Patent ID: 8114043

Claim:
An access disconnect system, comprising: a blood processing machine including a blood filter and a blood pump; first and second conductive contacts located in tubing of the blood processing machine on an arterial side of the blood filter, the first conductive contact located upstream of the blood pump, and the second conductive contact located downstream of the blood pump, the first and second conductive contacts configured to form a conductive connection between a vascular system of a patient and the blood processing machine; a source of time-varying electric current connected to said first conductive contact; a non-contact sensor for positioning atop an access site of the patient, near the vascular system of the patient, or near tubing leading to the blood processing machine, the non-contact sensor configured for detecting a value of a quantity corresponding to the current; and a transmitter operably connected to the non-contact sensor for sending a signal indicative of the value to a controller of the blood processing machine.