Plural Elements Controlled Patents (Class 210/134)
  • Patent number: 7713226
    Abstract: Apparatus for use in a dialysis system are disclosed including an apparatus for delivering saline during dialysis treatment, an apparatus for delivering saline to a patient after dialysis treatment has ended, and an apparatus for alerting a patient that dialysis treatment is about to end. In the apparatus for delivering saline during dialysis treatment, a controller is configured to automatically deliver saline in response to a request. In the apparatus for delivering saline to a patient after dialysis treatment has ended, a controller is configured to automatically deliver saline after dialysis treatment has concluded, but before the patient is disconnected in response to a request. In the apparatus for alerting a patient that dialysis treatment is about to end, a controller is configured to monitor a dialysis treatment and activate an alarm when treatment is about to end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Renal Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen R. Ash, David J. Carr
  • Patent number: 7699977
    Abstract: Wastewater and sewage filtering and adsorbing unit includes sewage reservoir, clean water reservoir, active coke powder storage, filtering and adsorbing tank, control cabinet, saturated active coke sludge settling tank, filtering and adsorbing material. The sewage reservoir and the clean water reservoir are on one side, and the filtering and adsorbing tank and the active coke powder storage are on other side. Active coke powder storage is above and connected to filtering and adsorbing tank by conduits; inlet pipes in rows and an outlet branch pipe are mounted into the filtering and adsorbing tank. Filtering and adsorbing material is active coke powder. The sewage reservoir is connected with the filtering and adsorbing tank. An active coke sludge discharge port and an active coke sludge conveyor, which are connected to the saturated active coke sludge settling tank by transporting pipelines, are at the bottom of the filtering and adsorbing tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Shenyang David Environmental Protection & Energy Saving Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dawei Zhang, Yanbin Guo
  • Patent number: 7686950
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for purifying water whereby: the water to be purified is pressurized; a pressurized flow of said water is directed onto at least one selective permeability membrane to divide (11) the flow of pressurized water into a permeate flow and a retentate flow; the permeate flow is electrodeionized (12) to produce a flow of purified water consisting of the electrodeionized permeate flow; the flowrate of the retentate flow (19) is reduced; a substantially constant predetermined pressure (21) is maintained on the selective permeability membrane(s); and a substantially constant predetermined permeate flowrate is maintained and also relates to a suitable tangential filtration module system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Yves Gaignet
  • Patent number: 7674386
    Abstract: A slurry filtration system and apparatus with peripheral elements for conditioning a slurry prior to entry into a pressure filter (32) and the control of fluid and liquid introductions into the filter (32) to produce a desired filter cake or filtrate. The system includes a controller (16) for controlling the operation of the peripheral treatment for the introduction of coagulants, flocculants and polymers to treat or condition a slurry introduced into the filter (32) and the control of additional peripheral equipment for treatment of the slurry with liquid clearing or cake forming gas, steam, or drying or conditioning gas within the filter chamber (40) for the production of both filtrate and filter cake from the filter (32) to a form desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: FLSmidth A/S
    Inventor: Steve C. Benesi
  • Publication number: 20100038318
    Abstract: A method of cleaning drilling fluid including providing a flow of drilling fluid to a treatment loop, determining a flow rate of the drilling fluid, and injecting a polymer into the drilling fluid based on the determined flow rate of the drilling fluid. Additionally, the method includes injecting a coagulant into the drilling fluid based on the determined flow rate of the drilling fluid and adjusting the rate of polymer and coagulant injection based on a change in the flow rate of the drilling fluid. Also, a method of controlling a drilling fluid cleaning system, the method including inputting a polymer dosage rate and a coagulant dosage rate into a system controller and providing instructions to the system controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: M-I L.L.C., M-I DRILLING FLUIDS CANADA, INC.
