Patent ID: 12186463

As shown inFIG.1, a container1comprises a main body2configured to contain a dry and/or liquid concentrate. Furthermore, the container1comprises two attachment elements3having the form of hooks that are arranged at opposite sides of an attachment portion4of the container1.

Furthermore, the container1comprises connection elements5that are opened towards a flat top end surface6of the connection portion4of the container1that is opposite to/facing away from the main body2. In this embodiment, the container also comprises a handle22allowing a user to grip the container1. The top end surface6is sealed by a flexible film7that covers the connection elements5as well as the central opening8of the connection portion4.

FIG.2shows another container1according to the present invention. In this embodiment the flexible film seals the connection element5but does not completely cover the central opening8. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the attachment elements3take the form of hollow cylinders configured to receive corresponding studs/pins of a blood treatment device.

FIG.3shows a user peeling off the flexible film7from the top end surface6of the container1. As in all drawings, components denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or similar components.

In the state shown inFIG.4, the user has almost completely removed the flexible film7from the top end surface6of the container1.

FIG.5shows a connection portion4of a concentrate container known from the prior art. Such conventional connection portions of containers known from the prior art generally comprise connection elements5that 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 elements5. The connection portion further comprises a handle22allowing a user to grip the connection portion.

FIG.6shows a connection portion4of the container according to the present invention. This connection portion comprises attachment elements3formed 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.

The connection portion4further comprises connection elements5that are opened upwards towards a top end surface6of the connection portion.

According to this embodiment, the connection portion4furthermore comprises gripping portions8at opposing sides of the connection portion4that replace the handle22present in the conventional connection portion shown inFIG.5.

FIG.7shows the connection portion4according to the prior art in a side view, showing the connection elements5as well as the handle22. In comparison to that, the connection portion4of the container according to the present invention shown inFIG.8comprises attachment elements3arranged at opposing sides of the connection portion4and formed as hollow cylinders. The openings of the connection portions cannot be seen in this view.

FIG.9shows a sectional view of the connection portion4ofFIG.7in that the handle22is clearly visible. In the sectional view of the connection portion4according to the present invention inFIG.10, the gripping portions9are clearly visible as well as the attachment elements3and the connection elements5that are opened towards a top end surface6of the connection portion4.

As can be seen fromFIG.11, the connection elements5of the connection portion4according to the prior art also function as attachment elements, because the connection elements5in the form of hollow cylinders are arranged over corresponding spouts of the blood treatment device.

This is further illustrated in the view ofFIG.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 elements5of the connection portion4in an essentially vertical position/direction inFIG.12, thereby allowing liquid from the connection elements5to drip out of the connection elements5of the connection portion4of a container1.

As shown inFIG.13, according to the present invention, the attachment elements3and the connection elements5are separate from each other. FromFIG.13it can also be easily seen, that the attachment elements3and the connection elements5are 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. In the example ofFIG.13, the attachment elements project in a direction from the top ofFIG.13to the bottom ofFIG.13whereas the connection elements5are openings projecting or extending in the direction into and out of the paper plane.

FIG.14provides another clear view of the gripping portion9, that can substitute the handle22present in connection portions4known from the prior art.

FIG.15further illustrates how the direction of extension of the attachment elements3is arranged essentially at right angles to the direction of extension of the connection elements/openings5.

As can be seen inFIG.16, the connection elements5are preferentially sealed off by the flexible strip7that is preferentially welded to the top end surface6of the connection portion4to close the connection elements5.

Preferentially, the flexible film7comprises a gripping section10that allows the user to grip the flexible film7to remove the flexible film7from the top end surface6of the connection portion4of container1.

As can be seen inFIG.17, a blood treatment device11according to the present invention includes a main body12that has a bottom surface13and a attachment assembly14configured for attaching to and connecting to the container1.

The attachment assembly14comprises a guiding element15to which two attachment elements16are 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 elements3of a container1can be inserted.

The attachment assembly14furthermore comprises a projection portion17. In the configuration shown inFIG.17, a front surface18of the projection portion17and front surface19of the guiding element15are aligned with each other to form a continuous front surface of the attachment assembly14. This corresponds to the rinsing position.

As can be seen inFIG.18, a bag1can be attached by means of hook shaped attachment elements3onto the stud-shaped attachment elements16mounted onto the guiding element15.

FIG.19shows the blood treatment device11with a container1attached to the attachment elements16of the guiding element15. The container1is in a position in which it is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device.

