Dialysis system having an autoconnection mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293091-B2
Application number	US-201615002535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2016
Priority date	Jul 5, 2007
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A dialysis system including a disposable fluid pumping cassette including at least one flexible membrane attached to a housing and at least one port extending from the housing, the at least one port including a spike; at least one dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with at least one tubing and tubing connector; an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port, the autoconnection device including at least one lead screw in mechanical communication with the shuttle, a motor and power transmission equipment to transmit power from the motor to the at least one lead screw; and a controller programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A dialysis system comprising:
a disposable fluid pumping cassette including at least one flexible membrane attached to a housing and at least one port extending from the housing, the at least one port including a spike;
at least one dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with at least one tubing and tubing connector;
an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port, the autoconnection device including at least one lead screw in mechanical communication with the shuttle, a motor and power transmission equipment to transmit power from the motor to the at least one lead screw; and
a controller programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.

2. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the power transmission equipment is configured to operate with the motor to produce a desired speed for moving the shuttle.

3. The dialysis system of claim 2 , wherein the power transmission equipment includes a timing belt in mechanical communication with the motor to produce the desired speed for moving the shuttle.

4. The dialysis system of claim 2 , wherein the power transmission equipment includes a gear reduction in mechanical communication with the motor to produce the desired speed for moving the shuttle.

5. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the lead screw is in threaded communication with the shuttle.

6. The dialysis system of claim 1 , which includes two lead screws in mechanical communication with opposing ends of the shuttle.

7. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle grasps the at least one tubing and tubing connector.

8. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle includes at least one channel for accepting the at least one tubing and tubing connector.

9. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the shuttle includes at least one occluder for occluding the at least one tubing.

10. The dialysis system of claim 1 , which includes a sensor operating with the controller to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port in a desired manner.

11. The dialysis system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

12. The dialysis system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is mounted to and moves with the shuttle.

13. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards and away from the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.

14. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one connector is provided with a cap, and wherein the controller is programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector (i) away from the disposable fluid pumping cassette to remove the cap from the connector and (ii) towards the disposable fluid pumping cassette to cause the spike to spike the connector.

15. The dialysis system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one port is provided with a cap, and wherein the controller is further programmed between (i) and (ii) to (iii) cause a finger to be rotated to remove the cap from the at least one port.

16. The dialysis system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lead screw is a ballscrew that operates using ball bearings.

Assignees

• Baxter Int
• Baxter Healthcare Sa

Inventors

• Childers Robert W
• Lee Patrick
• Kopychev Andrey
• Reitz Douglas
• Roger Rodolfo
• Steck John E

Classifications

• 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

• A61M2205/12

  with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit · CPC title

• A61M39/165

  Shrouds or protectors for aseptically enclosing the connector · CPC title

• A61M5/1626

  Needle protectors therefor (in combination with syringes A61M5/3202; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title