    Inventors: Alan Gilmour, Nicolas Christopher Wade Thiessen
  • Publication number: 20100030124
    Abstract: A patient wearable, continuously operating extracorporeal pump apparatus which accesses the patient's arterial venous pressure differential by applying external pressure to a subcutaneous graft that has been cannualized to modulate blood flow through an extracorporeal circuit and to drive the pump for delivering a medicament, such as an anticoagulant, to the site of an intravenous cannula to prevent clogging thereof and also to move a dialysate through a circuit, including a dialyzer and a dialysate rejuvenating cartridge, whereby kidney failure can be treated without recourse to prior art hemodialysis machines found in most treatment facilities. With slight modification, the present invention can be used to remove excess fluids from CHF patients, to remove toxins from the blood in those suffering from liver failure and to facilitate administration of insulin to diabetics and/or glucose to those having hypoglycemia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: Arnold J. Lande
  • Publication number: 20100006513
    Abstract: A device, system and method are provided for treating water, in which a water treating agent is prepared and dispensed to an untreated drinking water source in discrete and consecutive control volumes enabling untreated water in the untreated water source to be treated thereby to provide potable water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicants: BROMINE COMPOUNDS LTD., WDT-WERNER DOSIERTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Theodore Fishler, David Feldman, Dietmar Werner
  • Patent number: 7618542
    Abstract: A blood purifying apparatus particularly suitable for continuous blood purification, and a method of controlling the same whereby the weight of body fluid removed from a patient and a feed weight to the patient can be more accurately controlled. A blood purifying apparatus 50 adapted for the continuous blood purification includes a drain C, a dialysate feed A, and a replacement fluid feed B, which are equipped with transfer pumps 5, 6, 7, respectively, reservoir containers 8, 9, and 10, respectively, that are capable of storing a predetermined volume, and fluid level sensors 11, 12, and 13, respectively. The blood purifying apparatus further includes a single weightmeter 20 capable of measuring the reservoir containers 8, 9, and 10 all at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Soichirou Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20090255874
    Abstract: Systems and methods for versatile water purification are provided. A system according to the invention may include a first delivery pump. The first delivery pump may maintain a flow of water into a multi media filter. The multi media filter preferably filters the pumped water. The filtered water may then be pumped by a reverse osmosis pump through a plurality of reverse osmosis columns to produce an osmosis water having less particulate matter than the filtered water. The osmosis water may then be passed to a buffer tank. A second delivery pump for pumping water from the buffer tank may also be used. An ozone system for injecting ozone into water pumped by the second delivery pump may be also implemented. A first output path from the ozone system may pass the ozonated water from the ozone system to the buffer tank via a first valve. A second output path from the ozone system may also be implemented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: Water Chef, Inc.
    Inventor: Gil Tenne
  • Patent number: 7588722
    Abstract: The invention relates to a blood treatment device by extracorporeal circulation comprising a filter having a primary chamber and a secondary chamber separated by a semi-permeable membrane; a blood circuit comprising an arterial line intended to come from the patient, the filter's primary chamber and the venous line intended to return to the patient; a dialysate circuit comprising the filter's secondary chamber and at least a drain line for circulating the waste intended to come from the filter and intended to go to a drain; a first bag in fluid communication with the drain line; at least a first gravimetric weighing means linked to the first bag, fluid flow rate adjustment means acting on the drain line; a control unit linked to the first gravimetric weighing means and with the fluid flow rate adjustment means; a second bag in fluid communication with the drain line, the control unit being capable of receiving weight signals from the first gravimetric weighing means and of controlling the fluid flow rate adju
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventor: Jacques Chevallet
  • Publication number: 20090218264
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a system for the transportation of liquid and solid waste incorporated into a floor of a building has a generally horizontal pipe with a first and second end. A motor is disposed at the first end and an auger is disposed in and along at least a portion of a length of the pipe and is in communication with the motor. The auger is adapted to the transport of liquid and solid waste along the at least a portion of the length of the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Francis Leany, Tyson J. Wilde, Boyd Black
  • Publication number: 20090211973
