Fenwal, Inc.

Mark Joseph Brierton

Christopher J Wegener

Kyungyoon Min

Benjamin E Kusters

Richard I Brown

James Madsen

Daniel R Boggs

William Henry Cork, Iii

Tom Westberg

Richard L West

Bret M Olson

Sean Ford

Marc N Weasler

Robert A Brown

Timothy Getschman

Carolyn Kos

Laurent Forcioli

Michael Platt

James Knapp

M Bret Olson

Timothy Getschmann

Christopher J Wagener

A prismatic reflector is provided for incorporation into a centrifugal separation chamber. The prismatic reflector is formed of a light-transmissive material and includes inner and outer walls and first and second end walls. The inner wall is configured to receive light traveling along an initial path and transmit the light to the first end wall, with the first end wall receiving the light transmitted through the inner wall and directing the light toward the second end wall in a direction that is angled with respect to the initial path. The second end wall receives the light from the first end wall and transmits the light out of the prismatic reflector. The initial path of the light may be in a direction toward a rotational axis of the centrifugal separation chamber, with the prismatic reflector redirecting the light into a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis.

Prismatic reflector for centrifugal separation chamber

A system and method for automatically opening a heat bonded connection site between two conjoined tubing segments of a medical fluid path is provided. A pair of rollers is utilized to draw the connection site of the conjoined tubing segments between the rollers to compress the connection site with sufficient force to open the connection site. A guide in the form of an elongated groove is provided in a support surface of the system that properly aligns the seal line axis of the conjoined tubing segments relative to the rollers.

System and method for the automated opening of a sterile tubing weld

A sterile connection device includes first and second carriages. The first carriage defines a first portion of a proximal slot and a first portion of a distal slot, while the second carriage defines second portions of the proximal and distal slots. A controller executes a sterile connection procedure in which a solid cutting blade is heated, followed by the heated blade being moved to a cutting position to cut sealed proximal and distal tubes received by the slots. The second carriage moves proximally or distally with respect to the first carriage so as to align the cut ends of the tubes. The heated blade then moves out of the cutting position, followed by the first carriage moving toward the second carriage so as to press the cut ends of the tubes into contact with each other so as to sterilely connect the cut ends and define a joined tube.

Sterile connection of tubing

A fluid processing system includes a disposable fluid circuit and reusable hardware configured to accept the disposable fluid circuit. The disposable fluid circuit includes a spinning membrane separator, first and second syringes, and a flow control cassette. The reusable hardware includes a spinning membrane separator drive coupled to the spinning membrane separator, first and second syringe pumps coupled to the first and second syringes respectively, a control cassette interface coupled to the flow control cassette, and at least one controller coupled to the spinning membrane separator drive, the first and second syringe pumps, and the control cassette interface. The controller is configured to selectively operate the drive, the first and second syringe pumps, and the interface to provide a procedure according to a protocol.

Small volume processing systems and methods

Systems and methods are provided for separating blood into two or more components. A blood separation system includes a blood separation device and a fluid flow circuit configured to be mounted to the blood separation device. The blood separation device includes a centrifugal separator and a spinning membrane separator drive unit incorporated into a common case, which allows for fluid separation by two different methods. Depending on the separation procedure to be carried out, the fluid flow circuit paired with the blood separation device may include only one separation chamber configured to be mounted to the centrifugal separator or spinning membrane separator drive unit or two separation chambers, with one being mounted to the centrifugal separator and the other to the spinning membrane separator drive unit. The system may be used to separate and collect any combination of red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.

Blood separation systems and methods employing centrifugal and spinning membrane separation techniques

A fluid flow circuit assembly for a fluid processing device, comprising a housing having a plurality of openings, a separator disposed at least partially within the housing, and a plurality of flow paths communicating between an interior and an exterior of the housing via the plurality of openings, wherein the separator is disposed substantially at the center of the plurality of flow paths.

Fluid processing and circuit array, system and apparatus

A sterile tube connector for a fluid circuit system comprising a housing. A first opening is configured to receive a first length of tubing in communication with a first chamber. A second opening is configured for communicating with the first chamber when the tube connector is in an open configuration but not in a closed configuration. The second opening is configured to reversibly engage a third opening to form a second chamber. The third opening is configured for communicating with a second length of tubing. A first portion of the housing forming the first opening comprises a material at least partially permeable to a sterilization energy source for sterilizing contents of the second chamber.

