Patent ID: 7955295

Claim:
A system for automatically connecting tubing while maintaining sterility, the system comprising: a frame for mounting adjacent a cassette in a dialysis machine; a shuttle mounted within the frame, the shuttle configured for receiving tubing from at least two containers, the tubing including a cap; a shuttle driving system for translating the shuttle within the frame; at least two rotating fingers configured for receiving and removing the caps, the fingers mounted to the frame and operably adjacent the shuttle; a finger rotating system configured for rotating the fingers in a plane parallel to a direction of travel of the shuttle; and a control system for operating the system for automatically connecting tubing, wherein the system for automatically connecting tubing is configured for receiving sterile tubing from at least two containers, the fingers are configured for receiving caps from the tubing, the shuttle is configured for advancing the ends of the tubing, the control system is configured to rotate the fingers to remove the caps, and the cassette comprises at least two spikes for piercing sterile sealing membranes of the tubing and making a sterile connection.