User interface powered via an inductive coupling

• US 8,587,516 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Kopychev, Andrey, Hecht, Gideon, Wellings, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, EMILY J
• Application Number:
  US12/429,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/15 with a cassette forming partially or totally the flow circuit for the treating fluid, e.g. the dialysate fluid circuit or the treating gas circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/154 with sensing means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/00 Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling

Abstract

An operating machine, such as a medical machine or a dialysis machine, includes a housing for operating components of the machine and a moveable user interface or display for viewing and entering information concerning operation of the machine. Signals concerning operating information are wirelessly transmitted between the machine and the display using one of several techniques. Power is also transmitted wirelessly from the operating machine to the screen, or from a separate power source to the display. The wireless signals may be transmitted via induction, radio, infrared or optical means.

Claims

1. An operating machine with a moveable display, comprising:

a housing for the operating machine;

an operating section within the housing;

first and second primary induction coils carried by the housing;

a user interface connected hingedly to the housing without wires; and

first and second secondary induction coils carried by the user interface, the first secondary induction coil coupled inductively to the first primary induction coil and configured to wirelessly supply at least one signal to or from the user interface while the machine is operating, and the second secondary induction coil coupled inductively to the second primary induction coil and configured to wirelessly supply power to the user interface while the machine is operating.

2. The operating machine according to claim 1, wherein the operating machine is a medical machine configured for performing a diagnostic or therapeutic operation.

3. The operating machine of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

(i) the first and second primary induction coils being carried by a hinge portion of the housing; and

(ii) the first and second secondary coils being carried by a hinge portion of the user interface.

4. The operating machine of claim 1, wherein the operating machine is a peritoneal dialysis machine or a hemodialysis machine.

5. The operating machine of claim 1, wherein the second primary and secondary coils are configured for inductively supplying electricity at a frequency between 20 kHz to 1 MHz to power the user interface.

6. The operating machine of claim 1, further comprising at least one tilt hinge or at least one swivel hinge connecting the housing and the user interface, wherein the first and second primary and secondary induction coils are embedded within the hinge.

7. The operating machine of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency power transmitter in the housing or in a separate housing, and also comprising an inductor in the user interface for receiving radio-frequency power from the radio-frequency transmitter.

8. The operating machine of claim 1, further comprising at least one tilt hinge or at least one swivel hinge connecting the housing and the user interface, wherein the first and second primary and secondary induction coils are embedded within the hinge, and wherein the hinge comprises at least one spring or one detent for resisting movement.

9. The operating machine of claim 1, the housing further comprising a first transceiver, the user interface further comprising a second transceiver, the transceivers in wireless communication with each other for wirelessly communicating signals concerning an operation of the machine.

10. The operating machine of claim 1, wherein the operating machine is a dialysis machine, the housing further comprising a first transceiver, the user interface further comprising a second transceiver, the transceivers in wireless communication with each other for wirelessly communicating signals concerning a dialysis therapy.

11. An operating machine with a moveable display, comprising:

a housing for an operating medical machine;

a display movably connected to the housing without wires;

at least one sensor within the housing for sensing a condition of the operating medical machine and sending a signal concerning an operation or a status of the machine;

first signal processing circuitry connected to the sensor for processing the signal;

a hinge movably and mechanically connecting the display to the housing, the hinge including a housing portion having a first transceiver for wirelessly sending the signal and a display portion having a second transceiver for wirelessly receiving the signal; and

second signal processing circuitry for displaying on the display an indication of the operation or the status of the operating medical machine from the signal.

12. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the transceivers are induction coils embedded within the hinge.

13. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the hinge includes a swiveling hinge and a tilting hinge, the swiveling hinge having a stationary portion attached to the housing, the tilting hinge having a portion attached to the display, and an intermediate portion for swiveling and tilting,

wherein the first transceiver comprises a first induction coil embedded within the stationary portion of the swiveling hinge, and the second transceiver comprises a second induction coil embedded within the tilting hinge portion attached to the display, and further comprising third and fourth induction coils within the intermediate portion for receiving signals from the first and second induction coils and for transmitting the signals to the second and first induction coils.

14. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the first transceiver for wirelessly sending the signal comprises one of an induction coil, an optical transducer, an optical LED, and an infrared transmitter.

15. The operating machine of claim 11, further comprising a primary electromagnetic coil in the housing or in a separate housing, the primary electromagnetic coil connected to a power source and configured for wirelessly transmitting electromagnetic power, and further comprising a secondary electromagnetic coil connected to the user interface, wherein the user interface is configured for wirelessly receiving the electromagnetic power.

16. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the second transceiver further comprises an electromagnetic coil for receiving electrical power and circuitry for at least one of converting and inverting the electric power, and wherein the second signal processing circuitry further comprises a battery-charging circuit or a storage-device charging circuit.

17. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the housing further comprises a medical machine selected from the group consisting of an apheresis machine, a peritoneal dialysis machine and a hemodialysis machine.

18. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the hinge is a spring-loaded hinge for rotatably connecting the housing to the display.

19. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the display further comprises a flat electromagnetic coil in a base of the display.

20. The operating machine of claim 11, further comprising an emitter of electromagnetic power, wherein the display is configured for close coupling to a top surface of the operating machine.

21. The operating machine of claim 11, wherein the hinge allows for at least one of:

(i) the display to swivel with respect to the housing; and

(ii) the display to tilt with respect to the housing.

22. An operating machine with a moveable display, comprising:

a housing for an operating dialysis machine;

at least one pump within the housing for pumping dialysis fluid;

a user interface coupled wirelessly and removeably to the housing; and

electronics associated with the housing and the user interface and configured for the housing electronics to supply power to the user interface electronics when the user interface is near the housing and for the housing electronics to automatically cease supplying power to the user interface when the user interface is removed from the housing.

23. The operating machine of claim 22, wherein the user interface comprises a power storage device configured to store power such that the user interface remains operable when the user interface is removed from the housing.

24. The operating machine of claim 22, wherein the user interface is removeably mechanically coupled to the housing by a hinge.

25. The operating machine of claim 22, wherein the user interface is removeably electronically coupled to the housing by fiat electromagnetic coils in the housing and in the user interface.

26. The operating machine of claim 22, wherein the electronics associated with the housing are configured for wirelessly transmitting a signal to the electronics associated with the user interface and for wirelessly receiving a signal from the user interface, and wherein the electronics associated with the user interface are configured for wirelessly transmitting a signal to the housing and for wirelessly receiving a signal from the housing, and wherein the signals concern a status or an operation of a dialysis therapy.

27. A method of providing a dialysis therapy, the method comprising:

providing a dialysis machine having a user interface removeably and wirelessly connected to the dialysis machine;

generating signals indicative of a status or an operation of the dialysis machine;

providing a dialysis therapy; and

wirelessly sending at least one operating signal from at least one transceiver, through a hinge that movably and mechanically connects the user interface to the dialysis machine, to the user interface.

28. The method of claim 27, which includes wirelessly sending the at least one operating signal via induction coils located in the hinge.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising wirelessly sending operating signals from the user interface to the dialysis machine.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the signals are sent via a mode selected from the group consisting of a radio mode, an optical mode, and an infrared mode.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating electric power via a power source within or separate from the dialysis machine, and wirelessly transmitting the electric power to the user interface.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising generating electric power via a power source within or separate from the dialysis machine, and transmitting the electric power to the user interface via an electromagnetic close coupling.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the electromagnetic close coupling is achieved using flat coils in a top portion of the power source and a base of the user interface.