MEDICAL APPLIANCE FOR EXTRACORPOREAL BLOOD TREATMENT

Abstract

A medical appliance for use in extracorporeal blood treatment. The appliance includes a housing component, a cover and a pivot bearing arrangement by which the cover is mounted on the housing component. The cover is pivotable between a covering position, in which the housing component is covered, and a exposure position, in which the housing component is exposed. The pivot bearing arrangement has pivot bearings, each having a bearing element and a bearing element receptacle. The cover can move linearly relative to the housing component between a dismounting position, in which at least one of the bearing elements is disengaged from a bearing element receptacle, and a bearing position, in which both bearing elements engage the bearing element receptacles. The cover is mounted resiliently and elastically preloaded relative to the housing component by a spring arrangement.

Claims

1. A medical appliance for extracorporeal blood treatment comprising: a housing component; a cover; a pivot bearing arrangement by which the cover is mounted on the housing component so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the housing component; and a spring arrangement, the cover being pivotable at least between a covering position, in which the cover covers the housing component, and a release position, in which the cover releases the housing component, the pivot bearing arrangement comprising at least a first pivot bearing and a second pivot bearing spaced apart from the first pivot bearing along the pivot axis, the first pivot bearing comprising a first bearing element and a first bearing element receptacle, the second pivot bearing comprising a second bearing element and a second bearing element receptacle, the first bearing engaging in the first bearing element receptacle, the second bearing element engaging in the second bearing element receptacle, the first bearing element and the second bearing element being pivotable about the pivot axis and linearly movable to a limited extent along the pivot axis relative to the bearing element receptacle and the second bearing element receptacle, respectively, as a result of which the cover is configured to be shifted in a linearly movable manner along the pivot axis relative to the housing component between a removal position, in which at least one of the first bearing element and the second bearing element is disengaged from at least one of the first bearing element receptacle and the second bearing element receptacle, respectively, and a bearing position, in which the first bearing element and the second bearing element are engaged with the first bearing element receptacle and the second bearing element receptacle, respectively, the cover being mounted resiliently to the housing component along the pivot axis by the spring arrangement and elastically pretensioned relative to the housing component in a direction of the bearing position by the spring arrangement.

2. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein: the spring arrangement has at least one spring element comprising a first end that acts on one of the first bearing element and the second bearing element, the at least one spring element comprising a second end that is at least indirectly supported on the cover or the housing component, or the spring arrangement is formed a wall portion of the cover, the wall portion being elastically dimensionally flexible, on which wall portion one of the first bearing element and the second bearing element or one of the first bearing element receptacle and the second bearing element receptacle is formed.

3. The medical appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a support arrangement operatively connected to the cover and to the housing component, the cover being supportable by the support arrangement in a form-fitting manner on the housing component counter to a linear movement directed toward the removal position, wherein the cover is supported by the support arrangement at least in the covering position, and wherein the support is removed in a defined pivoted position of the cover for removal of the cover.

4. The medical appliance according to claim 3, wherein the support arrangement comprises at least one support element arranged on the cover and, at least in the covering position, is supported in a form-fitting manner along the pivot axis on a support portion of the housing component, and which, in the defined pivoted position of the cover, is pivoted away from the support portion about the pivot axis and therefore cannot be supported on said support portion.

5. The medical appliance according to claim 3, wherein the defined pivoted position of the cover is a release position or a pivoted position of the cover pivoted from the release position further about the pivot axis.

6. The medical appliance according to claim 3, wherein the support arrangement has at least one mating support element which is arranged on the cover and, at least in the covering position, is supported in a form-fitting manner along the pivot axis and counter to the support element on a mating support portion of the housing component.

7. The medical appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a holding arrangement operatively connected to the cover and to the housing component, wherein the cover is held in the release position by the holding arrangement counter to a pivoting movement directed into the covering position.

8. The medical appliance according to claim 7, wherein the holding arrangement comprises a latching element arranged on the housing component and over which a latching portion of the cover is latchable by a pivoting movement of the cover, and wherein the latching portion grips releasably behind the latching element in the covering position in a form-fitting manner.

9. The medical appliance according to claim 8, wherein the latching element and the latching portion are mounted resiliently relative to each other along the pivot axis by the spring arrangement.

