Air-Bladder Peritoneal Dialysis Pumping Without Rigid Cassettes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) machines are complex, costly, and require disposable sets with rigid pumping cassettes and intricate pneumatic mechanisms, increasing the overall expense and complexity of the treatment.
Innovation Solution
An APD machine that uses expandable bladders inflated with air to drive fluid flow, eliminating the need for a rigid cassette and complex pneumatic mechanisms, utilizing a slotted housing with individual bladders for each fluid bag and a heater housing with a separate bladder for heating, controlled by an air pump and clamps or valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid pumping cassettes and intricate pneumatic mechanisms are used in APD machines, then fluid pumping function is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rigid cassette structure and complex pneumatic mechanisms from the APD machine. Instead, it uses a simplified system with flexible bags containing fluid and air compartments that can be directly inflated and deflated to drive fluid transfer, eliminating the need for rigid pumping cassettes while maintaining the fluid pumping function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible bags with integrated fluid and air compartments instead of rigid cassettes. These flexible structures allow the system to achieve pumping action through inflation and deflation of the air compartment, which compresses and moves the fluid through the flexible walls, thereby eliminating the need for complex rigid pneumatic mechanisms
2Reliability
If rigid pumping cassettes and intricate pneumatic mechanisms are used in APD machines, then fluid pumping function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rigid cassette structure and complex pneumatic mechanisms from the APD machine. Instead, it uses a simplified system with flexible bags containing fluid and air compartments that can be directly inflated and deflated to drive fluid transfer, eliminating the need for rigid pumping cassettes while maintaining the fluid pumping function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable flexible bags that replace expensive reusable rigid cassettes and complex pneumatic mechanisms. These single-use flexible bags are simpler to manufacture, less costly, and eliminate the need for expensive disposable rigid components, thereby reducing the overall manufacturing cost while maintaining adequate fluid pumping function
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution simplifies the APD machine, reduces costs, and eliminates the need for a rigid cassette, thereby lowering the overall expense and complexity of the disposable set while maintaining effective fluid management.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more air pump selectively inflates the expandable bladders with air to drive fluid from the fluid bags
Implementation Method 2
The cycler includes... a heater housing... configured to receive a fluid heater bag
Data Source
AI summary
A peritoneal dialysis system includes a cycler having one or more air pump; a slotted housing including a plurality of slots each having a first side and a second side, wherein each respective slot of the plurality of slots includes a first expandable bladder fixed to the first side, and wherein each respective slot of the plurality of slots is configured to receive a fluid supply bag between the first expandable bladder and the second side, and a heater housing sized to hold a second expandable bladder, and wherein the heater housing is configured to receive a fluid heater bag adjacent to the second expandable bladder, wherein the one or more air pump is in fluid communication with the respective first expandable bladders and the second expandable bladder; and a disposable set operable with the cycler.