Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090007642 | DIALYSIS FLUID MEASUREMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS USING CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS - A dialysate testing method in one embodiment includes placing electrical contacts in a dialysate flow path, measuring an electrical property of the dialysate as it flows through the flow path and past the contacts, and determining whether the dialysate has been mixed properly from the detected electrical property. A dialysate testing method in another embodiment includes flowing dialysate past a pair of electrical contacts, calculating a conductivity of the dialysate using an algorithm that takes into account a geometry of the contacts, and using the calculated conductivity to determine if the dialysate has been removed properly. | 01-08-2009 |
20090012452 | DIALYSIS FLUID MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS USING CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS - A dialysis system instrument includes a dialysis instrument, a disposable pumping and valving cassette apparatus operable with pumping and valving actuators of the dialysis instrument, the disposable cassette including an electronic cell and electronics associated with the electronic cell, the electronics configured to determine an electrical property of a solution flowing through the electronic cell of the disposable apparatus. | 01-08-2009 |
20090082647 | DETECTING ACCESS DISCONNECT USING NEEDLE SLEEVE - An access needle for extracorporeal therapy is equipped with a mount and a sleeve having a metal or magnetic component at its distal end. The mount includes a sensor for detecting when the distal end is pressed against the mount. The sensor is a hall-effect sensor or a proximity sensor. When therapy is begun, the sleeve is rolled up and urged against the mount, exposing the needle for use with the patient. While the sleeve, and the piece of metal or magnet, remains in contact with the sensor, the needle has not been dislodged and therapy may continue. If the needle is dislodged, the sleeve pushes away from mount, moving the metal or magnet away from the sensor. The sensor notes the dislodgement and sends a signal to alert the patient or a caregiver. | 03-26-2009 |
20090101550 | DIALYSIS SYSTEM HAVING NON-INVASIVE FLUID VELOCITY SENSING - A dialysis system includes a dialyzer; a blood pump coupled operably to a dialyzer; a dialysate inlet pump couple operably to a dialysate inlet of the dialyzer; a dialysate outlet pump coupled operably to a dialysate outlet of the dialyzer; a first non-invasive fluid velocity sensor positioned to sensor of inlet flowrate of dialysate pumped to the dialysate inlet by the dialysate inlet pump; and a second non-invasive fluid velocity sensor positioned to sense an outlet flowrate of dialysate pumped from the dialysate outlet by the dialysate outlet pump. | 04-23-2009 |
20090182262 | VALVE ACTUATOR FOR CONTROLLING A MEDICAL FLUID - A machine for controlling a medical fluid includes a base and an actuator comprising an electroactive polymer and disposed on the base. The actuator is configured for movement between an extended position and a contracted position. A valve head is disposed on the actuator and adapted to engage a flexible membrane of a cassette against a valve seat of the cassette when the actuator is extended to perform a valving function to control the flow of a fluid within the cassette | 07-16-2009 |
20130324915 | STEPPER MOTOR DRIVEN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS MACHINE - A peritoneal dialysis system includes: an enclosure including an actuation surface and a door; a stepper motor housed by the enclosure; a pump head and a solid pump piston structurally linking the pump head to the stepper motor; and a disposable unit accepted by the enclosure, the disposable unit including a flexible membrane attached to a rigid piece, the actuation surface of the enclosure and the disposable unit so configured and arranged that when the stepper motor turns and consequently translates the solid pump piston and the pump head towards the door, the pump head physically contacts and stretches the membrane from a relaxed position to a stretched position, and when the stepper motor turns and consequently translates the solid pump piston and the pump head away from the door, the membrane follows the pump head and transitions from the stretched position to the relaxed position. | 12-05-2013 |
20130331775 | PERITONEAL DIALYSIS SYSTEMS AND METHODS HAVING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE - A peritoneal dialysis machine including a membrane pump and a touch screen display that includes a mode-indicating portion and an operation-descriptive portion, the mode-indicating portion having a plurality of touch sensitive indicia each indicating one of a plurality of modes in which the machine can operate, the display being used to keep a patient continually informed of which one mode of at least three operating modes the machine is operating in, as the operation-descriptive portion changes to display details of a specific operation being carried out within the one mode, the indicia for each of the three operating modes always being visible to the patient while the machine is operating, the operating mode being selected by the patient touching one of the indicia on the screen. | 12-12-2013 |
20150021252 | DIALYSIS SYSTEM HAVING NON-INVASIVE FLUID VELOCITY SENSING - A dialysis system includes a dialysis instrument including a blood pump, a dialysate inlet pump, a dialysate outlet pump, and at least one fluid velocity sensor, each sensor including an emitter and a receiver, a dialyzer arranged (i) to receive blood pumped by the blood pump, (ii) to receive fresh dialysate pumped by the dialysate inlet pump and (iii) such that used dialysate is pumped from the dialyzer by the dialysate outlet pump, and a disposable cassette including a to-dialyzer dialysate pathway carrying dialysate pumped by the dialysate inlet pump and a from-dialyzer dialysate pathway carrying used dialysate pumped by the dialysate outlet pump, wherein at least one of the to-dialyzer dialysate pathway or the from-dialyzer dialysate pathway includes at least one sensing area so positioned and arranged such that when the disposable cassette is mounted to the instrument, the sensing area is coupled operably with both the emitter and the receiver of the at least one fluid velocity sensor. | 01-22-2015 |