Patents by Inventor Robert W. Childers

Robert W. Childers 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).

  • Patent number: 10525184
    Abstract: A dialysis system includes a disposable cassette including a flexible sheet and a plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, a plurality of actuators operable with the flexible sheet to direct dialysis fluid through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, and a controller configured to (i) determine at least one limitation of the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways, (ii) generate a flow schedule indicating how dialysis fluid should be directed through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways in accordance with the at least one limitation, and (iii) control the plurality of actuators so that dialysis fluid is pumped through the plurality of dialysis fluid pathways according to the flow schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Richard Avoy, John Booras, Joseph H. Bowman, Jr., Paul Grippo, Andrew D. Hopping, David Howard, Jeffrey W. Jerrell, Benjamin Kellam, Brian Lauman, Sherwin Shang, David Vescovi, Tahua Yang, Alex Yu
  • Publication number: 20190351109
    Abstract: A waste collection unit for collecting medical waste through a suction line. The waste collection unit includes a manifold receiver having an opening in fluid communication with a canister. A suction pump is configured to draw a vacuum, and a vacuum regulator is configured to regulate the vacuum draw. A light assembly positioned near the opening of the manifold receiver may include a first light and a second light. The light assembly may be arranged to direct the first light towards a manifold configured to be removably received in the manifold receiver. The light assembly may be arranged to direct the second light arcuately around at least a portion of the opening of the manifold receiver. The first light may emit light of different colors based on a commanded or measured level of the vacuum draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. MacLachlan, Nathan Hogan, Stephen J. Reasoner, Robert W. Childers
  • Publication number: 20190344004
    Abstract: A system for dialysis is disclosed. An example peritoneal dialysis system includes a peritoneal dialysis machine including a pumping mechanism, and a sensor configured to measure a property of peritoneal dialysis fluid. The peritoneal dialysis system also includes a disposable cassette operable with the peritoneal dialysis machine. The disposable cassette includes a fluid source inlet for accepting fluid from a fluid source and a fluid flow path in fluid communication with the fluid source inlet. The fluid flow path includes a pump chamber operable with the pumping mechanism to pump fluid through the fluid flow path. The disposable cassette also includes a concentrate inlet for fluidly communicating concentrate to the fluid flow path, and a sensor chamber located along the fluid flow path and operable with the sensor. The sensor is configured to provide feedback to the peritoneal dialysis machine for mixing the concentrate for forming peritoneal dialysis fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, David S. Brown, Ramesh Wariar, Sujatha Karoor, Shahid Din, Leo Martis, Cody Buchmann, Paul Soltys
  • Patent number: 10471192
    Abstract: A medical fluid pneumatic manifold system includes a first plate including a plurality of apertures, a second plate attached to the first plate so as to form a plurality of pneumatic flowpaths sealed between the first plate and the second plate, a plurality of tubing connections and a plurality of pneumatic tubes connected to the plurality of tubing connections, the plurality of tubing connections placing the plurality of pneumatic tubes in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths via the plurality of apertures of the first plate, and a pneumatic reservoir in pneumatic communication with the plurality of pneumatic flowpaths, the pneumatic reservoir configured to provide pneumatic pressure to the plurality of pneumatic tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Paul R. Chapman, Robert W. Childers, Gideon Hecht, Anders Wellings
  • Publication number: 20190321532
    Abstract: A method for pairing a dialysis machine with peripheral devices is disclosed. An example method includes receiving, in an intermediate data transfer unit, data related to a patient from at least one of a weight sensor, a blood pressure sensor, or a remote exchange device. The method also includes causing the intermediate data transfer unit to detect a connection of a memory device to a port of the intermediate data transfer unit, and causing the intermediate data transfer unit to store the data to the memory device so that the memory device can be transported to a dialysis machine for transfer of the data from the memory device to the dialysis machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Alex Anping Yu, Robert W. Childers, Peter A. Hopping
  • Patent number: 10441703
    Abstract: A hybrid hemodialysis (“HD”)/peritoneal dialysis (“PD”) system includes: a reservoir; a weigh scale operably coupled with the reservoir; and at least one controller programmed to run (i) an HD treatment in which blood is pumped to a blood compartment of a dialyzer, fresh HD dialysis fluid is pumped to a dialysis fluid compartment of the dialyzer, and used HD dialysis fluid is pumped from the dialysis fluid compartment of the dialyzer to the reservoir, and at a different time (ii) a PD treatment in which fresh PD dialysis fluid is pumped to a patient and used PD dialysis fluid is pumped from the patient to the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Gino Cicchello, Christian Bernard, Robert W. Childers, Anthony Simiele
  • Patent number: 10434237
    Abstract: A dialysis system includes a fluid line fluidly communicating with a fluid source, a peritoneal dialysis configured to be placed in fluid communication with the fluid line, the peritoneal dialysis including a first user interface and a first control unit, the first user interface configured to receive first user inputs related to a peritoneal dialysis treatment, the first control configured to operate the peritoneal dialysis in accordance with the first user inputs to perform the peritoneal dialysis treatment, and a blood treatment configured to be placed in fluid communication with the fluid line, the blood treatment including a second user interface and a second control unit, the second user interface configured to receive second user inputs related to a blood treatment, the second control configured to operate the blood treatment in accordance with the second user inputs to perform the blood treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Gino Cicchello, Christian Bernard, Robert W. Childers, Anthony Simiele
  • Publication number: 20190298906
    Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis system includes first and second concentrate sources in selective fluid communication with a medical fluid pumping cassette, the first and second concentrate sources holding first and second peritoneal dialysis concentrates, respectively; a pump actuator configured to cause the medical fluid pumping cassette to pump the first and second concentrates; and a processor and memory configured to (i) determine a cumulative volume of at least one of the first or second peritoneal dialysis concentrates pumped from the medical fluid pumping cassette by the pump actuator, (ii) compare the cumulative volume to a threshold, and (iii) if the cumulative volume is outside of the threshold, modify a subsequent stroke volume of at least one of the first or second pump chambers actuated by the pump actuator in an attempt to cause an updated cumulative volume for the at least one peritoneal dialysis concentrate to be within the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Kurt Holmquist, Peter A. Hopping
  • Patent number: 10426883
    Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprising: a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, and a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, air is purged using dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid pumped by at least one of the fresh or used dialysis fluid pumps from the dialysis fluid circuit, through the dialyzer, into the blood circuit, in combination with dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid from the source introduced directly into the blood circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Thomas Kelly, Robert W. Childers, Don Busby, Rodolfo Roger, Waleed Mutasem El Sayyid, Shahid Din
  • Patent number: 10420865
    Abstract: A waste collection unit (40) with a primary display (106) on which information about the operation of the unit is presented. In addition to the primary display there is a light assembly (662) adjacent the fitting (614) to which a suction line is attached. The light assembly emits light of selectively colors or in a selected pattern based on an operation state of the waste collection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: STRYKER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen J. Reasoner, Robert W. Childers, Chamara Gamhewage, Michael W. Hall, Nathan K. Hogan, Brian J. MacLachlan, Michael J. Miller
  • Patent number: 10391228
    Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprises a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines, the dialysis fluid circuit including a fresh dialysis fluid pump, and a used dialysis fluid pump; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump, a drip chamber located along the venous line, and a container for accepting air purged from the blood circuit; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, the blood pump pumps a fluid through the dialyzer and into the drip chamber, forcing air from the drip chamber into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignees: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC., BAXTER HEALTHCARE SA
    Inventors: Thomas D. Kelly, Marc S. Minkus, Angelito A. Bernardo, William P. Burns, Robert W. Childers, Shincy J. Maliekkal, Matthew R. Muller, Justin B. Rohde, Michael E. Hogard
  • Publication number: 20190255238
    Abstract: A dialysis system including a disposable fluid pumping cassette including at least one flexible membrane attached to a housing and at least one port extending from the housing, the at least one port including a spike; at least one dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with at least one tubing and tubing connector; an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port, the autoconnection device including at least one lead screw in mechanical communication with the shuttle, a motor and power transmission equipment to transmit power from the motor to the at least one lead screw; and a controller programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Patrick Lee, Andrey Kopychev, Douglas Reitz, Rodolfo Roger, John E. Steck
  • Patent number: 10363352
    Abstract: A disposable set and system for dialysis are disclosed. An example peritoneal dialysis system includes an automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine comprising a pumping mechanism and a peritoneal dialysis fluid heater. The example peritoneal dialysis system also includes a disposable set comprising a disposable cassette operable with the pumping mechanism and a heater bag operable with the heater. The example peritoneal dialysis system additionally includes a conductivity sensor positioned and arranged to provide feedback to the APD machine. The example APD machine is configured to mix a peritoneal dialysis fluid for treatment in the heater bag using a plurality of peritoneal dialysis constituent fluids. In addition, the example APD machine is configured to use feedback from the conductivity sensor to evaluate the mixed peritoneal dialysis fluid for treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, David S. Brown, Ramesh Wariar, Sujatha Karoor, Shahid Din, Leo Martis, Cody Buchmann, Paul Soltys
  • Publication number: 20190209725
    Abstract: A sterilization container for sterilizing at least one surgical instrument. The container includes at least one sensor for measuring an environmental characteristic of the container during the sterilization of the instrument. The measure of the environmental characteristic is supplied to a processor. The processor compares the measurement of the container environment to a validated measurement for the sterilization process. If the measured environmental characteristic is at least equal to the validated sterilization process measurement, the processor presents an indication that the surgical instruments was properly sterilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce D. Henniges, Robert W. Childers, Erik Vaclav Chmelar
  • Patent number: 10335532
    Abstract: A dialysis system is disclosed including an autoconnection mechanism. The autoconnection mechanism in an embodiment is configured such that (i) a tip protector remover is translated in a first direction towards a plurality of supply line connectors, (ii) the tip protector remover is locked to each of a plurality of supply line tip protectors connected to the plurality of supply line connectors, (iii) the tip protector remover is translated in a second direction away from the plurality of supply line connectors to remove the plurality of supply line tip protectors from the supply line connectors, the tip protector remover is translated in a third direction different from the first and second directions, and (v) solution line connectors are translated towards the supply line connectors to connect each of the solution line connectors to one of the supply line connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter HealthCare S.A.
