Abstract
The present invention refers to a system and method for connecting a concentrate container with a blood treatment device with improved hygiene. Furthermore, the invention refers to a container and blood treatment device to be used in a method according to the present invention.
Claims
1. Container for concentrate, comprising: a main body for containing concentrate, a connection portion having a flat end surface and configured to connect the container to a blood treatment device, two attachment elements arranged at two opposing sides of the connection portion and configured to reversibly attach the container to two corresponding attachment elements present on a blood treatment device, and two connection elements each comprising an opening at the flat end surface of the connection portion and configured to interact with two corresponding connection elements present on a blood treatment device to fluidically couple the container with the blood treatment device by insertion of the connection elements present on the blood treatment device into the connection elements of the container, wherein the two attachment elements project in a first direction and the two connection elements project in a second direction that is oriented essentially at right angles to the first direction.
2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the second direction in that the two connection elements project is oriented essentially in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body of the container and the two connection elements each have the form of a hollow cylinder opened at the flat end surface of the connection portion.
3. Container according to claim 1, wherein the attachment elements are each formed as a hook or as a hollow cylinder.
4. Container according to claim 1, wherein the two connection elements are sealed by a lid in the form of a flexible film removably attached to the flat end surface of the connection portion and wherein the flexible film can be peeled off the flat end surface of the connection portion.
5. Container according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises two attachment elements that are formed in different sizes and/or geometrical configurations to allow attachment of the container to a blood treatment device in only one defined mounting position, and/or wherein the container comprises two connection elements that are formed in different sizes and/or geometrical configurations to allow fluidical coupling of the container to a blood treatment device in only one defined mounting position.
6. Blood treatment device, comprising a main body, two attachment elements to that corresponding attachment elements of a container for concentrate can be attached, wherein the two attachment elements are movable relative to the main body in a direction projecting essentially at right angles from a side surface of the main body, and two connection elements configured to fluidically couple the blood treatment device to a container for concentrate.
7. Blood treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the two attachment elements each have the form of a stud projecting outward from a side surface of the main body and the two connection elements each have the form of a spout projecting in a direction essentially parallel to the side surface of the main body.
8. Blood treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the two attachment elements are mounted onto a movable and/or motorized guiding element, preferably movable in a vertical and a horizontal direction and comprising a cavity, that can be moved between a first position, in that the two connection elements for fluidically connecting the blood treatment device to a container are received in the cavity, thereby allowing the blood treatment device to be rinsed, and a second position, in that the two connection elements are fluidically connectable or connected to a container attached to the two attachment elements of the blood treatment device.
9. Blood treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the two connection elements are movable in a direction essentially parallel to a side surface of the main body of the blood treatment device and are movable in a direction towards a bottom surface of the main body of the blood treatment device.
10. Blood treatment device according to claim 6, wherein the two attachment elements are formed in different sizes and/or geometrical configurations to allow attachment of a container to the blood treatment device in only one defined mounting position and/or the two connection elements are formed in different sizes and/or geometrical configurations to allow fluidical coupling of a container to the blood treatment device in only one defined mounting position.
11. System comprising at least one container according to claim 1 and at least one blood treatment device having a main body, two attachment elements to that corresponding attachment elements of a container for concentrate can be attached, wherein the two attachment elements are movable relative to the main body in a direction projecting essentially at right angles from a side surface of the main body, and two connection elements configured to fluidically couple the blood treatment device to a container for concentrate, wherein preferably the container is reversibly attached to the blood treatment device by means of the two attachment elements present on the container interacting with the two attachment elements present on the blood treatment device and/or the two connection elements of the blood treatment device are fluidically coupled to the two connection elements of the container.
