Patent ID: 8377293

Claim:
A dialysis system, comprising: a dialysis machine defining a cassette compartment; and a dialysis fluid cassette configured to be disposed within the cassette compartment, the dialysis fluid cassette comprising a base; and a flexible membrane attached to the base, the flexible membrane and the base cooperating to at least partially define a venting chamber and a fluid channel fluidly connected to the venting chamber, wherein the venting chamber is configured to permit air to be released from the venting chamber to surroundings external to the dialysis fluid cassette, the flexible membrane is configured so that the flexible membrane can be outwardly deformed in a direction away from the base, the base and the flexible membrane are configured so that the venting chamber is substantially spherical when the flexible membrane is outwardly deformed in the direction away from the base, and the fluid channel is configured so that fluid flowing through the fluid channel and into the substantially spherical venting chamber enters the venting chamber in a substantially tangential direction relative to the venting chamber.