Technique for loading a pump header within a peristaltic pump of a dialysis machine

• US 5,928,177 A
• Filed: 09/11/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gambro Renal Products, Inc. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: COBE Laboratories Incorporated (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Dan Lee, Burbank, Jeff, Brugger, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O YONG, KI
• Application Number:
  US08/712,488
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 604/4-6, 210/646, 210/645, 210/781, 210/782
• US Class Current: 604/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/14 Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/16 with membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36222 Details related to the interface between cassette and machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36224 with sensing means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362261 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362262 Details of incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362266 Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3639 Blood pressure control, pressure transducers specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0002 with a pressure sensor at the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/113 in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/279 Peristaltic pumps, e.g. roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/37 Haemodialysis, haemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/531 using blood pressure data, e.g. from blood pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/847 arranged in a cassette
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/849 Disposable parts
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1253 by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1284 Means for pushing the backing-plate against the tubular flexible member

Abstract

A pivotable cover secures a pump header or tubing to a peristaltic pump of a dialysis machine. The cover includes an integral raceway for engaging the pump header as a rotor of the peristaltic pump rotates along the integral raceway. The cover is pivoted away from the dialysis machine to separate the raceway from the rotor and provide substantial access for loading the pump header about the rotor. The cover is then closed to secure the pump header in place and properly position the integral raceway in relation to the pump rotor. If the pump header is connected to a blood tubing set, the cover also secures the blood tubing set in position against the dialysis machine. A detachable hinge connects the cover to the dialysis machine to allow the cover to be completely detached from the dialysis machine. The detachable cover provides complete access for cleaning the area surrounding the peristaltic pump rotor and the location where the blood tubing set is located.

Claims

1. In a dialysis machine having a hydraulic flow path for delivering dialysate to a dialyzer, peristaltic blood pump with a rotor for controlling a flow of blood through an extracorporeal flow path which includes the dialyzer, the extracorporeal flow path including a flexible pump header which the rotor pinches during rotation to pump blood in the extracorporeal flow path, and an improved cover for securing the pump header relative to the rotor for blood pumping, said cover comprising:

a hinge pivotably connecting one end of the cover to the dialysis machine to allow the cover to pivot between a closed position wherein the pump header is pinched by the rotor for blood pumping and an open position extended away from the dialysis machine wherein the pump header is not pinched for blood pumping; and

an integral raceway of the cover for engaging the flexible pump header to allow the rotor to pinch the pump header against the raceway during blood pumping, said raceway engaging the flexible pump header for blood pumping only when the cover is pivoted to the closed position; and

wherein;

said hinge allows selective detachment of the cover from the dialysis machine.

2. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 1, said integral raceway includes an interior edge beveled away from the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

3. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 2, said integral raceway includes an exterior edge beveled toward the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

4. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 3, the cover and the integral raceway are molded as a single plastic part.

5. In a dialysis machine having a hydraulic flow path for delivering dialysate to a dialyzer, a peristaltic blood pump with a rotor for controlling a flow of blood through a blood tubing set connected in an extracorporeal blood flow path which also includes the dialyzer, the blood tubing set including a cartridge and a flexible pump header extending from the cartridge, the rotor pinching the pump header during rotation to pump blood in the extracorporeal flow path, and an improved cover for securing the cartridge to the dialysis machine and the pump header relative to the rotor for blood pumping, said cover comprising:

a hinge pivotably connecting one end of the cover to the dialysis machine to allow the cover to pivot between a closed position wherein the cartridge is held in position and the pump header is pinched by the rotor for blood pumping and an open position extended away from the dialysis machine wherein the cartridge is exposed and the pump header is not pinched for blood pumping;

an integral raceway of the cover for engaging the flexible pump header to allow the rotor to pinch the pump header against the raceway during blood pumping, said raceway engaging the flexible pump header for blood pumping only when the cover is pivoted to the closed position; and

at least one cartridge contact surface of the cover to contact the cartridge and secure the blood tubing set to the dialysis machine for blood pumping when the cover is pivoted to the closed position.

6. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 5, said cover may be pivoted to the closed position to engage the raceway with the flexible pump header substantially only when the rotor is in a predetermined position.

7. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 6, said raceway includes an interior edge beveled away from the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

8. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 7, said raceway includes an exterior edge beveled toward the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

9. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 8, the cover and the raceway are molded as a single plastic part.

10. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 5, said cover is selectively attachable to and detachable from the dialysis machine.

11. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 10:

the one end of the cover pivotably connected to the dialysis machine includes a beveled surface adapted to contact the dialysis machine and apply a force to detach the cover from the dialysis machine when the cover is pivoted beyond a predetermined angle in the open position.

12. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 11, the cover and the raceway are molded as a single plastic part.

13. In a dialysis machine as defined in claim 5, wherein the cover further includes:

an opening to provide an unobstructed view of a portion of the blood tubing set when the cover is pivoted to the closed position and the blood tubing set is secured to the dialysis machine.

14. A dialysis machine having a hydraulic flow path for delivering dialysate to a dialyzer through which blood is also Pumped in an extracorporeal blood flow path, said dialysis machine comprising:

a peristaltic blood pump having a rotor to engage a flexible pump header of a blood tubing set within the extracorporeal blood flow path; and

a cover pivotably attached to the dialysis machine, said cover including at least one contact surface to secure the blood tubing set to the dialysis machine, and said cover further defining an integral raceway for engaging the flexible pump header to allow the rotor to pinch the pump header against the integral raceway as the rotor rotates along the integral raceway to pump blood through the flexible pump header and the extracorporeal blood flow path.

15. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 14, wherein:

the cover pivots between a closed position an open position extended away from the dialysis machine;

the cover secures the blood tubing set to the dialysis machine only when the cover is pivoted to the closed position; and

the raceway substantially engages the pump header for blood pumping only when the cover is pivoted to the closed position.

16. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 15, wherein said raceway includes an interior edge beveled away from the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

17. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 16, wherein said raceway includes an exterior edge beveled toward the rotor when the cover is in the closed position.

18. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 17, wherein the cover and the integral raceway are molded as a single plastic part.

19. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 15, wherein said cover further comprises:

a hinge connected to one end of the cover and operative to selectively attach and detach the cover from the dialysis machine.

20. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 19, wherein:

the one end of the cover pivotably attached to the dialysis machine includes a beveled surface adapted to contact the dialysis machine and apply a force to detach the hinge from the dialysis machine when the cover is pivoted beyond a predetermined angle in the open position.

21. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 20, wherein the cover and the integral raceway are molded as a single plastic part.

22. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 15, wherein the cover may be pivoted to the closed position to engage the raceway with the pump header substantially only when the rotor is in a predetermined position.

23. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 15, wherein:

the cover defines an opening to provide an unobstructed view of a portion of the blood tubing set when the cover is pivoted to the closed position and the blood tubing set is secured to the dialysis machine.

24. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 14, wherein:

the dialysis machine includes a venous pressure sensor and an arterial pressure sensor; and

the blood tubing set further comprises;

a rigid venous chamber having a pressure pod adapted to engage the venous pressure sensor of the dialysis machine; and

a rigid arterial chamber having a pressure pod adapted to engage the arterial pressure sensor of the dialysis machine.

25. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 24, wherein:

the dialysis machine further includes a slot; and

the blood tubing set further comprises;

a pin fixed to the rigid venous chamber, said pin adapted to engage the slot on the dialysis machine to fix the position of the blood tubing set in relation to the dialysis machine.

26. A dialysis machine having a hydraulic flow path for delivering dialysate to a dialyzer through which blood is also pumped in an extracorporeal blood flow path, said dialysis machine comprising:

a peristaltic blood pump having a rotor to engage a flexible pump header of a blood tubing set within the extracorporeal blood flow path;

a cover pivotably attached to the dialysis machine, said cover including at least one contact surface to secure the blood tubing set to the dialysis machine, and said cover further defining an integral raceway for engaging the flexible pump header to allow the rotor to pinch the pump header against the integral raceway as the rotor rotates along the integral raceway to pump blood through the pump header and the extracorporeal blood flow path, the cover pivoting between a closed position and an open position extending away from the dialysis machine, the cover securing the blood tubing set to the dialysis machine when the cover is Pivoted to the closed position, the raceway engaging the pump header for blood pumping when the cover is pivoted to the closed position, and the cover pivoting to the closed position only when the rotor is in a predetermined position;

a magnet attached to the rotor;

a magnetic sensor positioned relative to the blood pump to align with the magnet when the rotor is substantially in the predetermined position; and

a microprocessor to sense when the magnet and the magnetic sensor are aligned.

27. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 26, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to rotate the rotor and align the magnet with the magnetic sensor to position the rotor in the predetermined position when the cover is pivoted to the open position.

28. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 26, wherein said cover further comprises:

a hinge to selectively attach the cover to and detach the cover from the dialysis machine.

29. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 28 wherein:

an end of the cover is pivotably attached to the dialysis machine and includes a beveled surface adapted to contact the dialysis machine and apply a force to detach the cover from the dialysis machine when the cover is pivoted beyond a predetermined angle in the open position.

30. A dialysis machine as defined in claim 29 wherein the cover and the integral raceway are molded as a single plastic part.