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Kurt Holmquist, Peter A. Hopping
  • Patent number: 10314958
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing a dialysis machine with peripheral devices are disclosed. An example system includes first and second memory devices, a first dialysis machine including a first memory device port configured to be connectable to the first memory device, and a second dialysis machine including a second memory device port configured to be connectable to the second memory device. The system also includes an intermediate data transfer unit including a port configured to connect to the first and the second memory devices to enable data transfer with the respective dialysis machines. The intermediate data transfer unit is configured to receive data from a weight sensor, a blood pressure sensor, or a remote exchange device for a patient and store the data to the first or second memory device to communicate the data to the respective first or second dialysis machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Alex Anping Yu, Robert W. Childers, Peter A. Hopping
  • Publication number: 20190167887
    Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprises a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines, the dialysis fluid circuit including a fresh dialysis fluid pump, and a used dialysis fluid pump; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump, a drip chamber located along the venous line, and a container for accepting air purged from the blood circuit; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, the blood pump pumps a fluid through the dialyzer and into the drip chamber, forcing air from the drip chamber into the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas D. Kelly, Marc S. Minkus, Angelito A. Bernardo, William P. Burns, Robert W. Childers, Shincy J. Maliekkal, Matthew R. Muller, Justin B. Rohde, Michael E. Hogard
  • Publication number: 20190167885
    Abstract: A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit comprising: a dialyzer; a dialysis fluid circuit operable with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines; the blood circuit operable with the dialyzer and including an arterial line, a venous line, a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer, and a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump; and an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, air is purged using dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid pumped by at least one of the fresh or used dialysis fluid pumps from the dialysis fluid circuit, through the dialyzer, into the blood circuit, in combination with dialysis fluid or other physiologically acceptable fluid from the source introduced directly into the blood circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Kelly, Robert W. Childers, Don Busby, Rodolfo Roger, Waleed Mutasem El Sayyid, Shahid Din
  • Patent number: 10307524
    Abstract: A dialysis method includes: receiving at least one of blood pressure data from a blood pressure monitor or patient weight data from a weight scale at a dialysis machine at least one of (i) before or (ii) after each treatment performed by the dialysis machine; generating ultrafiltration (“UF”) removed data over a treatment performed by the dialysis machine; sending the UF removed data and at least one of the blood pressure data or the patient weight data to a server; determining at least one of a UF trend, a blood pressure trend or a patient weight trend from the UF removed data, the blood pressure data or the patient weight data, respectively; and displaying at least one of the UF trend, the blood pressure trend or the patient weight trend so that a therapy adjustment can be made if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignees: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare SA
    Inventors: Alex Anping Yu, James Grayson, Robert W. Childers
  • Patent number: 10293091
    Abstract: A dialysis system including a disposable fluid pumping cassette including at least one flexible membrane attached to a housing and at least one port extending from the housing, the at least one port including a spike; at least one dialysis fluid supply in fluid communication with at least one tubing and tubing connector; an autoconnection device including a shuttle for moving the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port, the autoconnection device including at least one lead screw in mechanical communication with the shuttle, a motor and power transmission equipment to transmit power from the motor to the at least one lead screw; and a controller programmed to operate the motor to move the at least one tubing and tubing connector towards the spike of the at least one port of the disposable fluid pumping cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC., BAXTER HEALTHCARE S.A.
    Inventors: Robert W. Childers, Patrick Lee, Andrey Kopychev, Douglas Reitz, Rodolfo Roger, John E. Steck