Hermetic flow selector valve

• US 6,743,193 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Nxstage Medical Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Brugger, James M., Burbank, Jeffrey H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deak, Leslie R.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: 604/6.1, 604/4.01, 604/34, 604/6.01, 210/93, 210/118, 210/137, 210/141, 210/144, 210/117, 210/124, 210/129, 210/133, 210/424, 137/625.14, 137/625.11, 137/625.42, 137/625.43, 137/597
• US Class Current: 604/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/367 Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/28 Clamping means for squeezing flexible tubes, e.g. roller clamps tube strippers A61M1/83
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86839 Four port reversing valves

Abstract

A flow diverting appliance has a flexible valve body to which a number of flow lines are connected. The valve body is deformed to create different flow paths within it. The valve body may be deformed, for example, by pinching it to define press-seals in an enclosed volume inside the valve body. The press seals divide the enclosed volume to form exclusive flow channels which allow communication between some flow lines and permit flow communication between other lines. The invention provides a way of making flow diverters part of a replaceable blood circuit which is fully hermetic and with no dead-end spaces which would allow blood to cagulate.

Claims

1. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body with ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a first configuration to define at least one first flow channel connecting a first port of said ports to a second port of said ports while isolating said at least one first flow channel from a third port of said ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a second configuration to define at least one second flow channel connecting said first port to said third port while isolating said at least one second flow channel from said second port;

an actuator having an engagement portion positionable in a first position to selectively deform said valve body in said first configuration and positionable in a second position to selectively deform said valve body in said first configuration;

said first and second flow channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional area from said first port to said second port in said first configuration and from said first to said third in said second configuration;

said first and second flow channels including said ports such that a hydraulic diameter is maintained substantially constant from a point in a flow immediately prior to entering said valve body to a point immediately after leaving said valve body such that a flow would experience substantially no mean flow deceleration within said valve body.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said first and second flow channels are cylindrical in cross-section.

3. A device as in claim 2, wherein said ports are four in number and said second configuration is such that a third flow channel is defined which connects said second port with a fourth port of said ports.

4. A device as in claim 2, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

5. A device as in claim 2, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

6. A device as in claim 2, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

7. A device as in claim 2, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

8. A device as in claim 1, wherein said ports are four in number and said second configuration is such that a third flow channel is defined which connects said second port with a fourth port of said ports.

9. A device as in claim 8, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

10. A device as in claim 8, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

11. A device as in claim 8, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

12. A device as in claim 8, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

13. A device as in claim 1, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

14. A device as in claim 13, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

15. A device as in claim 13, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

16. A device as in claim 13, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

18. A device as in claim 2, wherein said ports are four in number and said second configuration is such that a third flow channel is defined which connects said second port with a fourth port of said ports.

19. A device as in claim 2, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

20. A device as in claim 2, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

21. A device as in claim 2, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

22. A device as in claim 2, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

17. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body with ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a first configuration to define at least one first flow channel connecting a first port of said ports to at a second port of said ports while isolating said at least one first flow channel from a third port of said ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a second configuration to define at least one second flow channel connecting said first port to said third port while isolating said at least one second flow channel from said second port;

an actuator configured to selectively deform said valve body into said first and said second configurations;

said first and second flow channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional area from said first port to said second port in said first configuration and from said first to said third in said second configuration;

wherein an interior volume of said valve body is toroidal in shape.

23. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body with ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a first configuration to define at least one first flow channel connecting a first port of said ports to a second port of said ports while isolating said at least one first flow channel from a third port of said ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a second configuration to define at least one second flow channel connecting said first port to said third port while isolating said at least one second flow channel from said second port;

an actuator having an engagement portion positionable in a first position to selectively deform said valve body in said first configuration and positionable in a second position to selectively deform said valve body in said first configuration;

said first and second flow channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional area from said first port to said second port in said first configuration and from said first to said third in said second configuration;

wherein said first and second flow channels are cylindrical in cross-section.

24. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body with ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a first configuration to define at least one first flow channel connecting a first port of said ports to a second port of said ports while isolating said at least one first flow channel from a third port of said ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a second configuration to define at least one second flow channel connecting said first port to said third port while isolating said at least one second flow channel from said second port;

an actuator selectively configurable to deform said valve body in said first configuration and to selectively deform said valve body in said first configuration;

said first and second flow channels having a substantially constant cross-sectional area from said first port to said second port in said first configuration and from said first to said third in said second configuration;

wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

25. A device as in claim 24, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

26. A device as in claim 24, wherein said actuator is configured to selectively deform said valve body by urging one movable member into each of said first and second pairs of tubular portions.

27. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body with ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a first configuration to define at least one first flow channel connecting a first port of said ports to a second port of said ports while isolating said at least one first flow channel from a third port of said ports;

said valve body being shaped such that it can be selectively deformed into a second configuration to define at least one second flow channel connecting said first port to said third port while isolating said at least one second flow channel from said second port;

an actuator configured to selectively deform said valve body into said first and said second configurations by urging at least one movable member into at least one first portion of said valve body to deform it into said first configuration and by urging said at least one movable member into at least one second portion of said value body to deform it into said second configuration;

said first flow channel and said first and second ports together defining a continuous substantially cylindrical flow path of substantially constant diameter and said second flow channel and said first and third ports together defining a continuous substantially cylindrical flow path of substantially constant diameter.

28. A device as in claim 27, wherein said valve body is toroidal in shape.

29. A device as in claim 28, wherein said ports are four in number and said second configuration is such that a third flow channel is defined which connects said second port with a fourth port of said ports.

30. A device as in claim 28, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

31. A device as in claim 28, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

32. A device as in claim 28, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

33. A device as in claim 28, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

34. A device as in claim 27, wherein said ports are four in number and said second configuration is such that a third flow channel is defined which connects said second port with a fourth port of said ports.

35. A device in claim 34, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

36. A device as in claim 34, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

37. A device as in claim 34, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

38. A device as in claim 34, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

39. A device as in claim 27, wherein said valve body is selectively deformable by pinching said valve body.

40. A device as in claim 39, wherein said ports are configured to permanently connect with flexible tubing.

41. A device as in claim 39, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

42. A device as in claim 39, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

43. A device as in claim 27, wherein said valve body has first and second pairs of tubular portions, two of which are simultaneously pinched in each of said first and second configurations.

44. A device as in claim 43, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

45. A device as in claim 27, wherein said first and second configurations are defined by a deformation of said valve body along respective lines of pinching.

46. A device for selectively directing flow in a fluid circuit of a blood treatment system, comprising:

a valve body including four tubular portions linked at ends thereof to define a valve body with toroidal internal volume and with ports linked to said interior volume;

an actuator in operative association with said valve body, said actuator having at least one movable member that may, in a first configuration of said actuator, be urged simultaneously against two of said tubular portions to selectively deform said valve body into a first configuration to define a first flow channel connecting a first of said ports to a second of said ports and a second flow channel connecting a third of said ports to a fourth of said ports;

a second configuration of said actuator being effective to deform said valve body into a first configuration to define a third flow channel connecting said first of said ports to said third of said ports and a fourth flow channel connecting said second of said ports to said fourth of said ports.

47. A device as in claim 46, wherein said at least one member includes a single edge that engages said two of said tubular portion in said first configuration of said actuator.

48. A device as in claim 46, wherein said at least one member is pivotably mounted relative to said valve body.