    Abstract: A method for operating a tapered flow pressure driven arrangement containing a plurality of membrane modules, which comprises positioning said membrane modules in at least two successively arranged flow stages, such that the number of membrane modules operating in parallel in a given flow stage is greater than their number in the consecutive flow stage, passing a feed stream through a flow stage to generate a permeate and a concentrate, directing said concentrate to the consecutive flow stage and passing said concentrate therethrough, while periodically replacing one or more of the membrane modules belonging to said consecutive flow stage with one or more membrane modules belonging to the previous flow stage, wherein the periodicity of said replacement is such that the surface of membranes disposed in said consecutive flow stage is exposed to super-saturation conditions associated with the passage of said concentrate for a period of time that is shorter than the time required for said concentrate to precipita
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: Jack L. Gilron
  • Patent number: 7578942
    Abstract: In wastewater treatment equipment, a surfactant is added to a micronanobubble reaction vessel 3 by using a surfactant pump 8 and a surfactant tank 9 which constitute a surfactant adding section. Thereby, a micronanobubble generator 4 stably and efficiently produces micronanobubbles in the treatment water as raw water containing the surfactant in the micronanobubble reaction vessel 3. Thus, the micronanobubbles make it possible to efficiently pretreat the wastewater introduced into the micronanobubble reaction vessel. Consequently, it becomes possible not only to enhance efficiency of wastewater treatment but also to reduce a treatment load on wastewater treatment equipment 14 in a step subsequent to the pretreatment. Thereby, scale of the wastewater treatment equipment 14 is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamasaki, Keichiro Uda, Kazumi Chuhjoh
  • Patent number: 7550084
    Abstract: A reverse osmosis liquid filtering assembly includes a reverse osmosis membrane for receiving intake liquid and creating permeate and concentrate liquid and a tank having a first chamber for storing the permeate and a second chamber for receiving the concentrate liquid, the first and second chambers being operatively connected so that the concentrate liquid in the second chamber pressurizes the permeate in the first chamber. The embodiment may further include means for directing the concentrate liquid into the second chamber, wherein the means selectively directs the concentrate liquid into the second chamber only when the faucet is open. To relieve backpressure, a connection between the second chamber and drain may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Watts Water Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig A. Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7550075
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing contaminants from a fluid are disclosed. The fluid is introduced into a decontamination chamber such that the fluid is cooled and contaminants fall out within the decontamination chamber, producing a purified fluid. The purified fluid is then retrieved and can be used in a supercritical processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald Thomas Bertram, Douglas Michael Scott
  • Publication number: 20090145823
    Abstract: A process for separating out and removing water present in liquid fuels, especially water from diesel oil, wherein the fuel is conveyed in a line system (3, 9, 13) which serves to supply an internal combustion engine by means of a fuel delivery pump (12), water is separated out at a filter arrangement (5) which has a collecting space (27) for collecting water which has been separated out and which is connected upstream of the suction side (11) of the fuel delivery pump (12), such that its sucking action counteracts an outflow of water from the collecting space (27), and wherein, depending on the collection of a given amount of water, the sucking action of the delivery pump (12) is negated and an outlet valve disposed at an outflow orifice (37) of the collecting space (27) for removing water is opened, is characterized in that the sucking action which counteracts the outflow of water is negated by a discharge means (43; 53), by means of which a pressure gradient which enables the discharge of water can be gene
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Viktor Lauer, Martin Hager
  • Publication number: 20090139928
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for biologically treating fluids, in particular municipal or industrial wastewater or the like, the apparatus comprising a pair of reservoirs each containing growth medium having a biofilm thereon, the apparatus being arranged to pump the wastewater from one reservoir to another such as to alternatively expose the biofilms within the reservoirs to air and wastewater, thus making it possible to achieve sequential aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic conditions in the biofilms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: National University of Ireland
    Inventors: Michael Rodgers, Jr., John Mulqueen, Jr., Rose C. Mulqueen, Jr., Edmond O'Reilly, Jr., Xinmin Zhan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7531098
    Abstract: A system for automatically processing blood components is described. The system includes a console, which contains all motors, pumps, sensors, valves and control circuitry, and a unique disposable set that includes a cassette supporting a centrifuge with an improved design, pump interfaces with an improved design, component and solution bags, and tubing. Various processes are implemented using a specific disposable set for each process which allows automatic identification of the process to be performed the console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Terumo Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas C. Robinson, Thomas P. Robinson, Richard D'Elia, Paul Eibe, Thomas Sahines
