Dialysis system having an autoconnection mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11730868-B2
Application number	US-201916399359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	Jul 5, 2007
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

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 having a sharp piercing tip;
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 housing, causing the tubing connector to contact the spike of the at least one port, and spiking the tubing connector to access the fluid supply, wherein the autoconnection device includes at least one pneumatically actuated device in mechanical communication with the shuttle, wherein the spike is configured and arranged to cause a connection between at least one sterilized portion of the spike and a plurality of stepped portions of the tubing connector before spiking the tubing connector, wherein the plurality of stepped portions includes a middle portion having a smaller inner diameter relative to other stepped portions of the tubing connector; and
a controller programmed to operate the at least one pneumatically actuated device 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 at least one pneumatically actuated device incudes a pneumatic cylinder.

3. The dialysis system of claim 2 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder includes a return spring.

4. The dialysis system of claim 2 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder is double-acting.

5. The dialysis system of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle is in mechanical communication with at least one traveling rod portion of the pneumatic cylinder.

6. The dialysis system of claim 5 , wherein the shuttle is mounted on the at least one traveling rod portion of the pneumatic cylinder.

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 a 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 10 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

12. The dialysis system of claim 10 , 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 a 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 tubing connector is provided with a cap, and wherein the controller is programmed to operate a 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 at least one tubing connector and (ii) towards the disposable fluid pumping cassette to cause the spike to spike one of the at least one tubing 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 port comprises a shroud, the spike recessed within the shroud.

17. A dialysis system comprising:
a disposable fluid pumping cassette including a flexible membrane attached to a housing and a port extending from the housing, the port including a spike having a sharp piercing tip;
a dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with a tubing and tubing connector;
an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the tubing and the tubing connector towards the housing, causing the tubing connector to contact the spike of the port, and spiking the tubing connector to access the fluid supply, wherein the autoconnection device includes a pneumatically actuated device in mechanical communication with the shuttle, wherein the spike is configured and arranged to cause a connection between at least one sterilized portion of the spike and a plurality of stepped portions of the tubing connector before spiking the tubing connector, wherein the plurality of stepped portions includes a middle portion having a smaller inner diameter relative to other stepped portions of the tubing connector; and
a controller programmed to operate the pneumatically actuated device to move the tubing connector towards the spike of the port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.

18. The dialysis system of claim 17 , wherein the pneumatically actuated device incudes a pneumatic cylinder.

19. The dialysis system of claim 18 , wherein the pneumatic cylinder includes a return spring.

20. The dialysis system of claim 17 , wherein the shuttle is in mechanical communication with at least one traveling rod portion of the pneumatic cylinder.

21. The dialysis system of claim 17 , wherein the port comprises a shroud, the spike recessed within the shroud.

Assignees

• Baxter Int
• Baxter Healthcare Sa
• 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

• A61M1/1601

  Control or regulation · CPC title

• A61M1/1621

  Constructional aspects thereof (semi-permeable membranes for separation processes characterised by their properties B01D69/00; semi permeable membranes characterised by their material B01D71/00) · CPC title

• A61M5/162

  Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube {; Connections between reservoir and tube (in jet-action syringes A61M5/30; connectors for tubes having sealed ends and a needle for piercing them A61M39/14)} · CPC title

• A61M5/1626

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