Patents Assigned to Fenwal, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12642903
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving efficiency and quality of plasma being removed from a blood separation chamber. The system includes a separation chamber in which plasma is separated from cellular blood components, a pump for moving the plasma and an outlet line for removing the separated plasma from the blood separation chamber. An optical sensor assembly is configured to monitor the blood separation chamber and measure an interface position between the separated component and the plasma, and to generate an output indicative of the measured interface position. A controller is programmed to utilize a lipid concentration input of the blood and to set an original lipemia offset, a lipemia threshold and lipemia final setpoint from a predetermined database, and to use a proportional-integral-derivative control loop to assess the actual interface position plus the lipemia threshold to adjust and achieve a final lipemia setpoint for use during separation procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Kusters
  • Patent number: 12616981
    Abstract: A fluid separation device includes a centrifugal separator configured to receive a centrifugal separation chamber of a disposable fluid flow circuit, a pump system configured to convey a fluid into the centrifugal separation chamber and to remove a separated fluid component from the centrifugal separation chamber via an outlet, a color-based interface monitoring system configured to determine an interface position between separated fluid components continuously flowing through the centrifugal separation chamber based on dominant wavelength measurements of layers of separated fluid components during a centrifugal separation procedure, and a controller configured to measure the dominant wavelengths of the layers, calculate a duration as a color time for each measured dominant wavelength, set target color times, calculate error signals and calculate control signals to adjust the pump system to control the flow rate and interface position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Kusters
  • Publication number: 20260111423
    Abstract: A blood donation collection system includes a blood collection device configured to perform an apheresis function to collect blood components. A database stores records for a plurality of blood donors. A processing circuit is configured to display data from a plurality of the records on a display screen, run a collection optimization algorithm based on blood center inventory level and past donation history data to make a recommendation for a blood collection procedure, and display the recommendation. The processing circuit is configured to receive a user selection of the recommendation for the blood collection procedure and send an instruction to collect a blood component to the blood collection device. The processing circuit is configured to monitor the collection by the blood collection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2025
    Publication date: April 23, 2026
    Applicant: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathleen Mickles, Dale Meixelsperger
  • Patent number: 12558469
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing apheresis procedures, including photopheresis. The systems and methods utilize a disposable fluid circuit that can be converted from a double needle configuration to a single needle configuration and from a single needle configuration to a double needle configuration. A controller directs the action of system pumps to clear potentially stagnant blood residing in the fluid circuit, tracks system parameters and status before and after conversion, and verifies that the procedure may proceed in its new configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Angela N. Carlson, Gregory Coultas, Lan T. Nguyen, Kevin Schalte, Grover Burkett
  • Patent number: 12533456
    Abstract: A processing device includes a pump system, a valve system, a centrifuge, and a controller. A fluid flow circuit is mounted to the device to execute a procedure in which whole blood is processed into a red blood cell product, a plasma product, and a platelet concentrate product. The blood is first separated into red blood cells, buffy coat, and plasma using the centrifuge, with the red blood cells and plasma being removed from the centrifuge, while the buffy coat remains in the centrifuge. The fluid remaining in the centrifuge is circulated through the centrifuge to form a homogenous mixture. Once the mixture is formed, it is separated in the centrifuge into platelet concentrate and red blood cells. A platelet product is then collected by using whole blood or previously collected red blood cells to push the platelet concentrate from the centrifuge to a collection container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Kusters, Richard I. Brown, Kyungyoon Min
  • Patent number: 12527949
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling fluid flow through a tubing segment is provided in which a pump draws fluid through the tubing segment using negative pressure P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Samantha M. Planas
  • Patent number: 12524409
    Abstract: A blood donation collection method includes transmitting a request for data from a donor record to a remote server computer over a network interface circuit and receiving the data from the donor record from the remote server computer. The data comprises an indication of a blood component collected at a previous donor collection. The method includes providing display data indicating an amount of the blood component the donor may donate at a current donor collection based on the indication of the blood component collected at a previous donor collection. The method includes receiving a user request to schedule a current donor collection, and transmitting instructions for the requested current donor collection to a blood component collection device, wherein the blood component collection device collects a blood component from a donor using the instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2026
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathleen Mickles, Dale Meixelsperger
  • Patent number: 12496579