12. Method for connecting a container for concentrate, preferably a container according to claim 1, to a blood treatment device, preferably a blood treatment device having a main body, two attachment elements to that corresponding attachment elements of a container for concentrate can be attached, wherein the two attachment elements are movable relative to the main body in a direction projecting essentially at right angles from a side surface of the main body, and two connection elements configured to fluidically couple the blood treatment device to a container for concentrate, comprising the steps: reversibly attaching the container to the blood treatment device by means of the two attachment elements present on the container and the two attachment elements present on the blood treatment device; moving the container in a direction projecting essentially at right angles to a side surface of the main body of the blood treatment device towards the main body of the blood treatment device; moving the container and/or the two connection elements of the blood treatment device in a direction projecting essentially in parallel to a side surface of the main body of the blood treatment device, thereby inserting the two connection elements of the blood treatment device into the two connection elements of the container to fluidically couple the container to the blood treatment device.
13. Method of claim 12, further comprising the step: moving the container and/or the two connection elements of the blood treatment device in a direction projecting essentially in parallel to a side surface of the main body of the blood treatment device, thereby removing the two connection elements of the blood treatment device inserted into the two connection elements of the container from the two connection elements of the container; and pausing the movement of the container in a position in that the two connection elements of the container and the two connection elements of the blood treatment device are at least partially aligned in a direction projecting essentially in parallel to the side surface of the main body of the blood treatment, so that any liquid dripping from the two connection elements of the blood treatment device is received by the two connection elements of the container.
14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the blood treatment device comprises a movable and/or motorized guiding element comprising the two attachment elements of the blood treatment device and further comprising a cavity configured to receive the two connection elements of the blood treatment device, further comprising the step moving the guiding element into a rinsing position in that the two connection elements of the blood treatment device are received in the cavity, thereby to fluidically seal the blood treatment device from the outside and allow rinsing of the blood treatment device.
15. Method according to claim 12, wherein all method steps apart from the step of reversibly attaching the container to the blood treatment device by means of the two attachment elements present on the container and the two attachment elements present on the blood treatment device are automatically performed by the blood treatment device.
Description
[0092] In the drawings:
[0093] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a container according to the present invention;
[0094] FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a container according to the present invention that comprises a peelable, flexible film to seal the connection elements of the container;
[0095] FIG. 3 shows how a user can peel the flexible film from the end surface of the container;
[0096] FIG. 4 shows a state in which the user has almost completely removed the flexible film from the top end surface of the container;
[0097] FIG. 5 shows a connection portion of a concentrate container according to the prior art;
[0098] FIG. 6 shows a connection portion of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0099] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the connection portion of FIG. 5;
[0100] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the connection portion of FIG. 6;
[0101] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the connection portion of FIG. 7;
[0102] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of the connection portion of FIG. 8;
[0103] FIG. 11 shows a top view of the connection portion of FIG. 5;
[0104] FIG. 12 shows another side view of the connection portion shown in FIG. 5;
[0105] FIG. 13 shows a top view of the connection portion of FIG. 6;
[0106] FIG. 14 shows a different side view of the connection portion of FIG. 6;
[0107] FIG. 15 shows a perspective top view of the connection portion of FIG. 6;
[0108] FIG. 16 shows a detailed view of the connection portion of FIG. 6 that is sealed by a flexible film;
[0109] FIG. 17 shows a blood treatment device according to the present invention comprising two attachment elements;
[0110] FIG. 18 shows how a container is attached to the attachment elements of the blood treatment device of FIG. 17;
[0111] FIG. 19 shows the blood treatment device of FIG. 17 with a container attached thereto;
[0112] FIG. 20 shows the detailed view of the blood treatment device of FIG. 17 in which the guiding element is positioned relative to the projection portion in a closed, rinsing position;
[0113] FIG. 21 shows a side view of the blood treatment machine of FIG. 17, in which the guiding element is positioned relative to the projection portion in the closed, rinsing position;
[0114] FIG. 22 shows the blood treatment device of FIG. 21, wherein a container is attached to the attachment elements of the blood treatment device;
[0115] FIG. 23 shows a sectional view illustrating the rinsing position of the guiding element relative to the projection portion;
[0116] FIG. 24 shows a perspective view of the container that is attached to the attachment elements of the blood treatment device in the closed rinsing position;
[0117] FIG. 25 shows the container connected to the blood treatment device in a position, in which the container is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device;
[0118] FIG. 26 shows a sectional view of the arrangement of FIG. 25;
[0119] FIG. 27 shows a blood treatment device, to which a container is fluidically coupled;
[0120] FIG. 28 shows the blood treatment device of FIG. 27 in the rinsing position.
