CONDUCTIVE POLYMER MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF INCLUDING MONITORING AND PROVIDING EFFECTIVE THERAPY

• US 20070117010A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Jensen, Jan, Wariar, Ramesh, Shang, Sherwin, Lamberson, George, Kuhn, David, Lasso, Angel, Castellanos, Raf, Marcquenski, Dan
• Application Number:
  US11/626,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070117010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/163
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1601 Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/287 Dialysates therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3607 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3653 Interfaces between patient blood circulation and extra-corporal blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3656 Monitoring patency or flow at connection sites; Detecting disconnections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3659 Cannulae pertaining to extracorporeal circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3661 for haemodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3669 Electrical impedance measurement of body fluids; transducers specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/367 Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0233 Conductive materials, e.g. antistatic coatings for spark prevention
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/13 with means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. lip sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3324 PH measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 : Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 : Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 : Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 25/01 : specially adapted for realising electrical conduction between the two pipe ends of the joint or between parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/07 : Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/10 : Investigation or analysis specially adapted for controlling or monitoring operations or for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 : Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80

Abstract

A coupler includes a conductive polymer material that is so constructed and arranged to join tubing, wherein the conductive polymer material includes a conductive polymer component selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophenes, polyethylenedioxythiophene, poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and mixtures thereof.

Claims

1. A coupler comprising a conductive polymer material that is so constructed and arranged to join tubing, wherein the conductive polymer material includes a conductive polymer component selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophenes, polyethylenedioxythiophene, poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and mixtures thereof.

2. The coupler of claim 1, which has a generally cylindrical shape with a first opening to receive a first tubing member and a second opening to receive a second tubing member.

3. The coupler of claim 1, which is extruded.

4. The coupler of claim 1, which includes a member that extends from at least a portion of an inner surface of the coupler to allow a length of a tubing joint that is formed with the coupler and the tubing to be pre-set.

5. The coupler of claim 1, which is injection molded.

6. The coupler of claim 1, which is at least one of solvent bondable, heat sealable, laser weldable, and radio frequency sealable to the tubing.

7. A coupler comprising a conductive polymer material that is so constructed and arranged to join tubing, wherein the conductive polymer material includes a polymer matrix and a conductive component incorporated within the polymer matrix, and wherein the polymer matrix is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, acrylic, a cyclo olefin copolymer, a cyclo olefin copolymer blend, a metallocene-based polyethylene and mixtures thereof.

8. The coupler of claim 7, wherein the conductive component is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, fillers, carbon black, fibers thereof and mixtures thereof.

9. The coupler of claim 7, which has a generally cylindrical shape with a first opening to receive a first tubing member and a second opening to receive a second tubing member.

10. The coupler of claim 7, which is extruded.

11. The coupler of claim 7, which includes a member that extends from at least a portion of an inner surface of the coupler to allow a length of a tubing joint that is formed with the coupler and the tubing to be pre-set.

12. The coupler of claim 7, which is injection molded.

13. The coupler of claim 7, which is at least one of solvent bondable, heat sealable, laser weldable, and radio frequency sealable to the tubing.

14. A coupler comprising:

a housing made of a conductive polymer material;

a first opening at a first end of the housing to receive a first tubing member; and

a second opening at a second end of the housing to receive a second tubing member.

15. The coupler of claim 14, wherein the conductive polymer material includes a conductive polymer component selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophenes, polyethylenedioxythiophene, poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and mixtures thereof.

16. The coupler of claim 14, wherein the conductive polymer material includes a polymer matrix and a conductive component incorporated within the polymer matrix, wherein the polymer matrix is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, acrylic, a cyclo olefin copolymer, a cyclo olefin copolymer blend, a metallocene-based polyethylene and mixtures thereof, and wherein the conductive component is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, fillers, carbon black, fibers thereof and mixtures thereof.

17. The coupler of claim 14, which is extrudable.

18. The coupler of claim 14, which includes a member that extends from at least a portion of an inner surface of the coupler and acts as a stop for the first and second tubing members, thereby allowing a length of a tubing joint that is formed with the coupler and the first and second tubing members to be pre-set.

19. The coupler of claim 14, which is injection molded.

20. The coupler of claim 14, which is at least one of solvent bondable, heat sealable, laser weldable, and radio frequency sealable to the first and second tubing members.