FIG.20shows the attachment assembly14of a blood treatment device11in that the guiding element15is arranged relative to the projection portion17in a closed position used for rinsing the blood treatment device.

In this position, a front surface18of the projection portion17and a front surface19of the guiding element15form a continuous front surface. The rinsing position of the guiding element15relative to the projection portion17is further illustrated in a side view of the blood treatment device11shown inFIG.21. From this figure it becomes especially clear, that in the closed position/rinsing position of the guiding element relative to the projection portion17, the front end surface18of the projection portion17and the front end surface19of the guiding element19form a continuous front end surface.

FIG.22shows the blood treatment device ofFIG.21, with a container1being attached via its attachment elements3to the attachment elements16of 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 container1. Prior to commencing the next blood treatment, the container1will be fluidically connected to the blood treatment device11.

FIG.23illustrates in more detail the structural configuration of the attachment assembly14of the blood treatment device by providing a sectional view of the attachment assembly14in the closed/rinsing position illustrated inFIGS.21and22. As can be seen inFIG.23, the front end surfaces18and19of the projection portion17and the guiding element15provide a continuous front surface.

In this relative positioning, the connection element20of the blood treatment device that in the embodiment ofFIG.23has the form of a spout used for dispensing water into the container1is inserted in a cavity18present in the guiding element15. 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 spout17to the outside of the blood treatment device11.

FIG.24shows a close-up view of the connection assembly14of the blood treatment device11to that a container1has been attached via the attachment elements3and16. The connection assembly14is in the closed position/rinsing position.

In order to fluidically couple the container1to the connection assembly14and thus to the blood treatment device11, the guiding element15is subsequently moved inwards towards the side surface of the blood treatment device11, as shown inFIG.25. The container1attached to the attachment element16of the blood treatment device11is thus moved towards the side surface of the blood treatment device11until it is arranged under the projection portion17and the connection elements5of the bag1are horizontally aligned with the connection elements20of the blood treatment device.

As illustrated inFIG.26, the guiding element15and thus the container1attached to the attachment elements16mounted onto the guiding element15are moved upwards to connect the connection elements5of the container1with the connection element20of the blood treatment device. Alternatively the container1can be held stationary by the guiding element15and the connection elements20of the blood treatment device are moved downwards to be inserted into the connection elements5of the container1to thereby fluidically couple the container1to the blood treatment device11.

FIG.27shows a side view of the blood treatment device with a container1fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device11in that position/relative positioning shown inFIG.26.

FIG.28shows a side view of the blood treatment device11with the attachment assembly24being in the position shown inFIG.24.

FIG.29shows another view of the connection assembly14of the blood treatment device in the closed rinsing position.

FIG.30shows the attachment assembly14ofFIG.29, wherein a container1has been attached via its attachment elements3(hook-shaped) and the attachment elements16(stud-shaped) of the blood treatment device. In this depiction, the attachment assembly14is still in the closed rinsing position.

FIG.31shows the attachment assembly14, wherein the container1has been moved inwards under the projection portion17and 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 container1, by either moving the container1upwards towards the projection portion17or by moving the connection elements20of the blood treatment device downwards into the connection elements5of the container1.

Next, a method of connecting a container for concentrate to a blood treatment device according to the present invention will be described.

As shown inFIG.32, the attachment elements16of the blood treatment device are inserted into the attachment elements3of the container1. As can be seen inFIG.32, the attachment elements16of the blood treatment device and the attachment element3of the container are configured asymmetrically to allow mounting of the container to the blood treatment device only in one correct mounting position.

FIG.33shows the container1connected to the attachment elements16of the blood treatment device via the attachment elements3of the container. The guiding element15then moves inwards in a horizontal direction toward a side surface of the blood treatment device11to draw the container1under the projection portion17, as illustrated inFIG.34.

Also fromFIG.34it can be seen that the connection elements20of the blood treatment device and the connection elements5are in this position aligned in a vertical direction so that the connection elements20can be inserted into the connection elements5of the container1by movement along the vertical axis.

As shown inFIG.35, the connection elements20of the blood treatment device can be/are inserted into the connection elements5of the container1by moving the guiding element15and thus the container1upwards towards the projection portion17. Alternatively, the connection elements20of the blood treatment device can be moved downwards to be inserted into the connection elements5of the container1.

