Patents by Inventor James D. Dale
James D. Dale 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).
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Patent number: 9795728Abstract: An enclosure for containing a portable hemodialysis unit includes a housing suitable to support components for performing hemodialysis including a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer. The housing may have a front panel at which blood circuit connections and dialysate fluidic connections are located, e.g., blood line connections for patient blood access, connections for a reagent supply, dialyzer connections for both blood flow and dialysate, etc. The enclosure may also include a pair of vertical, side-by-side doors hingedly mounted to the housing. With the doors in the closed position, access to the patient access and dialysate fluidic connections may be blocked, and the doors may allow for the retention of heat in the housing suitable for disinfection during a disinfection cycle.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2017Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, James A. Demers, James D. Dale, Arun D. Chawan, David E. Collins
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Publication number: 20170296803Abstract: An occlusion assembly for compressing a pair of collapsible tubes comprises a frame comprising a tubing guide configured for positioning the collapsible tube. The occlusion assembly also comprises a tubing occluder mounted to the frame with an occluding member constructed and positioned to controllably occlude or release occlusion of the collapsible tube. A door mounted to the frame is positioned to cover at least a portion of the collapsible tube and tubing occluder when closed and provide user access when open. The assembly includes a retainer mechanism engaged by the door when the door is closed to permit operation of the tubing occluder when the door is closed and retain the tubing occluder in a non-occluding configuration when the door is opened.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, Brett A. Rudolf, James D. Dale, Jesse T. Bodwell
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Patent number: 9724458Abstract: A drain cassette for a dialysis unit has a fluid channel between venous and arterial connection ports, and a valve may controllably open and close fluid communication between a drain outlet port and the venous connection port or the arterial connection port. A blood circuit assembly and drain cassette may be removable from the dialysis unit, e.g., by hand and without the use of tools. A blood circuit assembly may include a single, unitary member that defines portions of a pair of blood pumps, control valves, channels to accurately position flexible tubing for an occluder, an air trap support, and/or other portions of the assembly. A blood circuit assembly engagement device may assist with retaining a blood circuit assembly on the dialysis unit, and/or with removal of the assembly. An actuator may operate a retainer element and an ejector element that interact with the assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2012Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, Michael J. Wilt, Brian D. Tracey, Brett A. Rudolf, David E. Collins, Lisa A. Gustin, James D. Dale, Jesse T. Bodwell
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Publication number: 20170216516Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for regulating fluid flow are disclosed. An apparatus for infusing fluid into a patient includes a housing, a tube-contact member, a rotating arm, and a tube-retention cover. The housing has an opening on a front side of the housing. The opening is sized to receive a drip chamber having an inlet tube and an outlet tube. The tube-contact member contacts one of the inlet tube and the output tube of the drip chamber when inserted into the opening. The rotating arm is coupled to the tube-contact member and is configured to rotate along an axis. The tube-retention cover is configured to close when the drip chamber is initially loaded into the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: James D. Dale, Stephen L. Fichera, Larry B. Gray, Dean Kamen, Matthew J. Lanigan, Frederick Morgan, Dirk A. van der Merwe, Brian H. Yoo
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Patent number: 9700711Abstract: An occlusion assembly for compressing a pair of collapsible tubes comprises an occluding member for each tube. Each occluding member is forced into an occluding position by a spreader positioned within a space between the occluding members that slides along a side of each occluding member causing a tube-contacting portion of each occluding member to compress the collapsible tubes. A main spring may be included that urges the spreader toward the distal ends of the occluding members and into an occluding position. The spreader may be moved against the biasing force of the main spring into a non-occluding position near the proximal ends of the occluding members either manually through a button and linkage assembly coupled to the spreader, or by an automatic actuator coupled to the spreading element.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, Brett A. Rudolf, James D. Dale, Jesse T. Bodwell
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Patent number: 9700660Abstract: A pumping cassette including a housing having at least two inlet fluid lines and at least two outlet fluid lines. At least one balancing pod within the housing and in fluid connection with the fluid paths. The balancing pod balances the flow of a first fluid and the flow of a second fluid such that the volume of the first fluid equals the volume of the second fluid. The balancing pod also includes a membrane that forms two balancing chambers. Also included in the cassette is at least two reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pumps. The pumps are within the housing and they pump the fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet line and pump the second fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2015Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Brian D. Tracey