    Abstract: A magnetic selector includes a housing configured to receive a container and having a floor upon which the container is disposed. The selector also includes a magnet carrier disposed on an opposite side of the floor from the container. The magnet carrier has at least one magnet disposed thereon and being moveable relative to the floor between a first state wherein the magnet carrier is adjacent the floor and a second state wherein the magnet carrier is spaced from the floor. The selector may include a door. The magnetic selector is usable in a fluid processing system that includes a fluid processor connectable to a source container filled with a biological fluid. A container is disposed in the magnetic selector and connected to the processor along a fluid pathway. The processor is configured to separate the biological fluid from the source container into at least two streams of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Wegener, James Madsen
  • Patent number: 12485215
    Abstract: A fluid separation system and method includes a durable hardware component including a pump station with plurality of pumps, a centrifuge mounting station and drive unit, a plurality of valves and clamps, and a controller. The system includes a single use fluid flow circuit having a separation chamber configured to be received by the centrifuge and the fluid flow circuit is engageable with the durable hardware component to control fluid flow within the fluid flow circuit. The fluid flow circuit having an air access component configured to selectively receive air and to provide the air into a conduit to induce plug flow between the separated fluid component and another separated fluid component, wherein the controller is configured to operate the system to perform one or more blood processing procedures to convey a fluid into the separation chamber and to remove a separated fluid component from the separation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Kusters
  • Patent number: 12478712
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for separating blood into two or more components for collection of red blood cells, plasma, or both red blood cells and plasma. A blood separation system includes a blood separation device and a fluid flow circuit configured to be mounted to the blood separation device. The blood separation device includes a centrifugal separator and a spinning membrane separator drive unit, with the blood being separated into its constituents by the centrifugal separator. Separated plasma may be collected following separation by the centrifugal separator or may first be conveyed from the centrifugal separator into the spinning membrane separator drive unit to separate cellular blood components from the plasma prior to collection of the filtered plasma. The cellular blood components filtered from the plasma may be retained in the circuit as a waste product or may be flushed out of the circuit to a recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Kusters, Kyungyoon Min
  • Patent number: 12453810
    Abstract: Blood is conveyed from a source into a separator, which separates at least one target blood component from the blood. The target blood component is then conveyed out of the separator, with the procedure continuing until an initial target amount of blood to be processed has been conveyed from the source into the separator and the target blood component separated from the initial target amount of blood to be processed has been conveyed out of the separator as an actual yield of the target blood component. An adjusted target amount of blood to be processed is then determined based at least in part on the difference between a target yield of the target blood component and the actual yield. The initial target amount of blood to be processed is then replaced with the adjusted target amount of blood to be processed when next executing the procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2025
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian C. Case
  • Publication number: 20250322947
    Abstract: A head-mounted display device for interface with a medical device configured to perform an invasive procedure on a patient includes a frame configured to be mounted on a person's head, a display, a camera, a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a network, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to acquire an image of a component of the medical device with the camera, to process the image to identify a characteristic of the component, to determine whether the component is authorized for use, and to transmit a message to the medical device based on whether the component is authorized for use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2025
    Publication date: October 16, 2025
    Applicant: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: William Cork, Brian Case, Kevin Krause, Kyungyoon Min, Witold Moskal
  • Patent number: 12415165
    Abstract: A fluid processing system may include a flow control cassette comprising at least one interface sensor chamber in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of separate channels, the at least one interface sensor chamber defined at least in part by a wall, and at least one capacitive sensor disposed on the wall of the at least one interface sensor chamber. The fluid processing system may include, in the alternative or in addition, at least one syringe comprising a wall defining a barrel having a first end and a second end, the barrel having a bore with or without a piston or plunger disposed therein, and at least one capacitive sensor disposed on an outer surface of the wall of the syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Wegener
  • Publication number: 20250282499
    Abstract: An unmanned helicopter system and method for delivering a blood product to a target includes a body, a plurality of spinning rotors, each rotor comprising at least one propeller, and a cord coupled to a container configured to contain a blood product. A drop mechanism lowers the cord and blood product and resists gravitational acceleration of the container during at least a portion of a descent of the container. A control circuit navigates the helicopter to the target location and, while airborne, receives a command to deliver the blood product. The control circuit, in response to receiving the command, controls the drop mechanism to lower the cord and container containing the blood product to the target location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Publication date: September 11, 2025