  • Patent number: 7517448
    Abstract: A cooling water recycling filter comprises a supersonic and electromagnetic wave limescale processor installed inside a main water recycling system of water storage tank and a sub water recycling system installed outside a main water recycling system. The sub water recycling system comprises a water quality control unit, a limescale processor unit, a limescale separation and filter unit and a high level oxidization and processing unit. An electric conductivity sensor, a PH value sensor, and an ORP oxidization and reduction potential meter of water quality control unit are used to measure the values of water quality. A limescale processor and impurities separator is used to filter impurities of the cooling water. After the cooling water is filtered precisely by the limescale separation and filter unit, the cooling water is sterilized by a copper and silver sterilizing and algae-killing unit of a sterilization unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Tony C. T. Chen
  • Publication number: 20090084733
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for treating iron-contaminated water (e.g., mine drainage) using an innovative treatment approach identified herein as the Activated Iron Solids (AIS) Process. The AIS process is capable of oxidizing and removing iron as iron oxides from iron-contaminated waters (such as, mining-related discharge, groundwater, surface water and industrial waste streams) producing a clean effluent. The AIS process is performed in a single or multiple tank system in which high concentrations of AIS are suspended through mechanical mixing to maintain a catalytic surface chemistry environment that increases iron removal thousands times faster than would naturally occur and hundreds times faster than existing arts (e.g., aerobic pond passive treatment). The AIS process can utilize inexpensive alkaline material (such as, pulverized limestone) where initial mine drainage alkalinity (mg/L as CaCO3) to ferrous iron (mg/L) ratio is less than approximately 1.7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventor: Jonathan M. Dietz
  • Publication number: 20090039000
    Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to devices and methods for controlling fluid flow in meso-scale fluidic components in a programmable manner. Specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for placing two microfluidic components in fluid communication at an arbitrary position and time, both of which are externally defined. The inventive apparatus uses electromagnetic radiation to perforate a material layer having selected adsorptive properties. The perforation of the material layer allows the fluid communication between microfluidic components allowing volumetric quantitation of fluids. Using the perforation of the material functionality such as metering and multiplexing are achieved on a microscale. This functionality is achieved through basic operations, like dosimeters filling, dosimeters purging, dosimeters extraction, dosimeters ventilation and channels routing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: SpinX, Inc.
    Inventors: Piero Zucchelli, Bart Van de Vyver
  • Publication number: 20080283460
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement and a device for filtering a fluid, particularly for plastic processing plants, wherein the pressure drop, or the flow rate reduction, created by the withdrawal of material from the process is sensitively balanced in that pressure constancy and flow rate constancy are achieved at the discharge duct (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: KREYENBORG VERWALTUNGEN UND BETELIGUNGEN GMBH & CO., KG
    Inventor: Stefan Woestmann
  • Publication number: 20080264873
    Abstract: A method for supercritical water oxidation comprises the steps of: causing a first process stream containing water and organic material to flow in a reaction chamber (11); adding a first flow of oxidant to the first process stream in stoichiometric shortage; reacting the organic material in the first process stream with the oxidant; adding a second process stream containing water and organic material to the reacted first process stream, the second process stream having a temperature which is lower than a temperature of the first process stream to thereby reduce a temperature in the reaction chamber; adding a second flow of oxidant to the process streams; and reacting organic material in the first and second process streams with the second flow of oxidant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2005
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventor: Anders Gidner
  • Publication number: 20080251449
    Abstract: A system for recycling drilling sludge is disclosed. The system has a treatment area and a salt-tolerant bio-reactor coupled to the treatment area. The bio-reactor has i) at least one bio-suspension element for supporting the growth of at least one type of biological microorganism within an enclosed flow zone; ii) an agitator for creating a flow of the drilling sludge through the enclosed flow zone at a flow rate; and iii) an aerator for providing a gas to the enclosed flow zone. The system also has a processor coupled to the agitator and configured to create at least a minimum self-cleaning drag force between drilling sludge passing through the enclosed flow zone and the combined at least one type of biological microorganism and the at least one bio-suspension element. A related method and bio-reactor are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: TVT US Corp.
