US 11,730,868 B2
Dialysis system having an autoconnection mechanism
Robert W. Childers, Trinity, FL (US); Patrick Lee, Long Grove, IL (US); Andrey Kopychev, Clearwater, FL (US); Douglas Reitz, Green Oaks, IL (US); Rodolfo Roger, Clearwater, FL (US); and John E. Steck, Round Lake, IL (US)
Assigned to Baxter International Inc., Deerfield, IL (US); and Baxter Healthcare SA, Glattpark (CH)
Filed by Baxter International Inc., Deerfield, IL (US); and Baxter Healthcare S.A., Glattpark (CH)
Filed on Apr. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/399,359.
Application 16/399,359 is a continuation of application No. 15/002,535, filed on Jan. 21, 2016, granted, now 10,293,091.
Application 15/002,535 is a continuation of application No. 13/493,743, filed on Jun. 11, 2012, granted, now 9,242,034, issued on Jan. 26, 2016.
Application 13/493,743 is a continuation of application No. 11/773,522, filed on Jul. 5, 2007, granted, now 8,496,609, issued on Jul. 30, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2019/0255238 A1, Aug. 22, 2019
Int. Cl. A61M 1/14 (2006.01); A61M 1/16 (2006.01); A61M 39/16 (2006.01); A61M 39/10 (2006.01); A61M 5/162 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/14 (2013.01) [A61M 1/1601 (2014.02); A61M 1/1621 (2014.02); A61M 5/162 (2013.01); A61M 5/1626 (2013.01); A61M 39/165 (2013.01); A61M 2039/1027 (2013.01); A61M 2205/12 (2013.01); A61M 2205/128 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49826 (2015.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dialysis system comprising:
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 having a sharp piercing tip;
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 housing, causing the tubing connector to contact the spike of the at least one port, and spiking the tubing connector to access the fluid supply, wherein the autoconnection device includes at least one pneumatically actuated device in mechanical communication with the shuttle, wherein the spike is configured and arranged to cause a connection between at least one sterilized portion of the spike and a plurality of stepped portions of the tubing connector before spiking the tubing connector, wherein the plurality of stepped portions includes a middle portion having a smaller inner diameter relative to other stepped portions of the tubing connector; and
a controller programmed to operate the at least one pneumatically actuated device 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.