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Patent number: 9677554Abstract: A cassette integrated system. The cassette integrated system includes a mixing cassette, a balancing cassette, a middle cassette fluidly connected to the mixing cassette and the balancing cassette and at least one pod. The mixing cassette is fluidly connected to the middle cassette by at least one fluid line and the middle cassette is fluidly connected to the balancing cassette by at least one fluid line. The at least one pod is connected to at least two of the cassettes wherein the pod is located in an area between the cassettes.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Jason A. Demers, Brian D. Tracey
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Publication number: 20170157310Abstract: A medical treatment system, such as peritoneal dialysis system, may include control and other features to enhance patient comfort and ease of use. For example, a peritoneal dialysis system may include a control system that can adjust the volume of fluid infused into the peritoneal cavity to prevent the intraperitoneal fluid volume from exceeding a pre-determined amount. The control system can adjust by adding one or more therapy cycles, allowing for fill volumes during each cycle to be reduced. The control system may continue to allow the fluid to drain from the peritoneal cavity as completely as possible before starting the next therapy cycle. The control system may also adjust the dwell time of fluid within the peritoneal cavity during therapy cycles in order to complete a therapy within a scheduled time period.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2017Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jacob W. Scarpaci, Robert J. Bryant, JR., Geoffrey P. Spencer, David J. Hibbard, James D. Dale, John M. Kerwin, Andrew S. Coll, David A. Beavers, David W. McGill, Simon C. Helmore
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Patent number: 9649418Abstract: A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes housing. The housing includes at least one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. Also, the cassette includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps at least one fluid from the fluid inlet line to at least one of the fluid outlet line. Also, the cassette includes at least one mixing chamber within the housing. The mixing chamber is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2012Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Brian D. Tracey
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Publication number: 20170128652Abstract: A fluid handling cassette, such as that useable with an automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) cycler device or other infusion apparatus, may include a generally planar body having at least one pump chamber formed as a depression in a first side of the body and a plurality of flowpaths for a fluid that includes a channel. A patient line port may be arranged for connection to a patient line and be in fluid communication with the at least one pump chamber via at least a first one of said flowpaths, and an optional membrane may be attached to the first side of the body over the at least one pump chamber. In one embodiment, the membrane may have a pump chamber portion with an unstressed shape that generally conforms to the depression of the at least one pump chamber in the body and is arranged to be movable for movement of the fluid in a useable space of the at least one pump chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2016Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: David W. McGill, James D. Dale, Simon C. Helmore, Richard J. Lanigan, Jason A. Demers, Dean Kamen
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Publication number: 20170130705Abstract: A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes a housing having at least, one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. The cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps a fluid from the fluid inlet line to the fluid outlet line. A hollow spike is also included on the housing as well as at least one metering pump The metering pump is fluidly connected to the hollow spike on the housing and to a metering pump fluid line. The metering pump fluid line is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2017Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Brian D. Tracey
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Publication number: 20170112989Abstract: An enclosure for containing a portable hemodialysis unit includes a housing suitable to support components for performing hemodialysis including a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer. The housing may have a front panel at which blood circuit connections and dialysate fluidic connections are located, e.g., blood line connections for patient blood access, connections for a reagent supply, dialyzer connections for both blood flow and dialysate, etc. The enclosure may also include a pair of vertical, side-by-side doors hingedly mounted to the housing. With the doors in the closed position, access to the patient access and dialysate fluidic connections may be blocked, and the doors may allow for the retention of heat in the housing suitable for disinfection during a disinfection cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Applicant: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIPInventors: KEVIN L. GRANT, JASON A. DEMERS, JAMES D. DALE, ARUN D. CHAWAN, DAVID E. COLLINS
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Publication number: 20170100533Abstract: Disclosed are hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems including fluid flow circuits. Hemodialysis systems may include a blood flow path, and a dialysate flow path including balancing, mixing, and/or a directing circuits. Preparation of dialysate may be decoupled from patient dialysis. Circuits may be defined within one or more cassettes. The fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be isolated from electrical components. A gas supply may be provided that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate through the dialyzer and blood back to the patient. Such a system may be useful during a power failure. The hemodialysis system may also include fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, etc., actuated using a control fluid. The control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using a detachable external pump. The fluid handling devices may have a spheroid shape with a diaphragm dividing it into two compartments.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2016Publication date: April 13, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Michael J. Wilt, Jason A. Demers, Kevin L. Grant, Brian D. Tracey, James D. Dale
