The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 06, 1999
Kevin R Arnal, Chanhassen, MN (US);
Robert G Andrus, Plymouth, MN (US);
David A Luhring, Savage, MN (US);
Jeffrey C Toy, Plymouth, MN (US);
Minntech Corporation, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A dialyzer precleaning system for coupling a source of fluid to a used dialyzer. The precleaning system includes a precleaner header that includes a housing with a needle receiving channel and a connected waste discharge channel, a needle with a plurality of fluid discharge perforations is received within the needle assembly receiving channel, and a coupling arm for attaching the precleaner header to a dialyzer header cap. The needle protrudes into the dialyzer header so that fluid may be discharged through the inside of the needle out the fluid discharge perforations into the dialyzer header. Waste fluid from the dialyzer header is discharged back into the needle assembly receiving channel along the outside the needle into a fluidly connected waste discharge channel and out a waste discharge outlet. The needle may also rotate and retract. The invention also includes a method of precleaning a used dialyzer including providing a precleaner header coupled to a dialyzer header cap, discharging a pulsating stream into the dialyzer header, forming a waste stream, and draining the waste stream from the dialyzer header through the precleaner header. The method may also include reverse flushing the dialyzer, reverse flushing the dialyzer while introducing a pulsating stream into the dialyzer header, flushing the dialyzer using a cross flow arrangement, and flushing the dialyzer from the arterial dialyzer header cap to the venous dialyzer header cap. The invention may also include a base unit that automates the transfer of fluids and waste.