Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Liquid/liquid solvent or colloidal extraction or diffusing...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-12
2001-05-22
Kim, John (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Liquid/liquid solvent or colloidal extraction or diffusing...
C210S085000, C210S097000, C210S195100, C210S195200, C210S252000, C210S253000, C210S645000, C210S739000, C137S599050, C137S861000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06235199
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for plumbing the water supply connections to dialysis machines in a dialysis treatment unit. A system for fluid delivery in a dialysis clinic is discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/065,780 filed Apr. 23, 1998, entitled “System for Fluid Delivery in a Dialysis Clinic,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In renal failure, the filtrate formation decreases or stops completely. Nitrogenous waste accumulate quickly in the blood when the tubule cells are not working, a condition called azotemia, and blood pH tumbles to the acidic range. To prevent consequences of azotemia, the blood must be cleansed of metabolic waste and its ionic composition must be adjusted to normal levels by dialysis while the kidneys are shut down. In hemodialysis, which uses an “artificial kidney” apparatus, the patient's blood is passed through a membrane tubing that is permeable only to selected substances, and the tubing is immersed in a bathing solution that differs slightly from normal cleansed plasma.
FIG. 1
shows a prior art renal dialysis apparatus for performing renal dialysis. The apparatus depicted in
FIG. 1
includes a cellophane membrane
12
(tubing containing blood). The cellophane or polysulfone membrane
12
is immersed in dialyzing (bathing) solution
14
. The patient's blood passes through an arterial bloodline
16
and is pumped through the cellophane membrane
12
with the aid of a blood pump
18
. Blood passes through the cellophane membrane
12
through a venous bloodline
20
back to the patient. A bubble trap
22
is positioned between the cellophane membrane
12
and the venous bloodline
20
.
Compressed air
24
forces fresh dialyzing solution
26
through the cellophane membrane
12
. The fresh dialyzing solution
26
is passed through a constant temperature vat
28
so that it will not adversely effect the temperature of the patient's blood. As fresh dialyzing solution passes into the dialysizer
14
(also referred to as bathing solution
14
) used dialyzing solution
30
is passed out.
It is known by those with skill in the art that dialysis treatment is pressure sensitive. To operate properly dialysis machines must generally operate within known parameters. One of the parameters is the pressure of the fresh dialyzing solution
26
applied to the dialysizer
14
. The following prior art discusses methods and apparatus for the parameters of dialysis machines: (1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,611 by Ghiraldi entitled “Management Of Parameters Relating To A Dialysis Treatment”; (2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,822 entitled “Continuous Flow Peritoneal Dialysis System And Method”; (3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,201 entitled “Continuous Peritoneal Dialysis Apparatus” by Peabody, et al.; and (4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,367 entitled “System And Method For Monitoring A Flow Of Dialysis Fluid In A Dialysis Machine” by Mattisson, et al, whereby these patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
To avoid bacterial growth, and satisfy government requirements, it is required that the flow rate through dialysis solution supply piping be no less than three feet per second.
FIG. 2
shows a prior art dialysis plumbing system
32
for supplying water or dialysate
34
to a plurality of dialysis machines
36
.
In the prior art dialysis plumbing system
32
shown in
FIG. 2
, the source of dialysate
34
is pumped by a pump
38
through a supply line
40
to the plurality of dialysis machines
36
. A return line
42
is connected to the supply line
40
. A flow meter
44
is located proximate the dialysate source
34
to monitor the flow rate in the return line
42
. If the flow rate measured at the flow meter proximate the source on the return line is not less than three feet per second, then the flow rate through the entire piping will be no less than three feet per second.
In a typical hospital environment, the source
34
may be located hundreds of feet from the actual clinic containing the dialysis machines
36
. The clinic itself may be hundreds of feet long. It will be appreciated that the supply line
40
may be many of hundreds of feet long. Thus, in order to maintain a flow rate of three feet per second at the return end
46
of the return conduit (return line)
42
, very high pressures may be necessary at the early portion of the supply conduit (supply line)
40
just downstream of the pump
38
(i. e., the front end of the system). This causes considerable difficulties in designing plumbing systems for dialysis clinics. To achieve a 3 fps flow rate at the back end (return end) of the piping layout, prior art techniques require significant pressures at the front end of the system. Thus, the front end of the piping layout drives the pump and piping material and joining strength requirements. This leads to using overpowered and expensive pumps, and overbuilt piping. Operational costs of such over-pressured systems are simultaneously inflated. There have been instances of piping failures of such systems, and instances of damage to equipment. Additionally, pressure reducing devices are often required such that the dialysis machines connected to the early portion of the fluid system are not over-pressured. It is believed that the present invention overcomes these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to plumbing systems for dialysis machines and overcomes problems associated with prior art plumbing systems for dialysis machines.
The present invention encompasses a biological-processing installation comprising a source for supplying a fluid to a plurality of biological processing units. A pump is located in fluid communication with the source. A fluid supply loop is placed in fluid communication with the pump and the source. The fluid supply loop includes a feeder conduit in fluid communication with the pump, and a plurality of supply legs in parallel fluid flow relative to each other. Each supply leg is in fluid communication with the feeder conduit in at least one of the plurality of biological-processing units. A return conduit is placed in fluid communication with each of the supply legs. The return conduit has a return conduit end in fluid communication with the source.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a dialysis clinic comprising at least four dialysis machines and a source of water (also referred to herein as dialysate). A pump is positioned in fluid communication with the source, and a feeder conduit is positioned in fluid communication with the pump. Two supply legs are fluidly parallel. Each supply leg is in fluid communication with the feeder conduit and at least two dialysis machines. A return conduit is positioned in fluid communication with each supply leg and the source.
It will be apparent to those with skill in the art that the present invention also includes methods of supplying fluid to a plurality of biological filtering units. One such method comprises the steps of providing a fluid source and communicating fluid in the fluid source to a second plurality of supply legs. The second plurality of supply legs are arranged fluidly parallel relative to each other. The method also includes allowing fluid to flow through the supply legs to a return conduit having a return end in fluid communication with the fluid source. At least one filtering unit is placed in fluid communication with each supply leg.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a dialysis clinic having reduced flow resistance. One such embodiment comprises a feeder conduit and at least two supply legs in parallel fluid arrangement, wherein each supply leg is in fluid communication with the feeder conduit. At least two dialysis machines are respectively fluidly connected to the at least two supply legs. A return conduit is positioned in fluid communication with the at least two supply legs. Thus, the resistance to fluid flow is reduced as compared to a series arrangement of dialysis machines.
A method of reducing flow resistance through dialysis piping comprises,
Peterson Michael J.
Russell Richard M.
Beavers Lucian Wayne
Dialysis Systems, Inc.
Kim John
Waddey & Patterson
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