10. The medical appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cover has two side members that are spaced apart from each other along the pivot axis and are angled in relation to a cover top side, wherein at least one of the side members is formed integrally at least in sections with at least one of: the first and second pivot bearings; the spring arrangement; the support arrangement; and the holding arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0014] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the description below of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention that is illustrated with reference to the drawings.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows a schematically highly simplified illustration of a cutout of a refinement of a medical appliance according to the invention for extracorporeal blood treatment, with a housing component and a cover, which is blanked out in the drawing,

[0016] FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic perspective illustration, an arrangement which is known from the prior art, comprising a housing component, a cover and a pivot bearing arrangement for pivoting the cover on the housing component,

[0017] FIG. 3 shows, in a viewing direction directed from the top downward—with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 1—, the housing component of the appliance according to FIG. 1 with the cover mounted thereon and taking up a covering position,

[0018] FIG. 4 shows, in a partially sectioned front view—with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 1—, the housing component and the cover in the region of a pivot axis, wherein the cover is pivoted from the covering position according to FIG. 3 in the direction of a release position (FIG. 5),

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the housing component and the cover in an illustration corresponding to FIG. 4, with the cover taking up the release position,

[0020] FIG. 6 shows the housing component and the cover in a partial sectional illustration, wherein the intersecting plane runs through the pivot axis, and

[0021] FIG. 7 shows, in a truncated perspective illustration, the housing component with the cover mounted thereon, with the cover taking up the release position and being illustrated in partially transparent form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows sections of a medical appliance V for extracorporeal blood treatment which is configured in the form of a dialysis appliance. FIG. 1 essentially shows an entire extracorporeal circulatory system of the medical appliance V. Said circulatory system has an arterial blood line 1 by means of which blood which is to be treated is guided from a patient (not shown) to a peristaltic pump 2 of the medical appliance V. An arterial pressure sensor 3 is provided upstream of the peristaltic pump 2 with respect to a conveying direction of the blood. The arterial pressure sensor 3 can be used to detect the pressure in the arterial blood line 1 upstream of the peristaltic pump 2. Said pressure may also be referred to as pressure on the low-pressure side. In the conveying direction of the blood downstream of the peristaltic pump 2—and therefore on the high-pressure side—a high-pressure blood line 4 leads to an arterial air trap 5. In the present case, a feed line 6 which is connected to a pump 7 is arranged at an outlet of the peristaltic pump 2. An additive, for example heparin for blood thinning, can be metered in via the feed line 6. Starting from the arterial air trap 5, a line 8 conducts the blood to be treated to a dialyzer 9, to which dialysis fluid is supplied on the input side via a dialysis fluid feed line 10. The blood is treated in the dialyzer 9 in a known manner by means of the dialysis fluid. Used dialysis fluid, which may also be referred to as dialysate, is conducted away from the dialyzer 9 via a dialysis fluid discharge line 11 and fed for disposal or processing (not illustrated). The blood which is to be treated is conducted by means of a blood discharge line 12 from the dialyzer 9 to a venous air trap 13 for separating off air. An air detector/air bubble detector 14 is connected downstream of said air trap and detects whether air which is hazardous for the patient is located in the system. A venous pressure sensor 15, by means of which the venous pressure can be detected, is provided at the venous air trap 13. The treated blood is conducted from the air trap 13 via the air detector/air bubble detector 14 via a venous blood line 16 back to the patient. In addition, a control and monitoring device 17 for controlling and monitoring the medical appliance V is provided. The medical appliance V is encapsulated in a housing G which has a housing front 100 on which in particular the peristaltic pump 2 is mounted.

[0023] The peristaltic pump 2 has a rotor 18 and a pump housing 20. The pump housing 20 forms a housing component of the medical appliance V. In a state of the medical appliance V ready for operation, the pump housing 20 is covered by a cover which is yet to be described in more detail and which is mounted pivotably on the pump housing 20 by means of a pivot bearing arrangement, which is likewise yet to be described in detail. Neither the cover nor the pivot bearing arrangement are illustrated in FIG. 1 for graphical reasons.

