Patent ID: 8366921

Claim:
A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis fluid cassette comprising a base and a flexible membrane attached to the base, the base and the flexible membrane forming a fluid channel therebetween; a dialysis machine having a cassette compartment configured to receive the dialysis fluid cassette therein such that the membrane of the dialysis fluid cassette is positioned adjacent a machine block of the dialysis machine when the dialysis fluid cassette is disposed in the cassette compartment of the dialysis machine; a valve at least partially disposed in a recess defined by the machine block, the valve being substantially aligned with a portion of the fluid channel of the dialysis fluid cassette when the dialysis fluid cassette is disposed in the cassette compartment of the dialysis machine, the valve comprising a valve body defining a pressure passage; and a sealing cap disposed at a first end of the valve body such that the sealing cap closes off the pressure passage at the first end of the valve body, the sealing cap having a deformable area configured to deform outwardly away from the valve body when pressurized fluid is introduced into the pressure passage of the valve body, wherein the flexible membrane and the deformable area of the sealing cap are configured to deform together so that the deformable area obstructs the fluid channel of the dialysis fluid cassette to control dialysis fluid flow therethrough when the dialysis fluid cassette is disposed in the cassette compartment of the dialysis machine and pressurized fluid is introduced into the pressure passage of the valve body.