    Inventors: Volker A. Hausin, Eddie L. Cheatham, David A. Wilson
  • Publication number: 20080197078
    Abstract: A high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) capillary column device, system and method for processing a HPLC sample with a cartridge housing a packed capillary column; at least one inlet connection to the capillary column for a sample fluid; and at least one outlet connection from the capillary column for the sample fluid. The outlet connection is able to accommodate either a spray tip for atomizing the sample fluid or a transport tube for transporting the sample fluid from a spray tip column to a spray tip. Inlet connections enable supply of electrical power to the capillary column through electrical connections disposed within the cartridge housing; and gas for evaporating the sample liquid is supplied to at least one outlet connection from the capillary column for the sample fluid through a gas supply line within the cartridge housing. The temperature of the sample liquid can be controlled through a heat connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Waters Investments Limited
    Inventors: Christopher C. Benevides, Robert Albert Collamati, Bruce J. Compton, Theodore Dourdeville
  • Patent number: 7410568
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating sludge, comprises a press for dewatering the sludge, a compaction device for receiving and compacting sludge dewatered by the press, a shredder for receiving and shredding sludge compacted by the compaction device, and a tube conveyor for conveying shredded sludge from the shredder. The press is controlled to vary the flow rate of the sludge in response to at least one sensed operational parameter of the press, such as the momentary power for operating the press, pressure in the sludge in the press, sludge concentration in the press, sludge feed flow to the press or separated water flow from the press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Nordic Water Products AB
    Inventor: Jesper Christopherson
  • Patent number: 7396452
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an inlet to convey a first fluid comprising first and second components having different density into a rotating chamber such that an interface forms between at least portions of such components at a first location. At least one outlet removes at least one of the first and second components. A controller is adapted to introduce the first fluid and is operable to move the interface from the first location to a second location and to move the interface from the second location in a direction toward the first location and to return the interface to the second location. The controller is operable to determine a flow rate of the first or second component based, at least in part, on the time interval between when the interface moves from and returns to the second location. At least one sensing assembly is adapted to sense the location of the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Fenwal, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyungyoon Min, Richard I. Brown
  • Publication number: 20080142420
    Abstract: An adsorption apparatus and method of adsorption for treatment of wastewater is disclosed, and comprises an inlet for the wastewater connected to a metals trap which adsorbs metals and a second trap which filters organic materials from the wastewater, positioned between the inlet and the metals trap, wherein the second trap at least partially comprises either a phosphate or an activated carbon. The metals trap can be, for example, fish bone char. A method of manufacturing fish bone char is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventor: Geary G. Parke
  • Publication number: 20080116133
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for mixing a liquefied hydrocarbon gas extracting a flow of hydrocarbon containing water. The method involves; a) introducing the liquefied hydrocarbon gas extracting into the water to provide water having entrained droplets of the extract and/or the hydrocarbon; b) subjecting the water to a first pressure drop to fragment the entrained droplets c) optionally, mixing the water and the liquefied hydrocarbon gas to promote distribution of the liquefied hydrocarbon gas in the water; and d) subsequently subjecting the water having entrained droplets to a second pressure drop, to coalesce the entrained droplets. The invention also provides a method for extracting contaminants involving the mixing method and apparatus suitable for carrying out the methods of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: Inge Brun Henriksen
  • Patent number: 7364653
    Abstract: A filtration system comprising a plurality of filters (14, 16, 18, 20). Each filter (14, 16, 18, 20) defines a respective filter flowpath extending adjacent a respective filtration medium (24) for tangential filtration by the filtration medium (24) of fluid passing through the filter flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Pall Corporation
    Inventor: John Slegers
  • Patent number: 7320749
    Abstract: A system and method for control of a gas and/or chemical for treatment of a fluid, and for monitoring the operation of such a system. In one embodiment, the system comprises a reactor for receipt of the fluid and the gas and/or chemical for dissolving, mixing, diffusing, or infusing the gas and/or chemical into the fluid, and a controller to control the flow of the fluid and the gas and/or chemical into the reactor, and to monitor the operation of the system in accordance with predetermined operating conditions. In another embodiment, the system also comprises a gas/chemical generation system for generation of the gas and/or chemical to be introduced into the reactor. The present invention permits for the control of the system based on numerous dynamic conditions to optimize operation and to minimize safety hazards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Eco-Oxygen Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Richard E. Speece, David A. Clidence
  • Patent number: 7314554
