ELECTRICAL SENSOR FOR FLUIDS

• US 20170182235A1
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Original Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Incorporated (Fresenius Medical Care AG)
• Inventors: Alber, Elliott, James, Philip Scott, Schmidt, Daniel, Weaver, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 10,406,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1605 Physical characteristics of the dialysate fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1607 before use, i.e. upstream of dialyser
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1609 after use, i.e. downstream of dialyser
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1656 Apparatus for preparing dialysates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1664 with temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1696 with dialysate regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0227 Materials having sensing or indicating function, e.g. indicating a pressure increase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/60 with identification means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/07 Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor

Abstract

An electrical sensor for sensing electromagnetic properties of process fluids in a dialysis machine or a similar medical device can include a probe for interfacing with the fluids that is made from electronic fabric materials. The electronic fabric probe can include one or more conductors embedded in a non-conductive fabric layer. The electronic fabric probe is accommodated an enclosure which establishes a flow path with respect to the probe to establish fluid contact between the process fluids and the conductors. The conductors can apply or sense current and/or voltage with respect to the fluid. A portion of the electronic fabric probe can be disposed externally of the enclosure to provide electronic communication externally of the enclosure.

Claims

1. An electrical sensor for a medical machine comprising:

an electronic fabric probe having a non-conductive fabric layer and a plurality of conductors including a first conductor and a second conductor embedded in the fabric layer, the first conductor and the second conductor spaced apart from each other and including a respective first terminal and a second terminal exposed proximate a peripheral edge of the fabric layer; and

an enclosure enclosing a fluid chamber delineating a flow path between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the enclosure adapted to accommodate the electronic fabric probe with the first and second conductor disposed in the flow path and with the first and second terminals accessible from the enclosure.

2. The electrical sensor of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is a non-conductive mesh and the first and second conductors are formed as a conductive threads embedded in the mesh.

3. The electrical sensor of claim 2, wherein the electronic fabric probe is selected from the group consisting of a two-conductor configuration, a three-conductor configuration, and a four-conductor configuration.

4. The electrical sensor of claim 3, wherein the electrical sensor measures conductivity of a fluid flowing in flow path of the fluid chamber.

5. The electrical sensor of claim 4, further comprising an electrical connector for connecting the first terminal and the second terminal to an electronic controller associated with the medical machine.

6. The electrical sensor of claim 1, wherein the first inlet and the second inlet are configured as hose fittings enabling the electrical sensor to be removed from the medical machine.

7. The electrical sensor of claim 6, wherein the enclosure is made of molded plastic and includes a first enclosure portion and a second enclosure portion that can be disassembled to access the fluid chamber and remove and replace the electronic fabric probe.

8. The electrical sensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor has a flow-over configuration with the fluid inlet disposed at an entry region of the fluid chamber and the fluid outlet disposed at an exit region of the fluid chamber, and the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are directed toward the same surface of the fabric layer.

9. The electrical sensor of claim 8, wherein the fluid chamber has an oblong shape with the entry region disposed at a first end and the exit region disposed at the second end.

10. The electrical sensor of claim 9, wherein the electrical fabric probe is received in a depression disposed in a surface of the enclosure.

11. The electrical sensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical sensor has a flow-through configuration with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are disposed proximate to opposing first and second surfaces of the fabric layer when the electronic fabric probe is accommodated in the enclosure.

12. The electrical sensor of claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes a first enclosure portion and a second enclosure portion, the first and second enclosure portions delineating a respective hemispherical cavity to provide a spherical shape for the fluid chamber.

13. The electrical sensor of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the fabric layer is sandwiched between the first housing portion and the second housing portion.

14. A dialysis machine comprising:

a dialyzer delineating a dialysate side and a blood side separated by a membrane;

a fluid source for supplying fluid in a liquid phase;

at least one fluid line communicating the fluid to the dialyzer;

a pump disposed in the fluid line for directing fluid to and from the dialyzer; and

an electrical sensor disposed in the fluid line, the electrical sensor including an electronic fabric probe accommodated in an enclosure having an fluid inlet and a fluid outlet coupled to the fluid line, the electronic fabric probe having a non-conductive fabric layer with a first conductor and a second conductor embedded in the fabric layer, the first and second conductors disposed in a flow path delineating by the enclosure; and

an electronic controller electrically connected to the electrical sensor and in electronic communication with the first conductor and the second conductor, the electronic controller operatively associated with a human-machine interface for displaying electromagnetic information about the fluid.

15. The dialysis machine of claim 14, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor are spaced apart a predetermined distance on the fabric layer.

16. The dialysis machine of claim 15, wherein the first conductor is an excitation conductor adapted to apply a voltage and current to the dialysate, and the second conductor is a sense conductor adapted to sense the voltage and current being applied.

17. The dialysis machine of claim 16, wherein the controller is operatively associated with a meter to determine a drop in voltage being applied.

18. The dialysis machine of claim 14, wherein the electronic fabric probe is selected from one of a group consisting of a flow-over arrangement and a flow-through arrangement.

19. The dialysis machine of claim 14, wherein the electrical sensor is disposable with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet configured as hose fittings for releasable connection to the fluid line.

20. A method of measuring conductivity of a fluid flowing in a dialysis machine during dialysis treatment, the method comprising:

connecting a electrical sensor to an electronic controller operatively associated with the dialysis machine, the electrical sensor including an electronic fabric probe accommodated in a fluid chamber delineated by an enclosure of the electrical sensor;

directing the fluid into the fluid chamber through a fluid inlet of the enclosure;

applying current or voltage to the fluid in the fluid chamber via a first conductor embedded in a fabric layer of the electronic fabric probe;

sensing the conductivity of the fluid in the fluid chamber via a second conductor disposed in the fabric layer of the electronic fabric probe; and

discarding the electronic fabric probe at the conclusion of the dialysis treatment.