Portable artificial kidney with separable parts

• US 4,317,725 A
• Filed: 06/13/1979
• Issued: 03/02/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kume, Tadashi, Inoh, Isamu, Fujimori, Yoshitsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): SPEAR JR, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US06/047,998
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 210/321 A, 210/321 B, 210/DIG. 23, 210/234, 210/235, 210/238, 128/214 B, 128/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 210/235
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1696 with dialysate regeneration

Abstract

Artificial kidney apparatus comprising a blood circulation system including a dialyzer and a blood pump interposed in a blood circuit connectable with blood vessels of a patient, the blood circulation section being contained together with a drive motor for the blood pump and an electrical supply source thereof in a single casing to form a portable unit. The unit has connection openings for detachable connection with corresponding connection openings of a dialyzing liquid circuit of a dialyzing liquid circulation section. Respective valves are provided in the openings which are normally closed but which when the sections are coupled are opened to provide intercommunication. In a modification a portable container freely contains a blood circulation section and a dialyzing liquid circulation section. A dialyzing liquid supply section is contained within the portable container in the interior thereof not taken up by the blood circulation section and the dialyzing liquid circulation section. An elastic bag can be mounted in the portable container to contain the dialyzing liquid in liquid-tight relation therein.

Claims

1. In an artificial kidney apparatus of the type including a blood circulation section comprising a blood circuit connectable with blood vessels of a patient, a dialyser and a blood pump interposed in said blood circuit, drive motor means for the blood pump, and electrical supply means for said motor means, and, a dialyzing liquid circulation section comprising a dialyzing liquid circuit, a dialyzing liquid pump, and drive motor means for the dialyzing liquid pump, the improvement comprising:

a first casing containing said blood circulation section inclusive of said blood circuit, said dialyser, said blood pump, said motor means, and said electrical supply means to form an integral portable unit;

a second casing from which said first casing is readily detachable and which contains said dialyzing liquid circulation unit; and

means for operatively coupling and uncoupling said portable unit with said dialyzing liquid circulation unit to automatically connect and disconnect said blood circulation section and said dialyzing liquid circulation section;

said means for operatively coupling and uncoupling said portable unit with said dialyzing liquid circulation unit including valve means for connecting the dialyzer of said blood circulation section to said dialyzing liquid circuit when said units are coupled together and for disconnecting said dialyser from said dialyzing liquid circuit when said units are uncoupled;

said valve means comprising first normally closed valve elements located in said portable unit, and second normally closed valve elements located in said dialyzing liquid circulation unit, said first and second valve elements including cooperating parts to open said valve elements when said units are coupled together;

said blood circulation unit being provided with openings in which said first valve elements are mounted, and said dialyzing liquid circulation unit having openings in which said second valve elements are mounted, said openings being placed in communication with one another with said valve elements opened when said units are coupled together.

2. Artificial kidney apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a portable container in which said blood circulation section and said dialyzing liquid circulation section are contained as to be freely removable, said dialyzing liquid supply section comprising a dialyzing liquid tank constituted by said portable container.

3. An artificial kidney apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said portable container is capable of expansion and contraction in at least two stages, so that the container can be carried in a contracted small-size state and can be used as the tank in an expanded large-size state.

4. An artificial kidney apparatus as claimed in claim 2 comprising an elastic bag mounted in said portable container at the inner surface thereof for containing dialyzing liquid.

5. An artificial kidney apparatus as claimed in claim 2 comprising handle means on said portable container.