[0024] To clarify the basic design and the functioning of the peristaltic pump 2, reference is first of all made to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a peristaltic pump known from the prior art with a pump housing 200, a cover 240 and a pivot bearing arrangement 250. The pump housing 200 has a receiving recess 210, which may also be referred to as a pump bed. A rotor, not shown with reference to FIG. 2, is accommodated so as to be driven rotatably in the receiving recess 210. The receiving recess 210 is delimited laterally by a support surface 230 which extends arcuately about the rotor axis 190 and is spaced apart radially from the rotor.

[0025] The cover 240 is coupled to the pump housing 200 by means of the pivot bearing arrangement 250 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis S0. The cover 240 takes up an open state in FIG. 2, in which the receiving recess 210 is upwardly released—with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 2. This state may also be referred to as the release position. In a closed state, the cover 240 upwardly covers the receiving recess 210. This state may also be referred to as the covering position.

[0026] The basic functioning of the peristaltic pump 2 for pumping the blood between the low-pressure side and the high-pressure side is identical to the functioning of the peristaltic pump according to the prior art that is shown with reference to FIG. 2. To this end, an elastically deformable tube line 22 is arranged in the radial direction between the rotor 18 and the support surface 23 (cf. FIG. 4) of the pump housing 20. The tube line 22 is connected at its opposite ends in a manner known to a person skilled in the art to the arterial blood line 1 and to the high-pressure blood line 4 so as to conduct fluid. In order to pump the blood, the rotating rotor 18 acts on the tube line 22 such that the latter is squeezed together elastically in sections between the rotor 18 and the support surface 23. The resulting squeezing of the tube line 22, which may also be referred to as occlusion, migrates as it were together with the rotating rotor 18 about the rotor axis 19, as a result of which the blood is conveyed from the low-pressure side to the high-pressure side.

[0027] In the case of the peristaltic pump known from the prior art according to FIG. 2, the cover 240 is removable and mountable in a comparatively complex manner because of the construction provided there of the pivot bearing arrangement. The configuration according to the invention that is apparent in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7 in particular overcomes this disadvantage.

[0028] It is shown there that the cover 24 is mounted pivotably on the pump housing 20 by means of a pivot bearing arrangement 25, 25a and so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis S relative to the pump housing 20. In FIG. 3, the cover 24 takes up the covering position. In the latter, the receiving recess 21 of the pump housing 20 is covered by means of the cover 24. From the covering position, the cover 24 can be pivoted about the pivot axis S in the direction of a release position relative to the pump housing 20. In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the cover 24 takes up the release position. In the latter, the receiving recess 21 is upwardly released—with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 3. In the operationally ready state shown with reference to FIG. 1, the pump housing 20 and the cover 24 are mounted on the housing front 100 in such a manner that the pivot axis S is extended horizontally in the region of an upper edge (not denoted specifically) of the pump housing 20.

[0029] In the embodiment shown, the pivot bearing arrangement 25, 25a has two pivot bearings which are arranged spaced apart from each other along the pivot axis S. The pivot bearings of the pivot bearing arrangement 25, 25a are also referred to below as first pivot bearing 25 and second pivot bearing 25a.

[0030] The pivot bearings 25, 25a each have a bearing element 26, 26a and a bearing element receptacle 27, 27a. The bearing elements 26, 26a each engage in the axial direction in the respective bearing element receptacle 27, 27a and are pivotable about the pivot axis S relative thereto. The bearing elements 26, 26a are also referred to below as first bearing element 26 and second bearing element 26a. The same applies to the bearing element receptacles 27, 27a, which are also referred to as first bearing element receptacle 27 and second bearing element receptacle 27a.

[0031] It is apparent in particular with reference to FIG. 6 that the bearing elements 26, 26a and the bearing element receptacles 27, 27a are not merely mounted on one another so as to be pivotable relative to one another about the pivot axis S. On the contrary, at the same time, a linear movability, which is limited in the axial direction of the pivot axis S, between the bearing elements 26, 26a and the respective bearing element receptacle 27, 27a is ensured.

[0032] For this purpose, in the case of the embodiment shown, the second bearing element 26a is configured in the form of a bearing pin P and is accommodated axially movably to a limited extent in a receiving bore 28 of the pump housing 20. As a result of this movable accommodating of the bearing pin P, the cover can be moved relative to the pump housing 20 in the lateral direction, i.e. axially along the pivot axis S. The axial position, which can be seen with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7, of the cover 24 with respect to the pump housing 20 may also be referred to as the bearing position. In said bearing position, the two bearing elements 26, 26a are in engagement with the respective bearing element receptacle 27, 27a. Starting from the bearing position, the cover 24 can be pressed to the left—with respect to the planes of the drawing of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6—until the first bearing element receptacle 27 is disengaged from the first bearing element 26. The cover 24 is then in a removal position. This permits simple manual removal of the cover 24 from the pump housing 20. The same applies analogously to the installation of the cover 24.

