Securing connections to dialyzers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257376-B2
Application number	US-202318509944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2023
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

The present teachings include techniques for securing a connection to a dialyzer or the like—e.g., securing the junction between a dialyzer port and a connector (e.g., a DIN connector) that couples the port to tubing of an extracorporeal circuit of a hemodialysis system. To this end, a locking device may engage both a DIN connector and a portion of the dialyzer, such as the cap or an adapter engaged therewith. The locking device may include an interior void sized and shaped to accommodate winged portions (or other portions) of the DIN connector to mitigate rotation thereof relative to the port to which it is engaged. Further, the locking device may be used to ensure that coupling between the DIN connector and the port is proper and secure. In this manner, a locking device can mitigate leaks, which can be catastrophic during a hemodialysis treatment or the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a locking device, comprising:
a housing including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side portion disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface;
a cutout disposed through the housing from the top surface to the bottom surface, the cutout at the bottom surface sized and shaped to accommodate a port of a dialyzer, and the cutout at the top surface sized and shaped to accommodate one or more of (i) an outer diameter of tubing of an extracorporeal circuit of a dialysis system, and (ii) an outer diameter of a first end of a connector configured to couple the tubing to the port of the dialyzer, wherein a second end of the connector is configured to releasably secure the connector to the port of the dialyzer;
an interior void within the side portion between the top surface and the bottom surface of the housing, the interior void having a maximum diameter larger than a maximum width of the cutout, the interior void sized and shaped to accommodate winged portions disposed between the first and second ends of the connector; and
a first engagement portion disposed on the bottom surface of the housing; and

a second engagement portion on an end of the dialyzer that includes the port, the second engagement portion being couplable to the first engagement portion, and when so coupled, the winged portions of the connector are mitigated from rotating relative to the end of the dialyzer thereby securing the connector in a substantially fixed rotational position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are coupled, the winged portions of the connector are disposed within the interior void of the housing of the locking device and prevented by the housing from rotational movement thereof thereby maintaining a position of the connector relative to the end of the dialyzer and securing a junction between the connector and the port of the dialyzer.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second engagement portion is integral with a housing of the dialyzer.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second engagement portion is disposed on a cap of the dialyzer, adjacent to, but separated from, the port.

5. A device for securing a connection to a dialyzer, the device comprising:
a housing including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side portion disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface;
a cutout disposed through the housing from the top surface to the bottom surface, the cutout at the bottom surface sized and shaped to accommodate a port of a dialyzer, and the cutout at the top surface sized and shaped to accommodate one or more of (i) an outer diameter of tubing of an extracorporeal circuit of a dialysis system, and (ii) an outer diameter of a first end of a connector configured to couple the tubing to the port of the dialyzer, wherein a second end of the connector is configured to releasably secure the connector to the port of the dialyzer;
an interior void within the side portion between the top surface and the bottom surface of the housing, the interior void having a maximum diameter larger than a maximum width of the cutout, the interior void sized and shaped to accommodate winged portions disposed between the first and second ends of the connector; and
a first engagement portion disposed on the bottom surface of the housing, the first engagement portion structurally configured to slidably couple to a second engagement portion disposed on an end of the dialyzer that includes the port such that, when coupled, the connector is at least partially disposed within the interior void and the winged portions of the connector are mitigated from rotating relative to the end of the dialyzer thereby securing the connector in a substantially fixed rotational position.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein when the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are coupled, the winged portions of the connector are disposed within the interior void of the housing and prevented by the housing from rotational movement thereof thereby maintaining a position of the connector relative to the end of the dialyzer and securing a junction between the connector and the port of the dialyzer.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein a cross-section of the interior void along a side of the device has substantially the same shape as a cross-section of the connector disposed through the winged portions thereof, and the interior void is structurally configured to slidably receive the winged portions through the side of the device.

8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first engagement portion wholly forms the bottom surface of the housing.

9. The device of claim 5 , further comprising an adapter structurally configured to secure to the end of the dialyzer that includes the port, the adapter including the second engagement portion thereon.

10. The device of claim 9 , further comprising an extension engaged with the adapter, the extension including a mating feature structurally configured to couple with a portion of a dialysis system, wherein the mating feature is adjustable along the extension, and wherein the mating feature includes one or more of a clamp and a clip structurally configured to couple with at least one of a dialysate port and dialysate tubing of the dialysis system.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the adapter has an annular shape structurally configured to be disposed about the port of the dialyzer, and wherein the second engagement portion is disposed at least partially around the annular shape of the adapter.

12. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first engagement portion includes at least one of: a void structurally configured to receive a projection of the second engagement portion, and a projection structurally configured to be received within a void of the second engagement portion.

13. The device of claim 5 , wherein the first engagement portion includes at least one of: a slot structurally configured to slidably receive a rail of the second engagement portion, and a rail structurally configured to be slidably received by a slot of the second engagement portion.

14. The device of claim 5 , wherein the second engagement portion is disposed on a cap of the dialyzer, adjacent to, but separated from, the port.

15. The device of claim 5 , wherein one or more of the cutout, the interior void, and the first engagement portion is structurally configured to prevent at least one of coupling with the second engagement portion and receiving the winged portions of the connector within the interior void unless the connector is in a fully seated position within the port of the dialyzer.

16. The device of claim 5 , wherein the connector complies with standards set by the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN) for extracorporeal circuits of dialysis systems.

17. The device of claim 5 , wherein the port of the dialyzer is an inlet port or an outlet port.

18. A method, comprising:
releasably securing a connector to a port of a dialyzer such that the connector is in a predetermined position relative to the port, the connector having one or more winged portions disposed between first and second ends thereof; and
engaging a locking device with at least one of the port and the connector by:
coupling a first engagement portion disposed on a bottom surface of the locking device to a second engagement portion disposed on an end of the dialyzer that includes the port, the second engagement portion separate from the port; and
receiving at least a portion of the one or

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Aguilar Flores Jose Omar
• Suarez Del Real Pena Diego
• Hernandez Gomez Irving Uziel

Classifications

• F16L33/10

  with a substantially-radial tightening member · CPC title

• A61M2039/1038

  Union screw connectors, e.g. hollow screw or sleeve having external threads · CPC title

• A61M2039/1077

  Adapters, e.g. couplings adapting a connector to one or several other connectors · CPC title

• A61M2039/1027

  Quick-acting type connectors · CPC title

• A61M39/1011

  Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence) · CPC title