SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING A DIALYZER APPARATUS OR A COMPONENT THEREOF, AND SENSOR DEVICE WHICH CAN BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE

• US 20160051742A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B. Braun Avitum AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: B. Braun Avitum AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: STROHHFER, Christof, KRAUSE, Silvie
• Granted Patent: US 10,357,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14557 specially adapted to extracorporeal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1601 Control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1603 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1605 Physical characteristics of the dialysate fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3406 Physical characteristics of the filtrate, e.g. urea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3609 Physical characteristics of the blood, e.g. haematocrit, urea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/367 Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3313 used specific wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/20 Blood composition characteristics

Abstract

A system for acquiring or measuring information relating to a state of dialysance, identifying a dialyzer apparatus, or identifying a membrane filter device during the operation of the dialyzer apparatus in a dialysis treatment of a patient. The dialyzer apparatus includes a housing having an internal volume portion and a membrane filter device arranged within the internal volume portion. The housing allows transmission of radiation. A sensor device connected to the housing of the dialyzer apparatus includes a signal receiving device designed to receive a radiation signal from the housing, the signal characteristic of the state or the identification of the dialyzer apparatus or of the membrane filter unit of the dialyzer apparatus.

Claims

1. -25. (canceled)

26. An identification device for a dialyzer apparatus or a membrane filter device having a housing provided with an identification unit containing an identifying feature that is characteristic for the dialyzer apparatus or membrane filter device, the identification device comprising:

a sensor device in the form of a clip that is adapted to read the identifying feature contained in the identification unit and that is configured for direct connection in a removable fashion to the housing and that comprises a signal receiving unit configured to receive at least one signal from the housing, from an outside or edge region of the housing, or from an internal volume portion of the housing, wherein the dialyzer apparatus or the membrane filter device is configured such that the sensor device is able to detect or measure the at least one signal, which corresponds to the identifying feature, such that an identification of at least one of the dialyzer apparatus or a component of the dialyzer apparatus may occur; and

an analysis unit configured to generate data based on the received at least one signal for identifying or controlling operating parameters of a dialysis machine.

27. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the signal receiving unit is configured to receive or detect signals of radiation selected from a group that comprises the following:

a) electromagnetic radiation of the entire electromagnetic spectrum,

b) electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength or a frequency corresponding thereto in the microwave range, in the terahertz range, or in the range of radio waves; and

c) ultrasound radiation.

28. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the sensor device comprises a radiation transmitting unit configured to transmit radiation onto the housing or into the internal volume portion of the housing of the dialyzer apparatus, and wherein the signal receiving unit is configured to measure one or more parameters of received radiation.

29. The identification device according to claim 26 wherein the dialyzer apparatus or the component comprises a passive identification unit that comprises an identification feature characteristic for the identification of the dialyzer apparatus or the component and that may be read by irradiating the identification unit with a predetermined electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the sensor device comprises a radiation transmitting unit configured to transmit the predetermined electromagnetic radiation to the identification unit; and

wherein the signal receiving unit comprises an identification reading unit configured to detect a parameter of the radiation that is indicative of the identification feature and to determine the identification feature.

30. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the dialyzer apparatus or the component comprises an active identification unit, such as an active radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, that is configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation having an identification feature that is characteristic for the identification of the dialyzer apparatus or the component;

and

wherein the signal receiving unit comprises an identification reading unit that is designed to detect the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the identification unit and determine the identification feature.

31. The identification device according to claim 28, wherein the radiation transmitting unit comprises at least one or more of the following features:

a light source that transmits light in a narrow-band spectral range;

a light-conducting fiber that guides light transmitted by a light source emitting light in a narrow-band spectral range and comprises a decoupling segment from which the light exits;

a light source that transmits light in a wide-band spectral range;

or

a light-conducting fiber that guides light transmitted by a light source emitting light in a wide-band spectral range and comprises a decoupling segment from which the light exits.

32. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the sensor device comprises a radiation measuring unit having at least one radiation entrance region and at least one light detector configured to detect radiation that has entered into the at least one radiation entrance region, the at least one light detector selected from a group that includes one or more of the following features:

one or more photodiodes;

one or more phototransistors;

one or more complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) light detectors;

one or more photomultipliers;

one or more avalanche photodiodes;

one or more one-dimensional or two-dimensional charge coupled device (CCD) sensors;

one or more one-dimensional or two-dimensional CMOS sensors;

one or more one-dimensional arrangements or one or more two-dimensional arrangements of a plurality of photodiodes, phototransistors, CMOS light detectors, photomultipliers, or avalanche photodiodes;

or

one or more multi photon pixel counters (MPPCs).

33. The identification device according claim 26, wherein the sensor device comprises a radiation measuring unit having at least one light detector and a wavelength selection unit, the wavelength selection unit configured to select a narrow-band wavelength range including a reference wavelength range from the wider-band wavelength range of the radiation emitted by the radiation transmitting unit on a transmitting side or on a receiving side such that an optical interaction occurs with a selected material located during operation on or in the dialyzer apparatus or in the internal volume portion of the housing.

34. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the housing is designed such that the sensor device may be fixed in a detachable fashion in one or more predetermined positions relative to the housing.

35. The identification device according to claim 34, wherein the housing comprises first coupling regions at one or more positions on an exterior of the housing and the sensor device comprises a second coupling region configured to engage in a positive fit with one of the first coupling regions.

36. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the sensor device is integrated into a housing holder for holding a dialyzer apparatus.

37. The identification device according to claim 26, wherein the sensor device comprises a releasable fastening unit that is detachably connected to a housing of a dialyzer apparatus and comprises at least one sensor for detecting a signal originating from the housing.

38. The identification device according to claim 37, further comprising at least one radiation transmitter for transmitting radiation onto the surface of the dialyzer apparatus or into the interior of the dialyzer apparatus, the sensor device configured to be reusable.

39. The identification device according to claim 37, further comprising at least one of the following mechanisms for removably attaching the sensor device to the housing:

the sensor device is embodied as a clip unit having at least one flexible clip arm or clip cuff, where the clip arm or clip cuff is configured to encompass the housing in an angular range of more than 180°

;

the sensor device comprises a base body and a clip unit having at least one elastically flexible clip arm attached to the base body or elastically flexible clip arm articulated on the base body configured to encompass the housing at least partially, to enter into a fixed, removable connection therewith, or to encompass the housing in a clip-like fashion;

the sensor device comprises a first member of a connector unit and the dialyzer apparatus comprises a second member of the connector unit, the first member configured to engage the second member or the second member configured to engage the first member in a removable positive fit;

the sensor device is clamped on the housing by an elastic clamping unit with the clamping unit configured to encompass the sensor device and the housing of the dialyzer apparatus in a clamped state;

the sensor device comprises a base body and at least one arm or cuff articulated on the base body or connected to the base body in an elastically flexible fashion, each comprising a distal end region having a first member of a hook or engaging unit provided thereon, with the arm or cuff being configured to encompass the housing in an angular range of more than 180°

, and an elastically tensible clamping unit having end sections opposite one another, on each of which a second member of a hook or engaging unit is provided that is configured to detachably engage a first member of the hook or engaging unit, with each second member on the end section of the clamping unit configured to engage with a first member on the end regions of the arms and/or clamps of the sensor device;

or

the sensor device is configured to be integrated into the housing wall of the dialyzer apparatus in a removable fashion.

40. The identification device according to claim 26 as a component of a dialysis machine for conducting a dialysis treatment on a patient, having the dialyzer apparatus and the sensor device.

41. The identification device according to claim 40, further comprising a housing holder configured separately from the dialyzer apparatus or connected in a fixed manner to the dialysis machine, wherein the housing holder is designed to fix the dialyzer apparatus in a removable fashion.

42. The identification device according to claim 41, wherein the sensor device is integrated into the housing holder.