[0033] In order to prevent inadvertent removal of the cover 24, a spring arrangement 29 is also provided by means of which the cover 24 is mounted resiliently along the pivot axis S and is elastically pretensioned relative to the pump housing 20 in the direction of the bearing position.

[0034] In the embodiment shown, the spring arrangement 29 is designed as a spring element F. The spring element F is integrated in the bearing pin P, and therefore the latter may also be referred to as a spring pin P. The spring element F is supported at one end—at any rate indirectly—on the pump housing 20 and acts at the other end on a rear side (not denoted specifically) of a head portion 30a of the bearing pin P. The head portion 30a engages in the second bearing element receptacle 27a.

[0035] In the case of an embodiment not illustrated graphically, an alternative refinement of the spring arrangement is provided. In the case of this refinement, the bearing pin P is arranged axially immovably on the pump housing 20, and the resilient mounting and pretensioning in the axial direction is achieved by means of an elastically dimensionally flexible configuration of the cover 24 in the region of a wall portion W. By means of the dimensionally flexible configuration of the wall portion W, the cover can be pressed laterally in the direction of the removal position despite the axially fixed arrangement of the bearing pin P.

[0036] In the embodiment shown, the first bearing element 26 is configured as a bearing journal. Accordingly, the first bearing element receptacle 27a is designed as a journal receptacle.

[0037] Furthermore, it is apparent in particular with reference to FIG. 6 that the bearing element receptacles 27, 27a are each formed integrally on the cover 24. By contrast, the bearing elements 26, 26a are arranged on the pump housing 20, the first bearing element 26 being formed integrally on the pump housing 20. For this purpose, by contrast, the second bearing element 26a or the bearing pin P is manufactured as a separate component and joined together with the pump housing 20 by insertion into the receiving bore 28.

[0038] In order to prevent the cover 24 from being unintentionally removed from the pump housing 20, in the embodiment shown a support arrangement T which is formed between the cover 24 and the housing component 20 is provided (FIG. 7). By means of the support arrangement T, the cover 24 can be supported in a form-fitting manner on the pump housing 20 counter to a linear movement directed into the removal position. In the present case, this support is brought about here at least in the covering position. By contrast, the support is removed in a defined pivoted position (FIG. 7), as a result of which the cover 24—as it lacks a form-fitting lateral support on the pump housing 20—can be displaced from the bearing position into the removal position.

[0039] In the embodiment shown, said defined pivoted position of the cover 24 is the release position. In the case of an embodiment that is not shown, the defined pivoted position for removing the cover 24 is a pivoted position of the cover 24 pivoted further about the pivot axis S from the release position.

[0040] The support arrangement here has a support element 31 which is arranged on the cover 24 and, for support, interacts in a form-fitting manner with a support portion 32 arranged on the pump housing 20. The support portion 32 is formed by a lateral outer surface of the pump housing 20. The support element 31 is integrally formed here on the cover 24 and is opposite the support portion 32 in the axial direction of the pivot axis S. This is at any rate in the covering position. In the release position shown with reference to FIG. 7, the support element 31 is pivoted away from the support portion 32 about the pivot axis S together with the cover 24 and therefore cannot be supported axially on said support portion 32. In other words, the support element 31 blocks the axial movability of the cover 24 at least in the covering position in such a manner that the cover 24 is not displaceable from the bearing position into the removal position. Even in the event of a pivoting movement of the cover 24 from the covering position, the support element 31 remains positioned axially in relation to the support portion 32 such that the axial movability of the cover is then also blocked. Only in the defined pivoted position of the cover 24, here the release position, is the support element 31 no longer positioned in relation to the support portion 32 such that the axial movability of the cover is released in the direction of the removal position.

[0041] In the embodiment shown, the support arrangement T also has a further support element 33. The support element 33 ensures as flat a support as possible on the support portion 32 in particular in the covering position.

