Dialysis machine with a device for preparing dialysis solutions

• US 6,685,831 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Döpper, Joachim, Schulz, Wolfgang, Dönig, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, John
• Application Number:
  US09/911,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/86, 210/97, 210/232, 210/252, 210/321.71, 235/375, 235/462.01, 235/454, 235/462.02, 235/462.04, 141/346, 439/488, 439/489, 439/491, 439/955
• US Class Current: 210/321.71
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1656 Apparatus for preparing dialysates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1668 Details of containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/10 Tube connectors; Tube couplings A61M39/02 takes precedence; connecting needles to syringes or hubs A61M5/34; connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dialysis machine with a device for preparing dialysis solutions. Simple and reliable preparation of dialysis fluids of different concentrations is achieved by the fact that the device has a detector device, at least two connections and at least two interchangeable storage containers to hold the solution ingredients to be metered, each being connected to at least one connector, and with the connectors being connectable to the connections, and with the connectors or the areas of a connecting tube near the connectors having identification means which can be detected by the detector device. The present invention also relates to a connector for connecting a storage container with solution ingredients to a medical apparatus, where the connector or areas of a connecting tube near the connector has identification means. The present invention also relates to a method of detecting a connection of a solution ingredient storage container. A simple and reliable implementation of the method is guaranteed by the fact that the connector is provided with identification means and is attached to a matching component, and a reader unit determines the type and position of the connector.

Claims

1. A dialysis machine comprising:

a preparation device for preparing dialysis solutions, the preparation device including;

a detector device;

a first connection of the dialysis machine;

a second connection of the dialysis machine;

first and second interchangeable storage containers for solution ingredients;

a first connector of the first storage container configured to connect via a connection tube the first storage container to the first connection; and

a second connector of the second storage container configured to connect the second storage container to the second connection,

wherein at least one of the first connector and the connecting tube of the first storage container has an identifier detectable by the detector device.

2. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the first storage container is a solution bag, the solution bag including the connecting tube, the first connector being provided at an end of the connecting tube.

3. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifier is provided at a predetermined position on the first connector, and the detector device is capable of detecting the type and the position of the identifier.

4. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifier includes a bar code.

6. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the identifier includes information on a type and volume of the solution ingredients from the storage container.

7. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 1 further comprising an analyzer unit connectable to the detector device, the analyzer unit capable of comparing required values for quantities of the dialysis solution ingredients with actual values determined by the detector device.

8. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 7, further comprising a signaling unit or cutoff device connectable to the analyzer unit, the cutoff device for cutting off a flow of at least one of a solution and a solution ingredient.

9. The dialysis machine as recited in claim 8 wherein the cutoff device operates mechanically and/or electrically.

5. A dialysis machine comprising:

a preparation device for preparing dialysis solutions, the preparation device including a detector device, a first connection of the dialysis machine, a second connection of the dialysis machine, first and second interchangeable storage containers for solution ingredients, a first connector of the first storage container configured to connect via a connecting tube the first storage container to the first connection and a second connector of the second storage container configured to connect the second storage container to the second connection, the first connector or a connecting tube of the first storage container having a bar code detectable by the detector device, wherein the bar code is arranged on the first connector so that bars of the bar code run circumferentially around the connector.