Portable dialysis machine with improved reservoir heating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9358331-B2
Application number	US-201213726457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2012
Priority date	Sep 13, 2007
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

The specification discloses a portable dialysis machine having a detachable controller unit and base unit with an improved reservoir heating system. The controller unit includes a door having an interior face, a housing with a panel, where the housing and panel define a recessed region configured to receive the interior face of the door, and a manifold receiver fixedly attached to the panel. The base unit has a reservoir with an internal pan and external pan, separated by a space that holds a heating element. The heating element is electrically coupled to electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the external pan.

First claim

We claim:

1. A dialysis machine having a reservoir unit wherein said reservoir unit comprises:
a first housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a first volume adapted to hold a fluid therein;
a second housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a second volume adapted to house the first housing with a space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing, wherein said first housing is fused to said second housing;
a heating element, configured to generate heat, positioned within the space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing; and
a first plurality of electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the second housing and electrically coupled to the heating element.

2. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein said heating element is a heating pad and wherein said heating pad is rated in a range from 300 W to 600 W.

3. The dialysis machine of claim 2 , wherein said heating pad is configured to heat from 1 to 6 liters of a fluid, located within said first volume, to a temperature within a range of 36 to 39 degrees C. within 15 to 45 minutes.

4. The dialysis machine of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the second housing are electrically coupled to the heating element by wires that extend from the heating element through the second housing and into the electrical contacts.

5. The dialysis machine of claim 4 , wherein said heating element is a heating pad and wherein said heating pad is rated in a range from 300 W to 600 W.

6. A dialysis machine having a reservoir unit wherein said reservoir unit comprises:
a first housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a first volume adapted to hold a fluid therein;
a second housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a second volume adapted to house the first housing with a space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing, wherein at least one of said first housing and second housing is a pan and wherein at least one of the first volume and second volume has a shape of a cuboid, right rectangular prism, rectangular prism, or rectangular parallelepiped;
a heating element, configured to generate heat, positioned within the space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing; and
a first plurality of electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the second housing and electrically coupled to the heating element.

7. The dialysis machine of claim 6 , wherein said heating pad is configured to heat from 1 to 6 liters of a fluid, located within said first volume, to a temperature within a range of 36 to 39 degrees C. within 15 to 45 minutes.

8. The dialysis machine of claim 6 wherein said first housing is fused to said second housing.

9. The dialysis machine of claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the second housing are electrically coupled to the heating element by wires that extend from the heating element through the second housing and into the electrical contacts.

10. A dialysis machine comprising:
a reservoir unit, wherein said reservoir unit comprises:
a first housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a first volume adapted to hold a fluid therein;
a second housing having an external surface and an internal surface and defining a second volume adapted to house the first housing with a space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing;
a heating element, configured to generate heat, positioned within the space between the external surface of the first housing and the internal surface of the second housing; and
a first plurality of electrical contacts attached to the external surface of the second housing and electrically coupled to the heating element;

a base unit, having a length extending from a front of the base unit to the back of the base unit, wherein the base unit comprises a support point; and
a first internal frame connected to said support point, wherein said first internal frame comprises a plate having a second plurality of electrical contact elements connected to a power supply of the dialysis machine and at least two first tracks, with each first track physically coupled to said plate and extending across the length of the base unit.

11. The dialysis machine of claim 10 wherein said second housing comprises a plurality of top edges and wherein linear extensions perpendicularly extend from at least two of said top edges.

12. The dialysis machine of claim 11 wherein said reservoir unit is installed in said dialysis machine by sliding said linear extensions onto said first tracks until a predefined insertion point.

13. The dialysis machine of claim 12 wherein, upon the reservoir unit sliding on said first tracks and reaching said predefined insertion portion, the first plurality of electrical contact elements electrically couples with said second plurality of electrical contact elements.

14. The dialysis machine of claim 12 , wherein each of said at least two first tracks comprises a positioning tab demarcating a drop off section and wherein said reservoir unit drops off of said tracks and into place when fully inserted into said reservoir unit support structure.

15. The dialysis machine of claim 10 wherein said first internal frame is only physically coupled to the base unit through the support point.

16. The dialysis machine of claim 10 wherein the support point comprises a flexure assembly, wherein said flexure assembly is adapted to measure a weight of contents located within said first volume.

17. The dialysis machine of claim 10 , wherein said base unit further comprises a top member attached to a second internal frame, said second internal frame comprising at least two second tracks, with each second track extending across the length of the base unit.

18. The dialysis machine of claim 17 , wherein said second tracks are configured to suspend a ceiling element, said ceiling element comprising:
a lining bag configured to rest in a reservoir unit and hold a liquid;
at least one first tube for drawing said liquid from said reservoir unit; and
at least one second tube for returning said liquid to said reservoir unit.

19. The dialysis machine of claim 10 , further comprising a door on a front of said base unit, wherein said door is configured to fold upward to close and fold downward to open.

Assignees

• Fresenius Med Care Hldg Inc

Inventors

• Fulkerson Barry Neil
• Huang Alec
• Kelly Brian Thomas
• Nolan Tam

Classifications

• A61M1/3656

  Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections · CPC title

• A61M1/1696

  with dialysate regeneration · CPC title

• A61M2205/14

  Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus · CPC title

• A61M5/14232 Primary

  Roller pumps · CPC title

• A61M2205/13

  with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor · CPC title