Integrated cross contamination sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524104-B2
Application number	US-201916523563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2019
Priority date	Jul 26, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

In some embodiments, a medical system includes a dialysis machine having at least one outer surface to be disinfected at a given location, at least one disinfection sensor connected to the dialysis machine at the given location, the disinfection sensor including two or more electrode in fluid contact with the outside surface of the dialysis machine, and a conductivity sensor component in electrical contact with the two or more electrodes, the conductivity sensor component configured to send an electrical signal indicating a conductivity of a liquid on an outside surface of the dialysis machine and in contact with the two or more electrodes, a processor configured to receive the electrical signal and thereby determine a disinfection status of the given location, and a user interface configured to indicate the disinfection status of the given location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical system, comprising:
a dialysis machine having at least one outside surface to be disinfected at a given location;
at least one disinfection sensor connected to the dialysis machine at the given location, the disinfection sensor comprising:
two or more electrodes in fluid contact with the outside surface of the dialysis machine, and
a conductivity sensor component in electrical contact with the two or more electrodes, the conductivity sensor component configured to send an electrical signal indicating a conductivity of a liquid on the outside surface of the dialysis machine and in contact with the two or more electrodes;

a processor configured to receive the electrical signal and thereby determine a disinfection status of the given location; and
a user interface configured to indicate the disinfection status of the given location.

2. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises determining if the electrical signal indicates the liquid on the outside surface of the dialysis machine is a disinfection fluid.

3. The medical system of claim 2 , wherein determining if the electrical signal indicates the liquid on the outside surface of the dialysis machine is a disinfection fluid comprises comparing the electrical signal to conductivity signals stored in a memory connected to the processor.

4. The medical system of claim 2 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises determining a time interval the disinfection fluid is present on the outside surface of the dialysis machine.

5. The medical system of claim 4 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises comparing the time interval to a threshold time interval.

6. The medical system of claim 2 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises identifying the disinfection fluid present on the outside surface of the dialysis machine.

7. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to alert a user that the dialysis machine needs cleaning.

8. The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising a memory that stores a log of disinfections.

9. The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising a cleanable channel on the outside surface of the dialysis machine that collects a known amount of the liquid.

10. A method comprising:
receiving, at a processor, a signal from a conductivity sensor indicating a conductivity of a liquid on an outside surface of a dialysis machine at a given location and in fluid contact with an electrode of the conductivity sensor;
determining a disinfection status of the outside surface at the given location; and
displaying, on a user interface, the disinfection status of the outside surface at the given location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises determining if the signal indicates the liquid on the outside surface of the dialysis machine is a disinfection fluid.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining if the signal indicates the liquid on the outside surface of the dialysis machine is a disinfection fluid comprises comparing the signal to conductivity signals stored in a memory connected to the processor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises determining a time interval the disinfection fluid is present on the outside surface of the dialysis machine.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises comparing the time interval to a threshold time interval.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the disinfection status of the given location comprises identifying the disinfection fluid present on the outside surface of the dialysis machine.

16. The method of claim 10 , comprising alerting a user that the dialysis machine needs cleaning.

17. The method of claim 10 , comprising storing a log of disinfections in a memory.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh
• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Crnkovich Martin Joseph
• Weaver Colin
• Schlaeper Christian

Classifications

• A61M1/169

  using chemical substances · CPC title

• A61M2205/584

  having a color code · CPC title

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title

• A61M2205/3317

  Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means · CPC title

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title