When the container1is fluidically coupled to the blood treatment device via the connection elements20and the connection elements5as shown inFIG.36, treatment can be carried out by the blood treatment machine that generates the liquid concentrate from the powder concentrate contained within the main body2of the container1.

After treatment has finished, the guiding element15and thus the container1attached thereto is moved downwards, as illustrated inFIG.37. The downward movement of the container1is continued until the connection elements20of the blood treatment device are removed from the connection elements5of the container1, as illustrated inFIG.38.

The guiding element15and thus the container1attached thereto is then subsequently moved outwards in a horizontal direction similar to a drawer from the side surface of the blood treatment device11.

As illustrated inFIG.39, the movement of the container1can be paused in a position in which the container1is vertically aligned with the connection elements20of the blood treatment device, so that any droplets dripping from the connection elements20of the blood treatment device are caught by the container1, preferably the connection elements5of the container1.

As shown inFIG.40, the container1is then moved by means of moving the guiding element15relative to the projection portion17until the container1is positioned further out/away from the side surface of the blood treatment device11than the front edge of the projection portion17. This allows a user to easily grab the container1.

As shown inFIG.41, the container1can easily be disconnected from the attachment elements16of the blood treatment device by pulling the container1away from the blood treatment device11.

After the container1has been removed, the blood treatment machine can then move the guiding element15upwards and/or inwards towards the side surface of the blood treatment device11until the connection elements20of the blood treatment device are aligned in a vertical direction with the cavity18of the guiding element15, as shown inFIG.42.

In this position, the blood treatment device can enter the closed/rinsing position. As shown inFIG.43, the guiding element15is moved further upwards or the connection elements20of the blood treatment device11are further moved downwards, to insert the connection elements20into the cavity18of the guiding element15to enter the closed rinsing position.

The blood treatment machine can now be rinsed and a new concentrate bag can be attached during rinsing to the guiding element15by use of attachment elements16to commence a new treatment.

All movements of the guiding element15relative to the projection portion17can also be performed manually. For this purpose an attachment assembly14of a blood treatment device can comprise a lever21as shown inFIG.44or a similar structure allowing a user to manually move the guiding element relative to the projection portion17.

FIG.45shows a sectional view of an embodiment in that the fluid dosing unit of a blood treatment device is equipped with an integrated valve23to prevent fluid from dripping from the fluid dosing unit/the connection element20of the fluid dosing unit if no container1is connected to the fluid dosing unit.

The fluid dosing unit in this example corresponds to an attachment assembly14discussed above. The term fluid dosing unit refers to any unit that serves to connect to a container and to dispense fluid into the container and withdraw fluid from the container in a controlled manner.

The valve comprises a valve body24and a valve seat25. The valve23is biased in the closed position by means of a biasing element, in this embodiment by a spring26.

In the state shown inFIG.45, a container1is attached and fluidically coupled to the fluid dosing unit, so that the valve23is open.

FIGS.46and47show sectional views of the embodiment aufFIG.45in a state in that a container is connected to the fluid dosing unit and the valve is open. As shown in FIG.46, a fluid permeable actor27comprising a spike28holds the valve23in the open position, so that fluid can flow through an inner lumen29of the fluid permeable actor27, through the open valve23and through the connection element20of the fluid dosing unit. The connection element20in this embodiment corresponds to a fluid line of the fluid dosing unit. The flow path of fluid in this state is indicated by a line inFIG.47. The valve body24can comprise a recess30for receiving the spike28.

FIG.48shows sectional views of the embodiment aufFIG.45in a state in that no container is connected to the fluid dosing unit and the valve23is closed. In this state, the spring26is expanded and presses the valve body24against the valve seat25.

FIG.49shows a detailed view of a fluid permeable actor27that can be provided at a container1according to the present invention to open the valve23of the fluid dosing unit shown inFIG.45. The fluid permeable actor27comprises a spike28and in this embodiment four Lumina29for conducting fluid. The fluid permeable actor27comprises an outer bush/hollow cylinder31that defines the outer circumference of the fluid permeable actor27. The spike28can be mounted onto a platform32that is arranged concentrically with the outer bush/hollow cylinder31and connected to the outer bush/hollow cylinder31via ribs33. The fluid permeable actor27is arranged in a connection element5of the container. The connection element5can be an inlet or an outlet of the container.

FIG.50shows a sectional view of the fluid permeable actor27ofFIG.49.