    Abstract: The invention relates to an extracorporeal blood treatment machine in which a blood circuit (3) is equipped with an inlet line leading to a filtration unit (2) and with an outlet line (3b) from the filtration unit; a fluid circuit comprises an inlet line (4a) leading to the filtration unit and an outlet line (4b) from the filtration unit so as to allow a fluid taken from a primary container (5) to circulate within the filtration unit, thus enabling the treatment of the patient's blood. There is further an infusion line (6) acting on the outlet line of the blood circuit, which is supplied by an auxiliary fluid container (7). The inlet line of the fluid circuit is equipped with at least an infusion branch (8) acting on the outlet line of the blood circuit so as to enable the intensive therapy machine to manage therapies with large exchange of fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Annalisa Delnevo, Francesco Ribolzi, Claudio Tonelli, Vincenzo Baraldi, Massimo Zaccarelli, Jacques Chevallet, Jacques Duchamp, Aziz Aberkane, Gabriel Meyssonnier, Dominique Pouchoulin
  • Publication number: 20070295651
    Abstract: A disposable mass transfer system includes a source of dialysis fluid, a waste fluid reservoir, at least one semi-permeable tubular membrane residing in at least one fluid flow channel carrying a flow of a dialysis fluid, and a configurable pump and tubing. The pump and tubing may be configured to pump fresh dialysis fluid into the fluid flow channel, or may be configured to re-circulate partially spent dialysis fluid through the fluid flow channel. The fluid flow channel may be the interior of a flexible sealed reservoir, or may be a semi-rigid or rigid tubular enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: F. Jesus Martinez, Virginia Thanh Ta
  • Patent number: 7306736
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for preventing retrograde flow of fluid, e.g., blood products, into a source of sterile substitution fluid (50). The apparatus of the present invention includes a controllable pinch valve member (110) that is placed on a section of a conduit (90) which carries sterile substitution fluid to an extracorporeal circuit (30). In one embodiment, control over the valve member (110) is based on a control unit (120) using fluid pressures that are sensed upstream and downstream of the valve member (110) by upstream sensor (121) and downstream pressure (122) respectively. The valve member (110) is preferably opened only when the upstream pressure is greater than the downstream pressure. This assures that the substitution fluid flows only in a single direction when the pinch valve member (110) completely occludes the conduit (90) when in a closed position. Therefor, blood will not contaminate the sterile fluid by being drawn into the conduit (90) due to pressure differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R Collins, James Summerton, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 7291269
    Abstract: A device and method for an extracorporeal blood treatment is described. The device comprising at least one exchanger equipped with at least one first inlet for the blood to be treated, a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet, an input line for blood to be treated connected to the first inlet of the exchanger, a blood output line (or venous line) connected to the first outlet of the exchanger, at least one treatment unit comprising at least one first fluid inlet and at least one first fluid outlet, the second outlet of the exchanger being in fluid communication with the first inlet of the treatment unit, where the first outlet from the treatment unit is in fluid communication with the input line and the second outlet of the treatment unit is in fluid communication with a first waste liquid discharge line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Gambro Lundia AB
    Inventors: Jacques Chevallet, Guy Mercier, Hiram Rada, Mehran Monchi
  • Patent number: 7189325
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and a device for desalting water by reverse osmosis, particularly for desalting seawater, in which saltwater is introduced under a first pressure into a pressure-compensation device and conducted from pressure-compensation device at a second, higher pressure into a membrane module, wherein desalted water and concentrated saltwater are conducted out of membrane module, wherein the concentrated saltwater conducted out of membrane module is continuously introduced at roughly second pressure into pressure-compensation device and used there to apply roughly second pressure to saltwater introduced into pressure-compensation device and to introduce saltwater into membrane module, and wherein the introduction of concentrated saltwater into pressure-compensation device and the conduction of concentrated saltwater out of pressure-compensation device are accomplished by means of controlled main valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Patent number: 7186231
    Abstract: An object is to provide a blood component collection system capable of collecting a desired blood component of high quality. A blood component collection system 1 comprises a centrifugal separator 20 centrifuging blood into a plurality of components, first line 21 for feeding the blood to the centrifugal separator 20, a second line 22 for releasing the blood component from the centrifugal separator 20, a temporary reservoir bag 26? for temporarily reserving the platelet concentrate, a leukoreduction filter 261 for separating and reducing leukocyte from the platelet concentrate, and a platelet collection bag 26 for reserving the platelet concentrate having passed through the leukoreduction filter 261.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiki Takagi, Shigeyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 7172688
    Abstract: A system to collect by vacuum conveyance, separate, and discharge two mixed immiscible liquids with different specific gravities comprising a prefilter vessel 200, a vacuum tank 100, an optional heavy phase intermediate separation stage 40, and an optional light phase intermediate separation stage 30. Vacuum tank 100 is under a constant regulated vacuum, which sucks mixed immiscible liquids with different specific gravities from their respective remote source(s) through conduit(s) connected to vacuum tank 100. Collection conduits can have manually, mechanically, or electro-mechanically controlled valves at their source ends. Any grit, sediment, particles, and/or floatable debris in the collection conduits is first removed, and then any entrained air in the mixed liquid stream is removed, from the mixed liquid stream prior to undergoing any phase separation stages. Initial phase separation occurs automatically in vacuum tank 100 without any phase interface detection devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Inventor: Robert N. Petersen
  • Patent number: 7160441
    Abstract: The apparatus and methods of the present invention enable efficient and appropriate treatment of Urban Water Runoff, so that the treated Urban water Runoff can be can be introduced into public waterways without contaminating such waterways. The system apparatus utilizes adsorptive Organoclay media, mechanical filtration and ultraviolet sterilization. The methods and apparatus of the present invention remove contaminants from Urban Water Runoff to a level which enable the resulting effluent to meet appropriate standards for introducing the treated Urban water Runoff in to public waterways. The method and apparatus of water treatment of the present invention does not utilize chlorine containing compounds which, when combined with organic compounds can produce THM's that can become problematic when re-introduced to the downstream environment. The systems of the present invention can be made sufficiently compact so as to enable their use in remote locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Clear Creek Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Timothy Gannon, Joseph Charles Gannon
  • Patent number: 7122115
    Abstract: A method and system flows water through a water system in proximity to an ion generation device and to a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that combines photochemistry principles, heavy metal toxicity, and UV light radiation to form a highly effective combined water disinfection process. Using ion generation and UV irradiation, the method and system synergistically improves the disinfection and bactericidal effects of ion generation or UV radiation working individually by making ion-exposed microorganisms more susceptible and less resistant to the bactericidal effects of UV radiation. The combined method and system of the present invention may include control means such that the method and system can be configured for single pass through, dual pass through or for recirculation such that the order of exposure to the ion generation and UV radiation aspects can be varied or altered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventors: William Holt, John V Kraft
  • Patent number: 7122149
    Abstract: A fluid processor, suitable for the production of sterile water for injection, having a processor assembly and a process control system comprising a pump, a flow splitter, flow restrictors and a pressure relief valve. In a preferred embodiment, the processor assembly comprises a heat exchanger, a reactor and a heater arranged in a nested configuration. The preferred embodiment of the present invention also include a treatment assembly having a combination of filter, reverse osmosis and ion exchange devices and further incorporates an assembly and method allowing for the in situ sanitization of the fluid processor during cold start and shutdown to prevent bacteria growth during storage of the fluid processor. The fluid processor may include an electronic control system comprising a touch screen operator interface, a programmable logic controller and sensors for measuring temperature, pressure, flow rate, conductivity and endotoxin level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Research Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiong Li, Timothy J. Campbell, Robert K. Nichols, Jr., Kristopher S. Cozart
  • Patent number: 7067061
    Abstract: A method for preparing a medical liquid from a liquid, such as water, and two concentrated solutions comprises the following steps: circulating the liquid in a conduit (15), at a flowrate Q0; injecting into the conduit (15), at a flowrate Q1, a first concentrated solution containing a first ionic substance A and a second ionic substance B, the ionic substances A and B having, respectively, in the first concentrated solution, a concentration [Asol] and a first concentration [B1sol]; injecting into the conduit (15), at a flowrate Q2, a second concentrated solution containing the first ionic substance A and the second ionic substance B, the first ionic substance A having, in the second concentrated solution, the same concentration [Asol] as in the first concentrated solution, and the second ionic substance B having, in the second concentrated solution, a second concentration [B2sol] different than the first concentration [B1sol] in the first concentrated solution; regulating the injection flowrate Q1 and the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Gambro Hospal (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Antonio Bosetto, Francesco Paolini
  • Patent number: 6977041
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing deionized water is provided. Water is supplied to a first conduit. A plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels are connected to the first conduit. A filtering experimental vessel is connected to the first conduit, the filtering experimental vessel is separated from the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels. A second conduit is connected to the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel for outputting the deionized water. A third conduit is connected to the plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel for outputting concentrated ion water. The plurality of reverse osmotic pressure vessels and the filtering experimental vessel concurrently or independently separates the supplying water into the deionized water and the concentrated ion water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sun-pil Kim, Seung-geol Choi