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Patent number: 9555179Abstract: Disclosed are hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems including fluid flow circuits. Hemodialysis systems may include a blood flow path, and a dialysate flow path including balancing, mixing, and/or a directing circuits. Preparation of dialysate may be decoupled from patient dialysis. Circuits may be defined within one or more cassettes. The fluid circuit and/or the various fluid flow paths may be isolated from electrical components. A gas supply may be provided that, when activated, is able to urge dialysate through the dialyzer and blood back to the patient. Such a system may be useful during a power failure. The hemodialysis system may also include fluid handling devices, such as pumps, valves, mixers, etc., actuated using a control fluid. The control fluid may be delivered to the fluid handling devices using a detachable external pump. The fluid handling devices may have a spheroid shape with a diaphragm dividing it into two compartments.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2014Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Michael J. Wilt, Jason A. Demers, Kevin L. Grant, Brian D. Tracey, James D. Dale
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Patent number: 9550018Abstract: A pump cassette is disclosed. The pump cassette includes a housing having at least, one fluid inlet line and at least one fluid outlet line. The cassette also includes at least one reciprocating pressure displacement membrane pump within the housing. The pressure pump pumps a fluid from the fluid inlet line to the fluid outlet line. A hollow spike is also included on the housing as well as at least one metering pump The metering pump is fluidly connected to the hollow spike on the housing and to a metering pump fluid line. The metering pump fluid line is fluidly connected to the fluid outlet line.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jason A. Demers, Michael J. Wilt, Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Brian D. Tracey
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Patent number: 9539379Abstract: An enclosure for containing a portable hemodialysis unit includes a housing suitable to support components for performing hemodialysis including a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer. The housing may have a front panel at which blood circuit connections and dialysate fluidic connections are located, e.g., blood line connections for patient blood access, connections for a reagent supply, dialyzer connections for both blood flow and dialysate, etc. The enclosure may also include a pair of vertical, side-by-side doors hingedly mounted to the housing. With the doors in the closed position, access to the patient access and dialysate fluidic connections may be blocked, and the doors may allow for the retention of heat in the housing suitable for disinfection during a disinfection cycle.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, Jason A. Demers, James D. Dale, Arun D. Chawan, David E. Collins
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Publication number: 20170000938Abstract: The present invention generally relates to hemodialysis and similar dialysis systems, including a variety of systems and methods that would make hemodialysis more efficient, easier, and/or more affordable. One aspect of the invention is generally directed to new fluid circuits for fluid flow. According to one aspect, a blood pump is configured to pump blood to a dialyzer of a hemodialysis apparatus, the blood pump comprising a pneumatically actuated or controlled reciprocating diaphragm pump. In an embodiment, the diaphragm of the pump comprises a flexible membrane formed or molded to generally conform to a curved inner wall of a pumping chamber or control chamber of the pump, wherein the diaphragm is pre-formed or molded to have a control side taking a convex shape, so that any elastic tension on the diaphragm is minimized when fully extended into a control chamber of the pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Michael J. Wilt, James D. Dale, Brian D. Tracey, Kevin L. Grant, Jason A. Demers
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Publication number: 20160287859Abstract: Described herein are the occlusion assemblies configured to facilitate the opening and closing by occlusion of flexible tubing. In particular embodiments, the occlusion assemblies are associated with or form part of a medical infusion device, such as a hemodialysis device, peritoneal dialysis device, plasmapheresis device, etc., and may be controllably and automatically operated to facilitate fluid handling by such devices. The occlusion assemblies may be designed to position and immobilized the tubing and may include a frame or other support feature providing tubing guides and/or configured for attachment to or integration with a fluid handling assembly of a device of which they are part or with which they are used. The occlusion assemblies comprise a tubing occluder, which may be a mechanism constructed and positioned to apply a force to the tube(s) associated with the occlusion assembly to occlude the tubes and to release the force to allow the tubes to open for fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventors: Kevin L. Grant, Brett A. Rudolf, James D. Dale, Jesse T. Bodwell
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Publication number: 20160245277Abstract: A system and method for pumping fluid using a pump cassette is disclosed. The system includes a control assembly for operating the pump cassette. A force assembly having a movable member is capable of applying force to the pump cassette to press the pump cassette against the control assembly. The movable member may be an expandable member, such as a bladder.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2015Publication date: August 25, 2016Inventors: Richard J. Lanigan, James D. Dale
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Patent number: D773916Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Benjamin W. Jones, Jr., Jacob W. Scarpaci, James D. Dale, James M. Sibona, David E. Collins