Bellows Pump for Compact, Portable Automated Peritoneal Dialysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) systems are cumbersome, costly, and require daily disposable sets, which are space-consuming and time-consuming to set up, limiting their portability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An APD system utilizing a bellows pump with a disposable set that includes a bellows connected to a common input/output line branching into separate lines for fresh dialysis fluid, patient, drain, and heater, controlled by a linear actuator and valves, with pressure control mechanisms to ensure safe and accurate fluid delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional APD systems use disposable sets with multiple separate components, then reliability of dialysis treatment is improved, but device complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate disposable components (dialysis fluid bag, bellows pump, drainage bag, and connecting tubing) into a single integrated disposable set. The bellows pump is directly connected to the dialysis fluid bag and drainage bag through pre-attached tubing, eliminating the need for separate connection steps and reducing the number of individual components that need to be assembled and managed.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable set is pre-assembled with all necessary components connected before use. The tubing is pre-attached to the bellows pump, fluid bags, and drainage collection system, so that the only action required during treatment is the insertion of the catheter into the patient. This preliminary assembly eliminates setup time and reduces the risk of connection errors during the procedure.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional APD systems use multiple separate fluid lines and components, then ease of manufacture is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to frequent manual connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate fluid lines into a single integrated disposable set with pre-connected tubing. The fresh dialysis fluid line, patient line, and drain line are all pre-attached to the bellows pump and fluid bags, eliminating the need for manual connections during operation. This integration maintains manufacturing simplicity while dramatically improving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If APD machines require daily disposable sets, then reliability of treatment is improved, but loss of time increases due to daily setup requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable set is pre-assembled with all components connected before use. The tubing is pre-attached to the bellows pump, fluid bags, and drainage collection system, so that the only action required during treatment is the insertion of the catheter into the patient. This preliminary assembly eliminates setup time and reduces the risk of connection errors during the procedure.
4Measurement precision
If traditional APD systems use complex pumping mechanisms, then volumetric control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a bellows pump that utilizes pneumatic pressure to achieve precise volumetric control of dialysis fluid delivery. The bellows mechanism, when expanded and compressed, provides accurate and repeatable fluid displacement without requiring complex electronic controls or multiple moving parts. This pneumatic approach simplifies the pumping mechanism while maintaining high volumetric precision.
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 system provides a compact, cost-effective, and efficient APD machine with precise pressure and volumetric control, reducing setup time and enabling portability.
Implementation Method 1
a bellows (102) positioned and arranged to be expanded by a linear actuator (30) to pump fresh dialysis fluid into a peritoneal chamber of a patient and compressed by the linear actuator to pump used dialysis fluid out of the peritoneal chamber
Implementation Method 2
a linear actuator (30) positioned and arranged to expand the bellows (102)
Implementation Method 3
with pressure control mechanisms to ensure safe and accurate fluid delivery
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A peritoneal dialysis system includes: a bellows; a common inlet/outlet fluid receptacle in fluid communication with the bellows; a plurality of fluid lines in fluid communication with the common inlet/outlet line; a linear actuator positioned and arranged to expand and compress the bellows; a plurality of valves positioned and arranged to allow or occlude flow through the plurality of fluid lines to or from the bellows; and a control unit configured to control the linear actuator and the plurality of valves.