[0042] Furthermore, the support arrangement T here has a mating support element 34 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is arranged on the cover and, at any rate in the covering position, is supported on the pump housing 20 axially and counter to the support element 32. For this purpose, the pump housing 20 has a mating support portion 35. The mating support portion 35 is formed in a manner corresponding to the support portion 32 by a lateral surface of the pump housing 20. The mating support element 34 and the mating support portion 35 lie opposite each other in the axial direction of the pivot axis S and counteract an axial movement of the cover 24 directed from the left to the right—with respect to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 6. This prevents in particular an inadvertent disengaging of the bearing pin P from the second bearing element receptacle 27a. In the embodiment shown, the mating support element 34 is positioned in relation to the mating support portion 35 over the entire pivoting range of the cover 24 in the axial direction. In other words, the cover 24 can be supported on the mating support portion 35 by means of the mating support element 34 not merely in the covering position, but also in all further pivoted positions.

[0043] With respect to FIG. 1, the cover 24 protrudes upward obliquely forward from the pump housing 20 in the release position. In order to hold the cover 24 in the release position counter to the action of gravity, a holding arrangement H is provided here. The holding arrangement H holds the cover in the release position counter to a pivoting movement directed into the covering position. The holding arrangement H is formed between the cover 24 and the pump housing 20. The holding arrangement H here has a latching element 36 arranged on the pump housing 20 and a latching portion 37 formed on the cover 24. The latching element 36 protrudes laterally from the pump housing 20 in the axial direction of the pivot axis S and is arranged here in the region of the mating support portion 35. The latching element 36 is provided with a rounded latching contour 38 on an outer end region. The latching portion 37 is formed integrally on the cover 24 and has a beveled latching contour 39 (FIG. 4). The latching portion 37 can latch over the latching element 36 by means of a pivoting movement of the cover 24. In this case, first of all the beveled latching contour 39 passes into sliding contact with the rounded latching contour 38 of the latching element 36. This is shown in FIG. 4. The latching portion 37 is pressed here outwardly in the axial direction relative to the latching element 36. After latching over the latching element, the latching portion 37 grips behind the rounded latching contour 38 such that the cover 24 is held in a form-fitting manner in the release position.

[0044] When the latching element 36 is overlatched, the holding arrangement H interacts in an advantageous manner with the spring arrangement 29. This is because the previously described axial yielding movement of the latching portion 37 and therefore of the entire cover 24 is assisted by the resilient mounting of the bearing pin P. The previously described overlatching thereby takes place particularly smoothly and with little wear. At the same time, the resilient mounting or the pretensioning by means of the spring arrangement 29 assists the secure gripping-behind action of the latching element 36.

[0045] Furthermore, the cover 24 here has two side members 40, 40a which are arranged spaced apart from each other along the pivot axis S and may also be referred to as first side member 40 and second side member 40a. The side members 40, 40a are angled in relation to a cover top side 41 of the cover 24, with an angle of approximately 90° being provided here. The side members 40, 40a engage laterally over the pump housing 20 in the covering position. The side members 40, 40a are arranged lying axially opposite the mating support portion 35 or the support portion 32 of the pump housing 20 here.

[0046] The bearing element receptacles 27, 27a are formed here in the region of the side members 40, 40a. In more precise terms, the first bearing element receptacle 27 is formed on the first side member 40. In the present case, the bearing element receptacle 27 is extended here in the form of a through bore through the first side member 40. The second bearing element receptacle 27a is formed in the region of the second side member 40a.

[0047] In addition, the support arrangement T is also formed here at least in sections in the region of the side members 40, 40a (FIG. 7). The support element 31 and the further support element 33 are formed on an inner-lying inner side of the second side member 40a. The mating support element 34 is formed on an inner side of the first side member 40 opposite the inner side of the second side member 40a.

[0048] In addition, the holding arrangement H is also formed at least in sections in the region of the side members 40, 40a. In more precise terms, the latching portion 37 is formed on the inner side of the first side member 40.

[0049] The previously described, preferably integral, design of the corresponding functional portions of the pivot bearing arrangement 25, 25a, the support arrangement T and the holding arrangement H on the side members 40, 40a, in particular the inner sides thereof, is particularly advantageous. In the embodiment shown, the cover 24 is manufactured as a plastics injection molded component.