magnetic field, and wherein maintenance of the first state or the second state does not require energy input.

13. The kidney dialysis system of claim 12 , wherein the orifice in the fluid pathway is closed to fluid flow when the displacement member is in the first state and wherein the orifice in the fluid pathway is open to fluid flow when the displacement member is in the second state.

14. The kidney dialysis system of claim 12 wherein the movement of the displacement member in a direction towards the disposable manifold compresses the compressible material into the orifice when the displacement member is in the first state.

15. The kidney dialysis system of claim 12 wherein the movement of the displacement member in a direction away from the disposable manifold causes the compressible material to expand out of the orifice when the displacement member moves from the first state to the second state.

16. The kidney dialysis system of claim 12 wherein the compressible material compresses against the valve seat positioned in the disposable manifold when the displacement member is in the first state.

17. The kidney dialysis system of claim 12 , wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are separated by a space, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet generate a magnetic field in the space, and wherein the magnetic field has a direction.

18. The kidney dialysis system of claim 17 , further comprising an actuator configured to generate an electromagnetic force, wherein the electromagnetic force is adapted to reverses the direction of the magnetic field.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Smith Mark Forrest

Classifications

• F16K31/082 Primary

  using a electromagnet and a permanent magnet · CPC title

• Y10T137/8242

  Electrical · CPC title

• A61M1/16

  with membranes · CPC title

• A61M2205/128

  with incorporated valves · CPC title