Dialysis system with flow regulation device
First Claim
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1. A dialysis system comprising:
- a dialysis machine with a variable fluid demand including at least a lower demand and a higher demand;
a purified water source in fluid communication with the dialysis machine and providing purified water to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate; and
a flow regulation device comprising a closed volume having a cross-sectional area larger than that of its purified water inlet and purified water outlet, the inlet in fluid communication with the purified water source, the outlet in fluid communication with the dialysis machine, the flow regulation device including a compliant material in sealed communication with the purified water inlet and the purified water outlet such that the purified water contacts the compliant material without passing through the compliant material, the compliant material operable to expand and contract to provide a variable internal volume, and wherein the compliant material of the flow regulation device expands when the dialysis machine has the lower demand and contracts when the dialysis machine has the higher demand.
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Abstract
A dialysis system includes a dialysis machine with a variable fluid demand including at least a lower demand and a higher demand. A fluid source is in fluid communication with the dialysis machine and provides fluid to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate. A flow regulation device includes a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid source and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the dialysis machine. The flow regulation device is operable to expand and contract to provide a variable internal volume. The flow regulation device expands when the dialysis machine has the lower demand and contracts when the dialysis machine has the higher demand.
117 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A dialysis system comprising:
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a dialysis machine with a variable fluid demand including at least a lower demand and a higher demand; a purified water source in fluid communication with the dialysis machine and providing purified water to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate; and a flow regulation device comprising a closed volume having a cross-sectional area larger than that of its purified water inlet and purified water outlet, the inlet in fluid communication with the purified water source, the outlet in fluid communication with the dialysis machine, the flow regulation device including a compliant material in sealed communication with the purified water inlet and the purified water outlet such that the purified water contacts the compliant material without passing through the compliant material, the compliant material operable to expand and contract to provide a variable internal volume, and wherein the compliant material of the flow regulation device expands when the dialysis machine has the lower demand and contracts when the dialysis machine has the higher demand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A dialysis system comprising:
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a dialysis machine with a variable fluid demand including at least a lower demand and a higher demand; a fluid source in fluid communication with the dialysis machine and providing fluid to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate; and a flow regulation device comprising a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the dialysis fluid source and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the dialysis machine, wherein the flow regulation device contains a gas that contacts the fluid from the fluid source and provides a gas volume, and wherein the flow regulation device is configured to discharge gas from the flow regulation device and/or intake gas into the flow regulation device to regulate the gas volume to provide a variable fluid volume, the flow regulation device providing a maximum fluid volume between 25 mL and 200 mL, wherein the gas volume decreases when the dialysis machine has the lower demand and increases when the dialysis machine has the higher demand. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A dialysis system comprising:
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a dialysis machine; a dialysate production unit housed in the dialysis machine; a purified water source in fluid communication with the dialysate production unit and providing fluid to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate; a controller provided with the dialysis machine and configured to control a variable fluid demand of the dialysate production unit; and a flow control mechanism including a closed volume having a cross-sectional diameter larger than its inlet and outlet diameters and including a compliant material, the flow control mechanism located between the purified water source and the dialysate production unit for storing purified water to help satisfy the variable fluid demand of the dialysate production unit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A dialysis system comprising:
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a dialysis machine with a variable fluid demand including at least a lower demand and a higher demand; a purified water source in fluid communication with the dialysis machine and providing purified water to the dialysis machine at a fluid flow rate, the dialysis machine producing dialysate from the purified water; and a flow regulation device including a closed volume having a cross-sectional area larger than that of its purified water inlet and purified water outlet, the inlet in fluid communication with the purified water source, the flow regulation device including a compliant material in sealed communication with the purified water inlet and the purified water outlet such that the purified water contacts the compliant material, the contacting of the purified water performed without passing through the compliant material, the compliant material operable to expand and contract to provide a variable internal water volume, and wherein the variable internal water volume increases when the dialysis machine has the lower demand and the variable internal water volume decreases when the dialysis machine has the higher demand. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification