Organizer for releasably accommodating components of blood tube sets, and methods for manufacturing and preparing it

Abstract

The present invention relates to an organizer for releasably accommodating components of blood tube sets for different extracorporeal blood treatment options, in particular for dialysis methods, by means of a blood treatment apparatus, as well as methods for manufacturing and preparing an organizer of the invention.

Claims

1. An organizer for a blood treatment apparatus, comprising: a main body; a plurality of blood tubes to be used for a plurality of blood treatments selected from the group consisting of hemofiltration, hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, slow-continuous ultrafiltration, membrane plasma separation, and high-volume hemofiltration; and a fastening element for releasably fastening portions of the blood tubes on the organizer, the fastening element comprising: a first receiving portion including a first depression for releasably accommodating a portion of a first one of the blood tubes; a first tab that closes a periphery of the first depression, wherein the first tab has an elastic configuration that allows the first tab to be bent in order to remove the portion of the first one of the blood tubes from the first receiving portion; a second receiving portion including a second depression for releasably accommodating a portion of a second one of the blood tubes; and a second tab that closes a periphery of the second depression, wherein the second tab has an elastic configuration that allows the second tab to be bent in order to remove the portion of the second one of the blood tubes from the second receiving portion, wherein a fixation means positioned between the first tab and the second tab connects the first tab and the second tab to other portions of the fastening element.

2. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the organizer has an integral configuration.

3. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tab and the second tab includes a portion that protrudes from other portions of the fastening element to facilitate raising of the tab via a user's finger.

4. The organizer according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion comprises inclined surfaces.

5. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first tab and the second tab is adapted to pivot in relation to other portions of the fastening element.

6. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the fastening element is a first fastening element, and wherein the organizer further comprises one or more additional fastening elements with the same structure as the first fastening element.

7. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the fastening element further comprises a third receiving portion including a third depression for releasably accommodating a portion of a third one of the blood tubes, and wherein the first tab closes a periphery of the third depression.

8. The organizer according to claim 7, wherein the first depression and the third depression have differing sizes.

9. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blood treatments are selected from the group consisting of hemofiltration, hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, slow-continuous ultrafiltration, membrane plasma separation, and high-volume hemofiltration.

10. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the fixation means comprises a weld spot.

11. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the fixation means is a rotatable connection.

12. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the blood tubes that are not used during the selected one of the plurality of blood treatments are releasable from the organizer.

13. The organizer of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of blood tubes includes a connection element configured to connect the respective blood tube to the blood treatment apparatus for only a specified extracorporeal blood treatment option.

14. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blood tubes comprises a return line, a filtrate line, a substituate line, and a supply line.

15. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blood tubes comprises a return line, a filtrate line, a dialysate line, and a supply line.

16. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blood tubes comprises a return line, a filtrate line, a dialysate line, a substituate line, and a supply line.

17. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blood tubes comprises a return line, a filtrate line, and a supply line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention shall be described exemplarily in the following by referring to the appended drawings in which same reference symbols designate identical elements, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary organizer of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a possible block diagram for a hemodiafiltration.

(4) FIG. 3 represents the respective blood tube sets used for a treatment option and possibly removed tube set components in the form of a table.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a supply line from the patient to the filter, which is also shown in FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a substituate line which is also shown in FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a top view of an organizer of the invention which is not equipped with blood tube components.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a fastening element having a receiving portion for releasably accommodating a portion of a blood tube in a first embodiment thereof.

(9) FIG. 8 shows the fastening element of FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 9 shows the fastening element of FIGS. 7 and 8.

(11) FIG. 10 shows the fastening element known from FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.

(12) FIG. 11 shows a fastening element in a second embodiment thereof.

(13) FIG. 12 shows a third embodiment of the fastening element for an organizer having two tabs for securing three receiving portions.

(14) FIG. 13 shows a fourth embodiment of the fastening element according to the invention in a perspective view.

(15) FIG. 14 shows the fastening element of FIG. 13 in a plan view.

(16) FIG. 15 shows the fastening element of FIGS. 13 and 14 in a further perspective view.

(17) FIG. 16 shows the fastening element of FIGS. 13 to 15 in a lateral or side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(18) FIG. 1 is a schematically simplified view of an exemplarily equipped organizer of the invention 1, which is equipped with a return line 2 from a filter (not shown) to the patient, a filtrate line 3 from the filter to a filtrate bag (not shown), a dialysate line 4 for dialyzing liquid or substitution liquid from a solution bag (not shown) to the filter or connection part, a substituate line 5 for substitution liquid from the solution bag to the connection part in a supply line 6 from the patient to the filter or to the return line 2.

(19) The return line 2 here includes a filter connector 2 in as well as a patient connector 2out with rinsing bag. The filtrate line 3 includes a filter connector 3 in and a connector 3out for the filtrate bag. The dialysate line 4 includes a connector 4 in for the solution bag and a filter connector 4out or for a connection part in the supply or return line. The substituate line 5 includes a connector 5 in for the solution bag as well as a connector 5out for the connection part in the supply or return line. The supply line 6 from the patient to the filter includes a patient connector 6 in as well as a filter connector 6out.

(20) The organizer 1 may include hanging eyelets X, Y, which may be realized in the form of recesses as shown in FIG. 1 or may have some other configuration. By means of these, the organizer 1 may be suspended on two hooks or buttons provided at the treatment apparatus (not shown in FIG. 1). During the treatment, the organizer 1 together with components remaining on it stays on the treatment apparatus. The fastening means of the organizer described further below serve, i.a., for guiding or retaining the tubes or components during the treatment, so that it is not necessary to provide any machine-side mounts for this purpose. The organizer 1 is only taken off the treatment apparatus once the treatment is completed. The organizer 1 preferably is configured such that a previous removal of the organizer (without components) from the treatment apparatus is not possible or is at least not possible by mistake.

(21) FIG. 2 shows a possible block diagram for a hemodiafiltration with all the components that are also shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 furthermore shows a substituate bag 11, a dialysate bag 13, a filtrate bag 15, as well as a dialysis apparatus 17. FIG. 2 moreover represents pressure sensors 19, 21, 23 and 25 as well as additional further components for extracorporeal blood circuits that are known to the skilled person, such as pumping segments 27 and heating bag 29.

(22) FIG. 3 represents respective components and optionally removed components for a particular method or for a particular treatment option of the treatment apparatus used in the form of a table.

(23) FIG. 4 shows the supply line 6 from the patient to the filter, which is also known from FIG. 1. The supply line 6 comprises a patient connector 61 having a cap, a tube clamp 62, an infusion port 63, a pressure tap 64, a pumping segment 65 for a roller pump, a connection part 66 having a check valve for the exchange of liquid, a pressure tap 67 for measuring a pre-filter pressure, a connection line 68 for heparin administration or some other anti-coagulation, as well as a filter port 69 having a cap.

(24) FIG. 5 shows a substituate line 5 which is also shown in FIG. 1. The line 5 comprises a connector 51 for a solution bag having a cap, a tube clamp 52, a heating bag 53, a pumping segment 54, a tube clamp 55, as well as a connector 56 for a line connection part having a cap.

(25) FIG. 6 shows an overview or top view of an organizer 1 with a main body 10 that is not equipped with blood tube components.

(26) FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of a fastening element 31 having a receiving portion 33 for releasably accommodating one portion of a blood tube 35, with the receiving portion 33 comprising inclined surfaces 37 for a simplified reception of the tube section 35 in the receiving portion 33. FIG. 7 furthermore shows a tab 39 that is affixed to the fastening element 31 by means of a fixation means 41. As is discernible in FIG. 8, the tab 39 is configured to be elastic and may be raised or bent up elastically for removing the tube 35 in accordance with the representation in FIG. 9. By virtue of its predetermined elasticity, it prevents an inadvertent release of the tube 35 from the receiving portion 33.

(27) The fixation means 41 of the embodiments for fastening the tab of FIGS. 7 through 9 preferably is a weld spot. In this case, the tab is connected to the fastening means while being secured against rotation. It is, however, also possible give to the fixation means 41a rotatable configuration, for instance with the aid of a rivet and/or a rotatable snap connection. In this case the tab may be opened by rotation, so that the tube segment may be removed easily and without any significant exertion of force.

(28) FIG. 10 shows the fastening element 31 known from FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, comprising an inclined portion 43 whereby raising of the tab by the user is favored or facilitated, respectively. This is furthermore aided by a protruding rim or protrusion 45 of the tab 39.

(29) FIG. 11 shows a fastening element 71 in a second embodiment. The fastening element 71 comprises two tabs 73 and 75 each closing a respective receiving portion 77 and 79 in the same manner as was described by referring to FIGS. 7 through 10.

(30) FIG. 12 shows a fastening element 81 which comprises two tabs 83 and 85 for closing three receiving portions 87, 89, and 91. In each embodiment, the receiving portions may have respective same or different geometrical extensions.

(31) FIG. 13 shows a fastening element 93 according to the invention according to a fourth embodiment in a perspective view. The fastening element 93 is designed or embodied as a clip. The fastening element 93 comprises two legs 95a and 95b, the legs 95a and 95b each laterally confining one channel 97 (in FIG. 13) which is open to the top and to its front and back sides. The channel 97 thus being designed or embodied partly open or half-open serves for accommodating or hosting a tube segment not shown in FIG. 13.

(32) The legs 95a and 95b each have a protrusion or reinforcement, respectively, 99a and 99b, respectively, showing into the direction of the top opening having the width Q of the channel 97. By means of the reinforcements 99a and 99b, a clamping effect on a tube segment (not shown) inserted into the fastening element 93 may be achieved. It is also possible to provide the protrusions or reinforcements along the channel 97 by turns or alternately (“staggered” or “offset”) on or at the one side or the other side of the channel 97 such that no protrusions or reinforcements facing each other occur or protrusions or reinforcements do not oppose each other across the channel 97. Thereby, a particularly easy inserting of the tube is enabled. This advantageously allows for the tube segment to be detachably fixed in the fastening element 93 in a simple yet safe manner.

(33) The arrangement or construction or design of the fastening element 93 does not have to feature the arrangement or construction or design of the channel cross-section with indentations 101a and 101b recognizable from FIGS. 13 to 16 for the tube segment to be fixed in a simple yet safe manner. Indeed, the indentations 101a and 101b which determine the width Q of an opening, which is less than a width K of a channel segment into which the tube segment is placed within the fastening element 93, offer an again increased security that the tube segment is not inadvertently detached from the fastening element 93. Even so, it is not necessary according to the invention to provide such indentations.

(34) Also encompassed by the invention is providing only one indentation, e.g., 101a or 101b, at or on only one leg 95a or 95b. Likewise encompassed by the invention is that only one of the legs 95a or 95b—or both legs 95a and 95b—comprise more than only one protrusion or reinforcement, respectively—like, for example, the reinforcement 99a or 99b. Also, the legs 95a or 95b may comprise different numbers of protrusions or reinforcements (e.g., 0 and 1, 1 and 2, 0 and 2, etc.).

(35) FIG. 14 shows the fastening element 93 of FIG. 13 in a plan view. It is easily recognizable that due to the reinforcements 99a and 99b in the plan view the fastening element 93 has an hour glass-like shape. The channel 97 has this shape in longitudinal sections in an upper area thereof, as is recognizable from, e.g., FIG. 15 and, in particular, FIG. 16. There, width Q is less than a width N. In contrast, in a lower area of the fastening element 93 (see, e.g., FIG. 16), a longitudinal section may assume a rectangular shape again. It is noted that the protrusions or reinforcements 99a and 99b are only exemplarily arranged in a middle longitudinal section of the channel 97 as in FIGS. 13 to 16, which leads to the typical hour glass-shape of some longitudinal sections. The protrusions or reinforcements 99a and 99b may of course also be provided in an area near one or both front sides of the channel 97 and/or at a yet again different location.

(36) FIG. 15 shows the fastening element 93 of FIGS. 13 and 14 in a further perspective view, and FIG. 16 shows the fastening element 93 of FIGS. 13 to 15 in a lateral or side view.

(37) In accordance with the invention it is possible to either dispose of the organizer of the invention after the treatment, together with parts of the disposables or components, or in turn to supply the organizer without disposables to recycling (material recycling). It is, however, also possible to supply the organizer to a reuse (repeated use). To this end it may be advantageous if the fastening means (e.g., the tab 39 or even the entire fastening element 31) can be removed from the organizer and disposed of together with the disposable(s). As a possible embodiment of the fastening means, e.g., latching by means of a snap connection is conceivable. For a reuse of the organizer, the tab/fastening means would then be replaced with a new tab/fastening means.