Blood Purification Device Circulating Circuit Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blood purification devices face challenges in efficiently removing pathogenic substances from plasma components at low blood flow rates, leading to extended treatment times and increased patient invasiveness, particularly when using direct needle puncture methods.

Innovation Solution

A blood purification device with a circulating circuit that connects the blood reinfusion-side circuit to the blood removal-side circuit, utilizing a circulating pump to circulate blood and a plasma pump to separate plasma components, allowing for repeated plasma separation and increased treated plasma proportion, thereby enhancing removal efficiency and reducing treatment time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If direct needle puncture is used for vascular access, then invasiveness and infection risk are reduced, but blood flow rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinvasiveness and infection riskVSAvoidblood flow rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the blood removal-side circuit and blood reinfusion-side circuit into a single integrated blood circuit system, allowing low-flow direct needle puncture to be compensated by circuit-level optimization. The circuits are merged to enable efficient plasma separation and return flow management, resolving the contradiction between low invasiveness and sufficient blood flow rate for effective therapy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic flow management by using a blood pump to actively control blood flow through the circuit, transforming the static low-flow needle puncture into a dynamic system that can maintain adequate flow rates for plasma separation despite the low-invasiveness access method.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If low blood flow rate is used, then patient physical load is reduced, but treatment time extends

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient physical loadVSAvoidtreatment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent ensures continuous plasma separation and blood circulation through the integrated circuit system with pump-driven flow. The continuous operation of the plasma separator and efficient return flow path maintain therapeutic effectiveness despite low blood flow rates, preventing treatment time extension that would normally result from reduced flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements flow rate monitoring and pump control mechanisms that provide feedback to maintain optimal circulation. This feedback system ensures that even at low blood flow rates, the plasma separation process remains efficient and treatment objectives are met within reasonable timeframes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If plasma components are separated and treated, then pathogenic substance removal efficiency increases, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepathogenic substance removal efficiencyVSAvoidcircuit configuration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the blood circuit to serve multiple functions: blood removal, plasma separation, treated plasma return, and waste plasma disposal, all within a single integrated system. This multi-functionality achieves high pathogenic substance removal efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same circuit infrastructure supports multiple therapeutic objectives.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 device achieves higher removal efficiency of pathogenic substances, allowing for treatment times comparable to those with catheterization methods, while maintaining low invasiveness and reducing the physical load on patients.

Implementation Method 1

a plasma separator configured to separate plasma components from the blood

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a blood pump configured to pump the blood in the blood circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Implementation Method 3

a circulating pump configured to circulate the blood in the circulating circuit to the blood removal-side circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Implementation Method 4

a plasma pump configured to pump the plasma components in the plasma circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP2617444B1Blood purification device and control method therefor
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 ASAHI KASEI MEDICAL CO LTD
  • EP2617444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2617444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2617444B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A blood purification device 1A includes: a blood circuit 20 including a blood removal-side circuit 2 that carries blood taken from a subject 100 to a plasma separator 5, and a blood reinfusion-side circuit 12 that returns the blood passing through the plasma separator 5 to the subject 100; a circulating circuit 14 that connects the blood reinfusion-side circuit 12 to the blood removal-side circuit 2; a plasma circuit 6A that carries plasma components separated by the plasma separator 5; and a control unit 16 that controls blood flow so that a portion of the blood flowing in the blood reinfusion-side circuit 12 is circulated to the circulating circuit 14 to be flown to the blood removal-side circuit 2 when the blood in the blood circuit 20 is being pumped and a portion of the plasma components separated by the plasma separator 5 is being pumped to the plasma circuit 6A.