ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY MACHINE

• US 3,754,649 A
• Filed: 11/17/1971
• Issued: 08/28/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul Palubniak, Sung C. Lee
• Original Assignee: Paul Palubniak, Sung C. Lee
• Inventors: Palubniak, Paul, Lee, Sung C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, Jr., Frank A.
• Application Number:
  US05/199,437
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 210/22,96,103,143,321
• US Class Current: 604/6.06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1694 with recirculating dialysing liquid

Abstract

A batch-type artificial kidney machine especially adapted for home use and operation by non-professionals. The machine is automatic in operation with all functions controlled by a single four-position switch. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention, and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings as well as to the claims.

Claims

1. An artificial kidney apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer unit including means for passing a patient'"'"''"'"'s blood therethrough;

a dialysis fluid tank;

water inlet means connected to said dialysis fluid tank;

means for passing dialysis fluid from said tank, through said dialyzer unit, to waste;

a heater;

means for recirculating a portion of the dialysis fluid in said dialyzer unit through said heater;

a bracket for retaining the pressure pillow portion of the patient'"'"''"'"'s arterial line;

a pivotally mounted switch having its switch arm in contact with said pressure pillow;

screw means for adjustably positioning said switch about its pivot to vary the force between said pillow and switch arm;

means for controlling each of said blood passing means, water inlet means, dialysis fluid passing means, and recirculating means in accordance with one of a plurality of preselected program cycles;

single multi-position switch means for selecting and implementing any one of said cycles;

means responsive to said pivotally mounted switch for stopping the patient'"'"''"'"'s blood flow in response to a preselected physical condition; and

means for indicating the existence of such preselected physical condition.

2. An artificial kidney apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer unit including means for passing a patient'"'"''"'"'s blood therethrough;

a bubble chamber in said blood passing means;

a dialysis fluid tank;

water inlet means connected to said dialysis fluid tank;

means for passing dialysis fluid from said tank, through said dialyzer unit, to waste;

a heater;

means for recirculating a portion of the dialysis fluid in said dialyzer unit through said heater;

means for controlling each of said blood passing means, water inlet means, dialysis fluid passing means, and recirculating means in accordance with one of a plurality of preselected program cycles;

single multi-position switch means for selecting and implementing any one of said cycles;

a detector head associated with said bubble chamber and responsive to blood level therein;

an amplifier controlled by said detector head to produce an output signal upon variation in said blood level;

relay means actuatable by said output signal;

blood line clamping means operated by acTuation of said relay means; and

means for indicating the existence of such blood level variation.

3. An artificial kidney apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer unit including means for passing a patient'"'"''"'"' s blood therethrough;

a dialysis fluid tank;

water inlet means connected to said dialysis fluid tank;

means for passing dialysis fluid from said tank, through said dialyzer unit, to waste;

a heater;

means for recirculating a portion of the dialysis fluid in said dialyzer unit through said heater;

means for monitoring a patient'"'"''"'"'s condition throughout dialysis;

means for controlling each of said blood passing means, water inlet means, dialysis fluid passing means, and recirculating means in accordance with one of a plurality of preselected program cycles;

a two pole switch having at least four cycle selection positions for selecting and implementing any one of said cycles;

means responsive to said monitoring means for stopping the patient'"'"''"'"'s blood flow in response to a preselected physical condition; and

means for indicating the existence of such preselected physical condition.

4. An artificial kidney apparatus comprising:

a dialyzer unit including motor-powered blood pump means for passing a patient'"'"''"'"'s blood therethrough;

a dialysis fluid tank;

water inlet means connected to said dialysis fluid tank;

means for passing dialysis fluid from said tank, through said dialyzer unit, to waste;

a heater;

means for recirculating a portion of the dialysis fluid in said dialyzer unit through said heater;

means for monitoring a patient'"'"''"'"'s condition throughout dialysis;

means for controlling each of said blood passing means, water inlet means, dialysis fluid passing means, and recirculating means in accordance with one of a plurality of preselected program cycles;

single multiposition switch means for selecting and implementing any one of said cycles;

a plurality of electrical contacts in series with the blood pump motor across a power supply, each of said contacts being operable from different monitoring means for stopping the patient'"'"''"'"' s blood flow in response to a preselected physical condition; and

means for indicating the existence of such preselected physical condition.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said monitoring means comprises:

venous pressure measuring means for actuating a first of said electrical contacts upon an increase in venous pressure above a preselected limit and for actuating a second of said electrical contacts upon a decrease in venous pressure below a preselected limit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said blood passing means includes a bubble chamber and wherein said monitoring means comprises:

a detector head associated with said bubble chamber and responsive to blood level therein;

an amplifier controlled by said detector head to produce an output signal upon variation in said blood level;

relay means actuatable by said output signal; and

blood line clamping means operated by actuation of said relay means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said monitoring means comprises:

a bracket for retaining the pressure pillow portion of the patient'"'"''"'"'s arterial line;

a pivotally mounted switch having its switch arm in contact with said pressure pillow; and

screw means for adjustably positioning said switch about its pivot to vary the force between said pillow and switch arm.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said multi-position switch means comprises a two pole switch having at least four cycle selection positions.