Dialysis machine with servicing indicator

• US 20060265180A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B. Braun Medizintechnologie GmbH (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: B. Braun Medizintechnologie GmbH (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Schin, G. Robert, Moll, Stefan, Dolgos, Sandor
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/177
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes

Abstract

A dialysis machine includes means for monitoring an elapsed time and a number of accumulated operating hours for the machine during a current servicing interval. The machine is equipped with means for executing a machine-servicing algorithm on at least the elapsed time and the accumulated operating hours, to generate a projected servicing interval duration. A servicing event indicator displays servicing event schedule information based on the projected servicing interval duration. A transfusion pump, similarly equipped, is also provided.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine comprising means for monitoring an elapsed time and a number of accumulated operating hours for the machine during a current servicing interval, calculating means for executing a machine-servicing algorithm on at least the elapsed time and the accumulated operating hours to generate a projected servicing interval duration, and a servicing event indicator comprising means to display servicing event schedule information based on the projected servicing interval duration.

2. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the projected servicing interval duration is equal to an extrapolated time to reach a predetermined operating hours limit, provided however that the duration must not be less than a predetermined lower time limit and not more than a predetermined upper time limit.

3. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is adapted to additionally operate on the time-in-service of the dialysis machine.

4. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the algorithm is adapted to additionally operate on the total number of operating hours accumulated during all servicing intervals to date.

5. The dialysis machine of claim 1, further comprising means for monitoring a number of accumulated operating hours or a number of actuation events for a component of the machine during a current servicing interval, wherein the calculating means comprises means for executing a component-servicing algorithm on at least the accumulated operating hours or the number of actuation events for the component, thereby generating a projected component servicing interval duration, and wherein the servicing event indicator further comprises means to display servicing event schedule information for the component based on the projected component servicing interval duration.

6. The dialysis machine of claim 5, wherein the calculating means further comprises means for executing the component-servicing algorithm on at least the accumulated operating hours for the component.

7. The dialysis machine of claim 5, wherein the calculating means further comprises means for executing the component-servicing algorithm on at least the number of actuation events for the component.

8. The dialysis machine of claim 5, wherein the means for monitoring the number of accumulated operating hours or the number of actuation events for the component comprises means for monitoring these parameters for each of a plurality of components, and wherein the calculating means comprises means for executing a component-servicing algorithm for each of the plurality of components, thereby generating a projected component servicing interval duration for each.

9. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the display is a visual display.

10. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the servicing event schedule information comprises the date corresponding to the end of the projected servicing interval.

11. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the servicing event schedule information comprises the time remaining in the current scheduling interval in terms of hours, days, or weeks.

12. The dialysis machine of claim 1, wherein the servicing event schedule information comprises the time remaining in the current scheduling interval, indicated as a percent of the projected servicing interval duration.

13. A method of servicing a dialysis machine according to claim 1, the method comprising servicing one or more components or resetting the means for monitoring elapsed time or number of accumulated operating hours on the dialysis machine.

14. A transfusion pump comprising means for monitoring an elapsed time and a number of accumulated operating hours for the pump during a current servicing interval, calculating means for executing a pump-servicing algorithm on at least the elapsed time and the accumulated operating hours to generate a projected servicing interval duration, and a servicing event indicator comprising means to display servicing event schedule information based on the projected servicing interval duration.

15. The transfusion pump of claim 14, wherein the projected servicing interval duration is equal to an extrapolated time to reach a predetermined operating hours limit, provided however that the duration must not be less than a predetermined lower time limit and not more than a predetermined upper time limit.

16. A method of servicing a transfusion pump according to claim 14, the method comprising servicing one or more components or resetting the means for monitoring elapsed time or number of accumulated operating hours on the pump.