System and method of sterilely connecting fluid pathways

A disposable fluid pump is provided with a housing including first and second faces, with a sidewall extending between the first and second faces. The housing defines a chamber, with an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. An impeller is rotatably mounted within the chamber and includes a plurality of flexible vanes. Such a pump may be incorporated into a disposable fluid flow circuit that is adapted to be mounted on a durable hardware for processing a fluid. In such a fluid flow circuit, the fluid pump may be integrated into a cassette of the circuit or, alternatively, the inlet and outlet of the fluid pump may be directly connected to fluid flow conduits of the circuit.

Flexible impeller pumps and disposable fluid flow circuits incorporating such pumps

A system is provided for pumping fluid, with the system including a fluid pump and a cassette. The pump includes a motor and a piston that is movable toward and away from a flexible diaphragm of the cassette. A linkage connects the motor and the piston to move the piston toward and away from the diaphragm. At least a portion of the piston or the diaphragm is magnetized, with the other having at least a portion that is magnetized or formed of a ferromagnetic material, thereby magnetically coupling the piston and the diaphragm such that movement of the piston moves the diaphragm into and out of a cassette cavity aligned with the diaphragm and piston. Movement of the diaphragm into and out of the cavity changes the effective volume of the cavity, which has the effect of drawing fluid into or forcing fluid out of the cavity.

Magnet-based systems and methods for transferring fluid

Fluid flow conduits and apparatus and methods for joining the conduits, preferably in a sterile manner, are disclosed. Each conduit has a polymeric open end that is sealed by a sealing member that may include a heating element. The polymeric end material is melted, the sealing members are moved to expose the melted open ends of the conduits and the ends are brought together to form a fused or welded connection between the conduits.

Fluid flow conduits and apparatus and methods for making and joining fluid conduits

The present disclosure relates generally to systems for processing a unit of whole blood into its components while the unit is still in the centrifuge. The system comprises a container holding whole blood and one or more satellite bags or containers that are installed into a holder, which is then inserted into a bucket of the centrifuge. Tubes interconnect the containers, one or more of which are preferably installed into clamping mechanisms resident in the holder. The holder further preferably includes sensing means, such as optical sensors, to sense the location of the interfaces between the separated layers of the whole blood that result from rotation of the centrifuge.

Blood bag systems for separation of whole blood and methods of use thereof

A membrane separation device is disclosed along with systems and methods employing the device in blood processing procedures. In one embodiment, a spinning membrane separator is provided in which at least two zones or regions are created in the gap between the membrane and the shell, such that mixing of the fluid between the two regions is inhibited by a radial rib associated with the membrane that decreases the gap between the membrane and the shell to define two fluid regions, the ridge isolating the fluid in the two regions to minimize mixing between the two. Automated systems and methods are disclosed for separating a unit of previously collected whole blood into components, such as concentrated red cells and plasma, for collecting red cells and plasma directly from a donor in a single pass, and for cell washing. Data management systems and methods and priming methods are also disclosed.

Membrane separation devices, systems and methods employing same and data management systems and methods

A membrane separation device for use in blood processing procedures is disclosed. In one embodiment, a spinning membrane separator is provided in which at least two zones or regions are created in the gap between the spinning membrane and the shell, such that mixing of the fluid between the two regions is inhibited by a radial rib or ridge associated with the spinning membrane that decreases the gap between the spinning membrane and the shell to define two fluid regions, the ridge isolating the fluid in the two regions to minimize mixing between the two. Automated systems and methods are disclosed for separating a unit of previously collected whole blood into selected blood components, such as concentrated red cells and plasma, for collecting red cells and plasma directly from a donor in a single pass, and for cell washing. Data management systems and methods and priming methods are also disclosed.

Fluid flow conduits () and apparatus () and methods for joining the conduits (), preferably in a sterile manner, are disclosed. Each conduit () has a polymeric open end that is sealed by a sealing member () that may include a heating element (). The polymeric end material is melted, the sealing members () are moved to expose the melted open ends of the conduits () and the ends are brought together to form a fused or welded connection () between the conduits ().

A flow controller includes a housing having central portion and finger-gripping portions on either side of the central portion. The housing defines an interior flow path and includes a breakable member at least partially positioned within the interior flow path of the housing to prevent the passage of fluid through the flow path. The breakable member includes a stem integrally molded to a tubular member. The finger-gripping portions and the central portion define an outermost surface and the outermost surface of the finger gripping portions extends radially outwardly of the outermost surface of the central portion. The central portion includes a wall having a selected thickness.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, IL, United States of America

Mark Joseph Brierton