SELF-CONTAINER KIDNEY DIALYSIS APPARATUS

• US 3,809,241 A
• Filed: 02/23/1973
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Alvine
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Alvine
• Inventors: Alvine, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lake, Roy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bell, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US05/335,006
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 210/321,322
• US Class Current: 210/87
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1656 Apparatus for preparing dialysates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/166 Heating for sterilisation A61M1/1686
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1664 with temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1668 Details of containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1692 Detection of blood traces in dialysate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1694 with recirculating dialysing liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3666 using heat loss of a motor

Abstract

An improved kidney dialyzer. An improvement to kidney dialysis machines which provides for the portability of the apparatus. The improvement comprises a portable dialysate delivery system comprising a pump assembly flow section. The pump assembly flow section is made up of the artificial kidney, a heat reclaiming element and a recirculation pump for the dialysate passing therethrough. The pump assembly flow section is adapted to be connected to either a single pass dialysate proportioning system or a bath dialyzer reservoir cell. The pump used for recirculation of the dialysate solution is the source for the heat reclamation element, the recirculation pump being coupled to a clutch assembly used to control operation of a blood pump in the blood circulation system. The present invention is adapted to operate on any input voltage pursuant to a self-contained power transmission source.

Claims

1. Kidney dialysis apparatus for the dialysis of blood comprising:

a. dialysate supply means for producing a source of diluted, dialysate solution;

b. artificial kidney means for placing said diluted dialysate solution in juxtaposition to the blood whereby a dislysis process is executed, said artificial kidney means aving a dialysis solution input terminal and a dialysis solution output terminal, said dialysis solution output terminal coupled to said dialysate supply means;

c. a recirculation pump having dialysate solution input and output terminals, said dialysate solution input terminal coupled to said dialysate supply means;

d. power means for powering said recirculation pump, said power means including a heat source, said power means coupled to said recirculation pump; and

e. heat reclaiming means thermally coupled to said heat source for transferring the heat dissipated by said heat source to said dialysate solution, said heat reclaiming means coupling the dialysate solution output terminal of said recirculation pump and the dialysate solution input terminal of said artificial kidney means.

2. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said dialysate supply means comprises a flexible member having an exterior surface and an inner chamber of predetermined volume having dialysate solution input and output means for providing an input and output path for diluted, dialysate solution disposed within said chamber.

3. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including thermal insulating means for retarding the transfer of heat therethrough, said thermal insulating means being disposed upon and in intimate contact with a portion of the exterior surface of said member whereby the transfer of heat from the dialysis solution disposed within said chamber is retarded.

4. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said dialysate supply means comprises a single-pass dialysate proportioning system including first and second sources of water and concentrated dialysate solution respectively, heating means coupled to said first and second sources for heating said water and said concentrated dialysate solution to a predetermined temperature, proportioning means coupled to said heating means for combining said water and concentrated dialysate solution in a predetermined proportion, said proportioning means coupled to the dialysate solution input terminal of said recirculation pump.

5. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said power means comprises a direct-current motor having field windings, said heat reclaiming means being thermally coupled to said field windings.

6. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a blood leak detector having dialysate solution input and output terminals and a dialysate solution flow indicator having dialysate input and output terminals, the dialysate solution output terminal of said blood leak detector being coupled to the dialysate input terminal of said flow indicator, the dialysate input terminal of said blood leak detector being coupled to the dialysate solution output terminal of said artificial kidney means, the dialysate output terminal of said flow indicator being coupled to said dialysate supply means.

7. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a blood pump having blood input and output terminals and means intermediate said input and output terminals for providing a pressure head and inducing the circulation of blood, said blood output terminals being coupled to said artificial kidney means.

8. Kidney dialysis apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said blood pump includes a rotary input shaft coupled to said means intermediate said blood output and input terminal, said shaft being coupled to said power means.

9. A portable kidney dialysis system for the dialysis of blood comprising:

a. dialysate supply means for producing a source of diluted, dialysate solution;

b. artificial kidney means for placing said diluted, dialysate solution in juxtaposition to the blood whereby a dialysis process is executed, said artificial kidney means having dialysate solution input and output terminals and blood input and output terminals;

c. a direct-current rotary power source having a rotating output shaft and internal means for producing a source of dissipating heat;

d. a recirculation pump having dialysis input and output terminals and a rotary input power shaft, said rotary input power shaft being coupled to the rotary power output shaft of said power source, said dialysis input terminal being coupled to the dialysate solution output terminal of said dialysate supply means;

e. a heat reclaiming member disposed in juxtaposition to the internal means of said rotary power source, said heat reclaiming means having dialysate solution input and output terminals, said dialysate solution input terminal being coupled to the dialysate solution output terminal of said recirculation pump, the dialysate solution output terminal being coupled to the dialysate solution input terminal of said artificial kidney means;

f. blood detection means for detecting the presence of blood in the diluted dialysate solution;

g. flow indicator means for indicating the flow of diluted dialysate solution; and

h. means coupling said blood detection means and said flow indicator means to the dialysate solution output terminal of said artificial kidney means.

10. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 9 wherein sAid dialysate supply means comprises a flexible member having an exterior surface and an inner chamber of predetermined volume and having input and output means defining an input and output path for diluted, dialysate solution disposed within said chamber.

11. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 10 further including thermal insulating means for retarding the transfer of heat therethrough, said thermal insulating means being disposed upon and in intimate contact with a portion of the exterior surface of said member whereby the transfer of heat from the diluted dialysate solution disposed within said chamber is retarded.

12. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 11 wherein said thermal insulating means comprises a plurality of adjacent layers each fabricated form an alumnized plastic film.

13. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 9 whrein said dialysate supply means comprises a single pass dialysate proportioning system including first and second sources of water and concentrated dialysate solution respectively, heating means coupled to said first and second sources for heating said water and concentrated dialysate solution to a predetermined temperature, proportioning means coupled to said heating means for combining said water and said concentrated dialysate solution in a predetermined proportion, said proportioning means coupled to the dialysate solution input terminal of said recirculation pump.

14. A portable dialysis system as defined in claim 9 wherein said heat reclaiming member further includes a chamber having an inner wall adapted to engage the portion of said rotary power source adjacent said internal means, said inner wall having spaced heat dissipating fins depending into said whereby the heat from said internal means is transferred to said dialysate solution.

15. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 9 further including a blood recirculation pump having blood input and output terminals, means for maintaing a predetermined pressure head, and a rotary input shaft coupled to said means, said blood output terminals being coupled to the blood input terminal of said artificial kidney means and said rotary input shaft being coupled to the rotary output shaft of said rotary power source.

16. A portable kidney dialysis system as defined in claim 15 further including means responsive to the detection of the presence of blood in the diluted dialysate solution for stopping said blood recirculation pump, said means being disposed intermediate the input shaft of said blood recirculation pump and the output shaft of said rotary power source.