    Applicant: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: James Madsen, Kyungyoon Min, Thomas Gniadek, Kyle Betancourt, Matthew Breunig, Haley Hovland, Jeannette Wu
  • Patent number: 12397089
    Abstract: A cell processing system includes a processor connectable to a source container filled with a biological fluid, the processor including a separator configured to separate the biological fluid from the source container into at least two streams according to a process including at least one process parameter, and a controller coupled to the processor and an input. The controller is configured to receive the at least one process parameter, to evaluate the process using the at least one process parameter before performing the process, and to carry out one or more actions based on the evaluation, such as providing an output estimate to the operator, preventing the process from being performed according to a comparison between a calculated condition and a control, or providing an error indication to the operator according to the calculated condition and a measured in-process condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Wegener, Daniel Boggs, Bret M. Olson, Steven C. Binninger, James D. Hosek
  • Publication number: 20250266158
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separating whole blood into blood components includes a blood component separator and a processing circuit. The processing circuit receives whole blood characteristic data and at least one of inventory data and priority data. The processing circuit identifies a blood separator process based on the whole blood characteristic data and the at least one of inventory data and priority data. The blood component separator receives a first container comprising whole blood and automatically operates or is manually operated according to the identified blood separator process to separate at least one blood component from the whole blood for collection into a second or multiple, blood component containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2025
    Publication date: August 21, 2025
    Applicant: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Kristy Jones, Dale Meixelsperger, Kate Sivertson, Roberto Vilardi
  • Patent number: 12390573
    Abstract: A method and device are provided for centrifugally separating plasma from whole blood in which whole blood is introduced into a flow circuit having a blood access device connected to a first tubing for drawing whole blood from a blood source and for flowing whole blood to a centrifugal separation chamber; a volume of saline is added to the whole blood as it flows through the first tubing to dilute the whole blood; the volume of saline added to the whole blood is tracked; the whole blood having saline added thereto is separated in the centrifugal separation chamber so that an interface is created between the plasma and added saline and the cellular components of the whole blood; the separated plasma and added saline is flowed from the centrifugal separation chamber to a collection container; and a volume for the plasma and added saline in the collection container is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Schoonover, Jeffrey R. Maher
  • Patent number: 12385769
    Abstract: An optical sensor device configured for use in combination with a fluid flowing through a tubing, the optical sensor device includes a light source configured to emit a light, with at least a portion of the light being exposed to a fluid in the tubing and reflected, an optical sensor configured to receive at least a portion of the reflected light and analyze at least a portion of the received reflected light to determine a reflectance measurement, and a controller configured to correlate the reflectance measurement to an input particulate level and generate an output indicative of the fluid flow rate corresponding to the reflectance measurement. Also disclosed is a method of optically measuring fluid flow rate in a fluid processing system including optically monitoring fluid flow through a transparent portion of a tubing by measuring light reflectance of particles in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Kusters
  • Publication number: 20250249166
    Abstract: A system and method for processing a biological cell suspension from a source to provide a product in a retentate container comprises a disposable fluid circuit and a reusable hardware unit. The reusable hardware unit comprises a controller which stores processing parameters comprising an estimated volume of biological cell suspension in the source and a concentration of cells in the biological cell suspension. The controller calculates a number of draws of the biological cell suspension and a volume of each draw and calculates a pump speed based on a received processing parameter. The controller controls pumping of the processing solution into the disposable fluid circuit to prime the disposable fluid circuit. The controller directs the withdrawal of the biological cell suspension from the source in batches in accordance with the calculated number of draws and volume of each draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2025
    Publication date: August 7, 2025
    Applicant: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Wegener, Steven C. Binninger, Alaina Schlinker, Bret Olson
  • Patent number: 12370296
    Abstract: Fluid processing assemblies and methods are provided for mononuclear cell collection. Mononuclear cells are separated from red blood cells in a blood separation chamber, with the mononuclear cells and then the red blood cells exiting the chamber via an outlet port. The mononuclear cells and then the red blood cells enter an outlet flow path that is in fluid communication with a mononuclear cell collection container. The outlet flow path includes a visual indicium, which an operator may use to determine the position of the red blood cells within the outlet flow path and when to end mononuclear cell collection by preventing fluid communication between the outlet flow path and the mononuclear cell collection container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan T. Nguyen, Jonathan W. Prendergast, Zahra R. Ali, Tanima J. Abedin, Molly Erickson, Korri Hershenhouse