Patents by Inventor Bruce A. Mueller

Bruce A. Mueller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Vibration-assisted dialysis method
    Patent number: 9034191
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method of increasing dialysis dose and waste removal with the introduction of mechanical energy, such as vibration, to a hemodiafiltration membrane The method generally includes providing a dialyzer that includes a vibration element in engaged vibratory communication with a hemodiafiltration membrane The method also includes enabling extracorporeal flow of pre-dialyzed blood and a dialysate through the dialyzer and respectively past opposing surfaces of a vibrating hemodiafiltration membrane to achieve a solute clearance from the pre-dialyzed blood that is at least about 10% greater than a solute clearance from the pre-dialyzed blood obtained in the absence of the engaged vibratory communication Various apparatus are also disclosed, each of which includes a vibration element in vibratory communication with the dialyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventor: Bruce A. Mueller
  • VIBRATION-ASSISTED DIALYSIS METHOD
    Publication number: 20130112620
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method of increasing dialysis dose and waste removal with the introduction of mechanical energy, such as vibration, to a hemodiafiltration membrane The method generally includes providing a dialyzer that includes a vibration element in engaged vibratory communication with a hemodiafiltration membrane The method also includes enabling extracorporeal flow of pre-dialyzed blood and a dialysate through the dialyzer and respectively past opposing surfaces of a vibrating hemodiafiltration membrane to achieve a solute clearance from the pre-dialyzed blood that is at least about 10% greater than a solute clearance from the pre-dialyzed blood obtained in the absence of the engaged vibratory communication Various apparatus are also disclosed, each of which includes a vibration element in vibratory communication with the dialyzer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventor: Bruce A. Mueller