Dialysis devices and sensor caps and systems and methods incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11958016-B2
Application number	US-201916456778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

Dialysis devices include a frame defined by a plurality of sidewalls that are impermeable to a sample being dialyzed, a pair of dialysis membranes that are each associated with an opposing face of the plurality of sidewalls such that the plurality of sidewalls and the pair of dialysis membranes define a sample chamber, an outer shell surrounding at least a portion of the pair of dialysis membranes, and a cap selectively associated with the sample chamber. The cap can be selectively associated with the sample chamber via an attachment mechanism that is configured to provide aural and/or haptic feedback when the cap forms a tight association with the sample chamber. The cap can be a sensor cap having one or more probes for measuring at least one property of fluid inside and/or outside the sample chamber and a transmitter for transmitting data captured at the probe(s) to a destination device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a dialysis device, comprising:
a frame comprising a plurality of sidewalls impermeable to a sample being dialyzed;
a pair of dialysis membranes, wherein each dialysis membrane of the pair of dialysis membranes is associated with an opposing face of the plurality of sidewalls such that the plurality of sidewalls and the pair of dialysis membranes define a sample chamber, and wherein a first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defines an access port in fluid communication with the sample chamber; and
an outer shell surrounding at least a portion of the pair of dialysis membranes; and
a sensor cap, comprising:
a body having a closed end;
an attachment mechanism coupled to the body and configured to provide aural and haptic feedback when the sensor cap forms a tight association with the dialysis device by securing over the access port of the dialysis device to seal the sample chamber of the dialysis device formed by the plurality of sidewalls of a frame of the dialysis device and the pair of dialysis membranes, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a channel defined by a sidewall of the sensor cap, the channel configured in size and shape to receive a pin disposed on an exterior surface of the dialysis device, and wherein the sidewall of the sensor cap further defines a pressure ridge configured (i) to resist rotation of the sensor cap about the pin, (ii) to allow the pin to pass into a locking portion of the channel in response to a locking force that causes flexing or deformation of the pressure ridge, and (iii) to release the pin from the locking portion of the channel in response to an unlocking force that causes flexing or deformation of the pressure ridge;
one or more processors;
a probe in electrical communication with the one or more processors, the probe being configured to measure a property of a fluid;
a transmitter; and
a power supply in electrical communication with the one or more processors, the probe, and the transmitter,
wherein the body of the sensor cap forms a fluid-tight seal around a cavity comprising the one or more processors, the transmitter, and the power supply.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls comprises a concave curvature with respect to the sample chamber partially defined thereby and defines the access port in fluid communication with the sample chamber.

Assignees

• Pierce Biotechnology Inc
• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Opperman Kay
• Kaboord Barbara
• Mcbride Aaron
• Nagy Greg
• Klein Sandro
• Geddes Joanna

Classifications

• G01N1/40

  Concentrating samples · CPC title

• B01L3/00

  Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers · CPC title

• B01D63/08

  Flat membrane modules · CPC title

• B01D61/28

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B01D61/24 Primary

  Dialysis {; Membrane extraction} · CPC title