  • Patent number: 6966979
    Abstract: An infusion control device controls infusion of a liquid in an extracorporeal blood circuit having an arterial pipe connected to an inlet of a blood compartment of a filter and a venous pipe connected to an outlet of the blood compartment. The arterial pipe is also connected to a pre-dilution pipe of an infusion circuit, and the venous pipe is also connected to a post-dilution pipe of said infusion circuit. The infusion control device regulates and distributes an infusion flow rate in the arterial and venous pipes based on a monitoring of quantities that are directly correlated with the operating conditions of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Gambro Hospal (Schweiz) AG
    Inventor: Renato Pedrazzi
  • Patent number: 6951614
    Abstract: A method for filtering liquids, especially drinks, is by a filtering device having at least two filter lines. Each filter line has at least one filter unit with at least one preliminary filter and one terminal filter which can be connected to or disconnected from the respective filter line independently of each other and which can also be independently regenerated. The pressure differential of at least one filter unit on each filter line is measured. Once a predefinable threshold value is reached for the pressure differential, the volume flow entering the device is reduced. The associated filter unit is disconnected from the filter line. The reduced volume flow to be filtered is handled by the corresponding filter unit in the other filter line which is fluidically connected to the filter line between the respective preliminary filter and the respective terminal filter. The disconnected filter unit is regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: E. Begerow GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Elke Brett, Carsten Heinemeyer, Ralf Tesch
  • Patent number: 6939471
    Abstract: A method for determining a treatment parameter on a haemofiltration device, as well as a haemofiltration device for applying the method, based on the recognition that a determination method known from haemodialysis can, with little modification, be transferred to haemofiltration. To this effect a physical-chemical characteristic of the substitution fluid and of the fluid which is removed from the haemofilter by way of an ultrafiltrate outlet pipe, is determined. Furthermore, this characteristic is acquired before, after or during a change of this characteristic in the substitution fluid, and is evaluated. As a result, the ion dialysance and thus the urea clearance of a haemofiltration device, which can also be operated as a haemodiafiltration device, can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Malte Gross, Andreas Maierhofer
  • Patent number: 6921476
    Abstract: A UV-assisted advanced-ozonation water treatment system comprises a water treating tank 1, an ozonic water tank 2, an ozonized gas generator 3, and a UV light source 4 disposed in the water treating tank 1 and having a UV-radiating surface 4a, and an ozonic water jetting device including jetting nozzles 5 for jetting the ozonic water onto the UV-radiating surface of the UV light source. An ozonized gas diffusing device 12 is placed in the ozonic water tank 2. An ozonized gas generated by the ozonized gas generator 3 and compressed by a compressor 13 at a pressure in the range of about 2 to about 3 kg/cm2 is diffused into the ozonic water tank 2 by the ozonized gas diffusing device 12. A high-pressure, a high-ozone-concentration ozonic water produced in the ozonized water tank 2 is jetted through the jetting nozzles 5 onto the UV-radiating surface 4a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Norimitsu Abe, Setsuo Suzuki, Seiichi Murayama, Kotaro Iyasu, Kie Kubo, Kenji Taguchi
  • Patent number: 6916424
    Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for a hemodiafiltration delivery module that is used in conjunction with a UF controlled dialysis machine to enable hemodiafiltration therapy to be performed. The advantage is that one can fully utilize a current functioning dialysis machine to perform a hemodiafiltration therapy as opposed to purchasing a completely new machine that offers this capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Nephros, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R Collins, James Summerton, Edward Spence
  • Patent number: 6881344
    Abstract: A method of setting up a dialysis treatment in a dialysis machine (1) provided with a device (6) for setting up the dialysis treatment, possessing a microprocessor (11), a data input (12, 13) and a screen (13), comprises the steps of: supplying a group of functions (U(t, P); C(t, P)) of a quantity (U; C) that is characteristic of the dialysis treatment as a function of time (t) and of a parameter (P) correlated with intermediate values (U1, C1) of each function (U(t; P); C(t; P)) of the group; selecting a subset of the group of functions (U(t, P); C(t; P)) imposing boundary conditions (U0, TWL, DT; C0, Cf, DT; C0, CS, DT) that are characteristic of a particular therapy; assigning values to the parameter (P) and displaying the curves corresponding to the functions (U(t, P); C(t, P)) of the subset and to the respective values assigned to parameter (P); and selecting one of the functions ((U(t, P); C(t, P)) of the subset on the basis of the images of the curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Gambro Dasco S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Vasta, Fabio Govoni
  • Patent number: 6878273
    Abstract: A dialyzing apparatus includes a dialyzer which removes water from blood of a patient at a pre-set water-remove rate, an autonomic-nerve-activity-related-information obtaining device which obtains autonomic-nerve-activity-related information that is related to an activity of an autonomic nerve of the patient, and a water-remove-rate display device which displays a target water-remove rate based on the autonomic-nerve-activity-related information obtained by the autonomic-nerve-activity related-information obtaining device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Colin Corporation
    Inventor: Keizoh Kawaguchi