Tube occluder for occluding collapsible tubes

• US 20050069425A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Gray, Larry B., Lanigan, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,524 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/392
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1649 with pulsatile dialysis fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/267 used for pumping
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362227 the interface providing means for actuating on functional elements of the cassette, e.g. plungers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362261 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362264 the filter being a blood filter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362265 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362266 Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/367 Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/02 Equipment for testing the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/228 with a tubular diaphragm constrictable by radial fluid force
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14224 Diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/067 the fluid being actuated directly by a piston
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/00 Pumps or pumping installations having flexible working members and specially adapted for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/02 having bellows
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/12 : by varying the length of stroke of the working members
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/10 : Valves; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/16 : Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/26 : by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/32 : for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/20 : characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

The present invention involves, in some embodiments, mechanisms and methods of occluding collapsible tubing with an occluder to prevent fluid flow therethrough. In some embodiments, a tube occluding mechanism is disclosed that includes a bendable occluding member for creating a force that can be applied to a collapsible tube to occlude the tube. In some embodiments, the collapsible tube can be an inlet/outlet tube on a removable pumping cartridge that is coupled to a reusable pump drive component when the system is in operation. In such embodiments, the occluding mechanism can be attached to the reusable component and can be used to block fluid flow to and from the pumping cartridge. In some embodiments, the occluding member can comprises a spring plate which can create a force to occlude tubing when in a relaxed, unbent configuration, and which can be bent to unocclude the tubing. In some preferred embodiments, in a default configuration of the tube occluder mechanism (when no external force is applied to the occluding member) the tubes are occluded, so that the tube occluder mechanism provides a fail-safe configuration preventing fluid flow to and from a pumping cartridge to which the tubes can be connected.

Claims

1. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:

an occluding member; and

a force actuator constructed and positioned to bend the occluding member from a first configuration to a second configuration, the occluding member in the first configuration being essentially non-compliant to forces applied to the occluding member by the at least one collapsible tube and the occluding member in the second configuration being compliant with respect to said forces.

2. The occluder of claim 1, wherein said force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force essentially perpendicular to a surface of the occluding member.

3. The occluder of claim 1, wherein said occluding member comprises a spring plate.

4. The occluder of claim 25, wherein said force actuator comprises a bladder disposed adjacent to a surface of the occluding member, which bladder is inflatable by supplying a fluid thereto.

5. The occluder of claim 1, wherein said occluding member is oriented with a longitudinal axis that is essentially perpendicular to a wall of a tube to be occluded.

6. The occluder of claim 1, wherein at least one end of the occluding member is pivotally attached to a support structure.

7. The occluder of claim 6, wherein two ends of the occluding member are pivotally attached to the support structure, and wherein the force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force to a surface of the occluding member such that the force is applied at least one point intermediate said two ends.

8. The occluder of claim 7, wherein one of said two ends is pivotally and slidably connected with an occluder blade that is constructed and positioned to occlude the collapsible tube when the occluding member is not subjected to a bending force, and to open the tube allowing fluid flow therethrough when the occluding member is subjected to a bending force.

9. The occluder of claim 8, wherein upon the occluding member being subjected to a bending force, the occluder blade moves away from contact with said tube in a direction essentially parallel with a longitudinal direction of the occluding member before bending.

10. A pumping system comprising:

a reusable pump drive system that is constructed and arranged for coupling to a disposable pumping cartridge, and

the occluder as recited in claim 1, wherein said occluder is attached to the reusable pump drive system, said reusable pump drive system.

11. The pumping system of claim 10, wherein said at least one collapsible tube is connected in fluid communication with said pumping cartridge.

25. The occluder of claim 1, wherein said force actuator comprises a mechanical actuator.

12-21. -21. (Cancelled)

22. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:

an occluding member; and

a force actuator constructed and positioned to apply a force to the occluding member in a direction having a component parallel to a longitudinal axis of the collapsible tubes wherein a component of said force that is applied to the occluding member along said component of the direction that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the collapsible tube is able to bend the occluding member.

23. The occluder of claim 22, wherein the force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force to the occluding member in a direction that is essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the collapsible tube.

24. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:

only one occluding member; and

a force actuator constructed and positioned to bend the occluding member.

26. The occluder of claim 24, wherein said force actuator comprises a mechanical actuator.

27. The occluder of claim 24, wherein said force actuator is constructed and positioned to apply a force directly to said occluding member.

28. (Cancelled)

29. An occluder for occluding at least one collapsible tube comprising:

an occluding member having an open position and an occluded position; and

a force actuator constructed and positioned to apply a force to the occluding member in a direction having a component different from a direction of motion from the occluded to the open position of a tube occluding portion of the occluding member.

30. The occluder of claim 29, wherein the tube occluding portion of the occluding member comprises an occluder blade that is connected at an end of the occluding member.

31. The occluder of claim 30, wherein the occluder blade that is pivotally and slidably connected at an end of the occluding member.

32. (Cancelled)