Blood circuit assembly for a hemodialysis system

• US 10,500,327 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2018
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Grant, Kevin L., Dale, James D., Wilt, Michael J., Demers, Jason A., Collins, David E., Tracey, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US15/996,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20180339094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1601 Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1633 with more than one dialyser unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1639 linked by membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1652 Holding or locking systems for the membrane unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1656 Apparatus for preparing dialysates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/166 Heating for sterilisation A61M1/1686
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1668 Details of containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1682 both machine and membrane module, i.e. also the module blood side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1686 by heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1696 with dialysate regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3607 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362266 Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3623 Means for actively controlling temperature of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3627 Degassing devices; Buffer reservoirs; Drip chambers; Blood filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/842 rotating continuously rotating surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/85 with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 : Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 : Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/08 : Supports for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1011 : Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties A61M39/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/105 : Multi-channel connectors or couplings, e.g. for connecting multi-lumen tubes multi-channel connectors in general F16L37/56
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/113 : in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/268 : the displacement member being flexible, e.g. membranes, diaphragms or bladders
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/37 : Haemodialysis, haemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/427 : the force acting on the blood contacting member being hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/523 : using blood flow data, e.g. from blood flow transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/546 : of blood flow, e.g. by adapting rotor speed
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/30 : Accessories; Auxiliary operation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/32 : Controlling or regulating

Abstract

A blood circuit assembly for a dialysis unit may include an organizing tray, a pair of pneumatic pumps mounted to the organizing tray for circulating blood received from a patient through a circuit including a dialyzer unit and returned to the patient, an air trap mounted to the organizing tray arranged to remove air from blood circulating in the circuit, a pair of dialyzer connections arranged to connect to the inlet and outlet of a dialyzer unit, and a pair of blood line connectors, one inlet blood line connector for receiving blood from the patient and providing blood to the pneumatic pumps and the other outlet blood line connector for returning blood to the patient.

Claims

1. A method for replacing a blood circuit assembly of a dialysis unit, comprising:

grasping a pair of handles on an organizing tray of a blood circuit assembly that is mounted to a dialysis unit, the blood circuit assembly including a pair of pneumatic pumps mounted to the organizing tray for circulating blood received from a patient through a circuit including a dialyzer unit and returned to the patient, an air trap mounted to the organizing tray arranged to remove air from blood circulating in the circuit, a pair of dialyzer connections arranged to connect to the inlet and outlet of a dialyzer unit, and a pair of blood line connectors;

disengaging locking tabs of the dialysis unit from the blood circuit assembly to free the blood circuit assembly from the dialysis unit; and

pulling on the handles on the organizing tray of the blood circuit assembly to remove the blood circuit assembly from the dialysis unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of disengaging locking tabs comprises:

flexing the locking tabs away from each other such that each locking tab is moved toward a nearest one of the handles.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a replacement blood circuit assembly for installation on the dialysis unit;

aligning openings in the organizing tray of the replacement blood circuit assembly with the locking tabs so that each locking tab is received into a respective opening; and

pushing the organizing tray relative to the dialysis unit such that the locking tabs engage with the replacement blood circuit assembly to mount the replacement blood circuit assembly to the dialysis unit.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

connecting the dialyzer connections to the inlet and outlet of the dialyzer unit.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

connecting blood line connectors to the dialysis unit to receive dialysate into the circuit.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of pushing the organizing tray comprises:

engaging control ports on a blood pump cassette with corresponding ports on the dialysis unit such that the control ports receive control fluid to control operation of the pneumatic pumps.

7. A method for replacing a blood circuit assembly of a dialysis unit, comprising:

providing an organizing tray and blood circuit assembly mounted to a front panel of a dialysis unit, the blood circuit assembly including a pair of pneumatically actuated blood pumps, an air trap, and tubing for circulating blood between a patient and a dialyzer mounted on the front panel;

disengaging from the blood circuit assembly a pair of locking tabs based on the dialysis unit, the locking tabs positioned on opposite sides of the pair of pneumatically actuated blood pumps, the disengagement performed by pressing the locking tabs away from each other and the blood circuit assembly, freeing the blood circuit assembly from the dialysis unit; and

removing the blood circuit assembly by unplugging it from an array of pneumatic actuation ports on the front panel of the dialysis unit.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly for installation on the dialysis unit;

aligning the replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly with the array of pneumatic actuation ports;

pressing the replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly against the dialysis unit such that pneumatic actuation ports of the pair of blood pumps mate with corresponding ports of the array of pneumatic actuation ports; and

pressing the replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly against the dialysis unit so as to engage the locking tabs engage with the replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the locking tabs comprise spring tabs biased to resiliently engage the organizing tray and blood circuit assembly.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the locking tabs apply a force on the replacement organizing tray and blood circuit assembly to inhibit disengagement of the pneumatic actuation ports of the pair of blood pumps from the corresponding ports of the array of pneumatic ports of the front panel of the dialysis unit.