[0121] FIG. 29 shows the guiding element and the projection portion of the blood treatment device in the closed rinsing position;
[0122] FIG. 30 shows the arrangement of FIG. 29, to which a container has been attached;
[0123] FIG. 31 shows the position, in that the container is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device;
[0124] FIG. 32 shows how the container is attached to the attachment elements of the blood treatment device;
[0125] FIG. 33 illustrates how the guide element moves inwards toward the side surface of the main body of the blood treatment device to position the container in a position that it can be fluidically coupled with the connection elements of the blood treatment device;
[0126] FIG. 34 shows a position in that the connection elements of the blood treatment device and the connection elements of the container are aligned in a vertical direction;
[0127] FIG. 35 demonstrates how the container is moved upwards to insert the connection elements of the blood treatment device into the connection elements of the container;
[0128] FIG. 36 illustrates the position of the container fluidically connected with the blood treatment device during blood treatment;
[0129] FIG. 37 demonstrates how the container is moved downwards after the treatment has ended, to fluidically decouple the connection elements of the container from the connection elements of the blood treatment device;
[0130] FIG. 38 shows how the container is held in a position, in that the connection elements of the blood treatment device and the container are fluidically coupled but aligned in a vertical direction;
[0131] FIG. 39 illustrates how droplets dripping from the connection elements of the blood treatment device are captured by the concentrate bag;
[0132] FIG. 40 demonstrates how after completion of the treatment the container is removed from the blood treatment device by moving the container away from a side surface of the blood treatment device;
[0133] FIG. 41 how after completion of the treatment the container is detached from the blood treatment device;
[0134] FIG. 42 demonstrates how the guiding element is then moved into the rinsing position by aligning the cavity present on the guiding element in a vertical direction with the connection elements of the blood treatment device; and
[0135] FIG. 43 illustrates the guiding element in the rinsing position in that the connection elements are inserted into the rinsing cavity present in the guiding element.
[0136] FIG. 44 shows an embodiment in which the guiding element can be manually moved using a lever 21.
[0137] As shown in FIG. 1, a container 1 comprises a main body 2 configured to contain a dry and/or liquid concentrate. Furthermore, the container 1 comprises two attachment elements 3 having the form of hooks that are arranged at opposite sides of an attachment portion 4 of the container 1.
[0138] Furthermore, the container 1 comprises connection elements 5 that are opened towards a top end surface 6 of the connection portion 4 of the container 1 that is opposite to/facing away from the main body 2. In this embodiment, the container also comprises a handle 22 allowing a user to grip the container 1. The top end surface 6 is sealed by a flexible film 7 that covers the connection elements 5 as well as the central opening 8 of the connection portion 4.
[0139] FIG. 2 shows another container 1 according to the present invention. In this embodiment the flexible film seals the connection element 5 but does not completely cover the central opening 8. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the attachment elements 3 take the form of hollow cylinders configured to receive corresponding studs/pins of a blood treatment device.
[0140] FIG. 3 shows a user peeling off the flexible film 7 from the top end surface 6 of the container 1. As in all drawings, components denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or similar components.
[0141] In the state shown in FIG. 4, the user has almost completely removed the flexible film 7 from the top end surface 6 of the container 1.
[0142] FIG. 5 shows a connection portion 4 of a concentrate container known from the prior art. Such conventional connection portions of containers known from the prior art generally comprise connection elements 5 that are opened downwards so that liquid can drip from these connection portions into connection elements present on the blood treatment device that are configured to be inserted into the connection elements 5. The connection portion further comprises a handle 22 allowing a user to grip the connection portion.
[0143] FIG. 6 shows a connection portion 4 of the container according to the present invention. This connection portion comprises attachment elements 3 formed as hollow cylinders and configured to receive corresponding connection elements, especially in the form of studs, pins or cylinders, present on the blood treatment device.
[0144] The connection portion 4 further comprises connection elements 5 that are opened upwards towards a top end surface 6 of the connection portion.
[0145] According to this embodiment, the connection portion 4 furthermore comprises gripping portions 8 at opposing sides of the connection portion 4 that replace the handle 22 present in the conventional connection portion shown in FIG. 5.
[0146] FIG. 7 shows the connection portion 4 according to the prior art in a side view, showing the connection elements 5 as well as the handle 22. In comparison to that, the connection portion 4 of the container according to the present invention shown in FIG. 8 comprises attachment elements 3 arranged at opposing sides of the connection portion 4 and formed as hollow cylinders. The openings of the connection portions cannot be seen in this view.
[0147] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view of the connection portion 4 of FIG. 7 in that the handle 22 is clearly visible. In the sectional view of the connection portion 4 according to the present invention in FIG. 10, the gripping portions 9 are clearly visible as well as the attachment elements 3 and the connection elements 5 that are opened towards a top end surface 6 of the connection portion 4.
[0148] As can be seen from FIG. 11, the connection elements 5 of the connection portion 4 according to the prior art also function as attachment elements, because the connection elements 5 in the form of hollow cylinders are arranged over corresponding spouts of the blood treatment device.
[0149] This is further illustrated in the view of FIG. 12, from that it can be seen that attachment elements of the blood treatment device, i.e. connection elements of a blood treatment device according to the prior art are inserted into the connection elements 5 of the connection portion 4 in an essentially vertical position/direction in FIG. 12, thereby allowing liquid from the connection elements 5 to drip out of the connection elements 5 of the connection portion 4 of a container 1.
[0150] As shown in FIG. 13, according to the present invention, the attachment elements 3 and the connection elements 5 are separate from each other. From FIG. 13 it can also be easily seen, that the attachment elements 3 and the connection elements 5 are arranged relative to each other in that they project along directions that are essentially arranged at right angles to each other, preferably horizontally and vertically respectively.
[0151] In the example of FIG. 13, the attachment elements project in a direction from the top of FIG. 13 to the bottom of FIG. 13 whereas the connection elements 5 are openings projecting or extending in the direction into and out of the paper plane.
[0152] FIG. 14 provides another clear view of the gripping portion 9, that can substitute the handle 22 present in connection portions 4 known from the prior art.
[0153] FIG. 15 further illustrates how the direction of extension of the attachment elements 3 is arranged essentially at right angles to the direction of extension of the connection elements/openings 5.
[0154] As can be seen in FIG. 16, the connection elements 5 are preferentially sealed off by the flexible strip 7 that is preferentially welded to the top end surface 6 of the connection portion 4 to close the connection elements 5.
[0155] Preferentially, the flexible film 7 comprises a gripping section 10 that allows the user to grip the flexible film 7 to remove the flexible film 7 from the top end surface 6 of the connection portion 4 of container 1.
[0156] As can be seen in FIG. 17, a blood treatment device 11 according to the present invention includes a main body 12 that has a bottom surface 13 and a attachment assembly 14 configured for attaching to and connecting to the container 1.
[0157] The attachment assembly 14 comprises a guiding element 15 to which two attachment elements 16 are mounted that in this embodiment have the form of protruding cylinders/studs/pins each having a circumferential groove into which the hooks or hook-shaped attachment elements 3 of a container 1 can be inserted.
[0158] The attachment assembly 14 furthermore comprises a projection portion 17. In the configuration shown in FIG. 17, a front surface 18 of the projection portion 17 and front surface 19 of the guiding element 15 are aligned with each other to form a continuous front surface of the attachment assembly 14. This corresponds to the rinsing position.
[0159] As can be seen in FIG. 18, a bag 1 can be attached by means of hook shaped attachment elements 3 onto the stud-shaped attachment elements 16 mounted onto the guiding element 15.
[0160] FIG. 19 shows the blood treatment device 11 with a container 1 attached to the attachment elements 16 of the guiding element 15. The container 1 is in a position in which it is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device.
[0161] FIG. 20 shows the attachment assembly 14 of a blood treatment device 11 in that the guiding element 15 is arranged relative to the projection portion 17 in a closed position used for rinsing the blood treatment device.
[0162] In this position, a front surface 18 of the projection portion 17 and a front surface 19 of the guiding element 15 form a continuous front surface. The rinsing position of the guiding element 15 relative to the projection portion 17 is further illustrated in a side view of the blood treatment device 11 shown in FIG. 21. From this figure it becomes especially clear, that in the closed position/rinsing position of the guiding element relative to the projection portion 17, the front end surface 18 of the projection portion 17 and the front end surface 19 of the guiding element 19 form a continuous front end surface.
[0163] FIG. 22 shows the blood treatment device of FIG. 21, with a container 1 being attached via its attachment elements 3 to the attachment elements 16 of the blood treatment device. This position is adopted when the blood treatment device is rinsed/disinfected by internal circulation but already prepared for the next blood treatment by the provision of the container 1. Prior to commencing the next blood treatment, the container 1 will be fluidically connected to the blood treatment device 11.
[0164] FIG. 23 illustrates in more detail the structural configuration of the attachment assembly 14 of the blood treatment device by providing a sectional view of the attachment assembly 14 in the closed/rinsing position illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22. As can be seen in FIG. 23, the front end surfaces 18 and 19 of the projection portion 17 and the guiding element 15 provide a continuous front surface.
[0165] In this relative positioning, the connection element 20 of the blood treatment device that in the embodiment of FIG. 23 has the form of a spout used for dispensing water into the container 1 is inserted in a cavity 18 present in the guiding element 15. Thus, the internal fluidic system of the blood treatment device is closed off from the outside and rinsing fluid can be circulated within the blood treatment device without fluid leaking from the spout 17 to the outside of the blood treatment device 11.
[0166] FIG. 24 shows a close-up view of the connection assembly 14 of the blood treatment device 11 to that a container 1 has been attached via the attachment elements 3 and 16. The connection assembly 14 is in the closed position/rinsing position.
[0167] In order to fluidically couple the container 1 to the connection assembly 14 and thus to the blood treatment device 11, the guiding element 15 is subsequently moved inwards towards the side surface of the blood treatment device 11, as shown in FIG. 25. The container 1 attached to the attachment element 16 of the blood treatment device 11 is thus moved towards the side surface of the blood treatment device 11 until it is arranged under the projection portion 17 and the connection elements 5 of the bag 1 are horizontally aligned with the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device.
[0168] As illustrated in FIG. 26, the guiding element 15 and thus the container 1 attached to the attachment elements 16 mounted onto the guiding element 15 are moved upwards to connect the connection elements 5 of the container 1 with the connection element 20 of the blood treatment device. Alternatively the container 1 can be held stationary by the guiding element 15 and the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device are moved downwards to be inserted into the connection elements 5 of the container 1 to thereby fluidically couple the container 1 to the blood treatment device 11.
[0169] FIG. 27 shows a side view of the blood treatment device with a container 1 fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device 11 in that position/relative positioning shown in FIG. 26.
[0170] FIG. 28 shows a side view of the blood treatment device 11 with the attachment assembly 24 being in the position shown in FIG. 24.
[0171] FIG. 29 shows another view of the connection assembly 14 of the blood treatment device in the closed rinsing position.
[0172] FIG. 30 shows the attachment assembly 14 of FIG. 29, wherein a container 1 has been attached via its attachment elements 3 (hook-shaped) and the attachment elements 16 (stud-shaped) of the blood treatment device. In this depiction, the attachment assembly 14 is still in the closed rinsing position.
[0173] FIG. 31 shows the attachment assembly 14, wherein the container 1 has been moved inwards under the projection portion 17 and has been fluidically coupled to the blood treatment machine by inserting the connection elements of the blood treatment device into the connection elements of the container 1, by either moving the container 1 upwards towards the projection portion 17 or by moving the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device downwards into the connection elements 5 of the container 1.
[0174] Next, a method of connecting a container for concentrate to a blood treatment device according to the present invention will be described.
[0175] As shown in FIG. 32, the attachment elements 16 of the blood treatment device are inserted into the attachment elements 3 of the container 1. As can be seen in FIG. 32, the attachment elements 16 of the blood treatment device and the attachment element 3 of the container are configured asymmetrically to allow mounting of the container to the blood treatment device only in one correct mounting position.
[0176] FIG. 33 shows the container 1 connected to the attachment elements 16 of the blood treatment device via the attachment elements 3 of the container. The guiding element 15 then moves inwards in a horizontal direction toward a side surface of the blood treatment device 11 to draw the container 1 under the projection portion 17, as illustrated in FIG. 34.
[0177] Also from FIG. 34 it can be seen that the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device and the connection elements 5 are in this position aligned in a vertical direction so that the connection elements 20 can be inserted into the connection elements 5 of the container 1 by movement along the vertical axis.
[0178] As shown in FIG. 35, the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device can be/are inserted into the connection elements 5 of the container 1 by moving the guiding element 15 and thus the container 1 upwards towards the projection portion 17. Alternatively, the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device can be moved downwards to be inserted into the connection elements 5 of the container 1.
[0179] When the container 1 is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device via the connection elements 20 and the connection elements 5 as shown in FIG. 36, treatment can be carried out by the blood treatment machine that generates the liquid concentrate from the powder concentrate contained within the main body 2 of the container 1.
[0180] After treatment has finished, the guiding element 15 and thus the container 1 attached thereto is moved downwards, as illustrated in FIG. 37. The downward movement of the container 1 is continued until the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device are removed from the connection elements 5 of the container 1, as illustrated in FIG. 38.
[0181] The guiding element 15 and thus the container 1 attached thereto is then subsequently moved outwards in a horizontal direction similar to a drawer from the side surface of the blood treatment device 11.
[0182] As illustrated in FIG. 39, the movement of the container 1 can be paused in a position in which the container 1 is vertically aligned with the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device, so that any droplets dripping from the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device are caught by the container 1, preferably the connection elements 5 of the container 1.
[0183] As shown in FIG. 40, the container 1 is then moved by means of moving the guiding element 15 relative to the projection portion 17 until the container 1 is positioned further out/away from the side surface of the blood treatment device 11 than the front edge of the projection portion 17. This allows a user to easily grab the container 1.
[0184] As shown in FIG. 41, the container 1 can easily be disconnected from the attachment elements 16 of the blood treatment device by pulling the container 1 away from the blood treatment device 11.
[0185] After the container 1 has been removed, the blood treatment machine can then move the guiding element 15 upwards and/or inwards towards the side surface of the blood treatment device 11 until the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device are aligned in a vertical direction with the cavity 18 of the guiding element 15, as shown in FIG. 42.
[0186] In this position, the blood treatment device can enter the closed/rinsing position. As shown in FIG. 43, the guiding element 15 is moved further upwards or the connection elements 20 of the blood treatment device 11 are further moved downwards, to insert the connection elements 20 into the cavity 18 of the guiding element 15 to enter the closed rinsing position.
[0187] The blood treatment machine can now be rinsed and a new concentrate bag can be attached during rinsing to the guiding element 15 by use of attachment elements 16 to commence a new treatment.
[0188] All movements of the guiding element 15 relative to the projection portion 17 can also be performed manually. For this purpose an attachment assembly 14 of a blood treatment device can comprise a lever 21 as shown in FIG. 44 or a similar structure allowing a user to manually move the guiding element relative to the projection portion 17.
