Analogue fluid flow programming structures

Claim 2

For use in the processing of fluids, at least a pair of flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a predetermined pattern defining between said sheets fluid passages and pockets situated inwardly of and spaced from the peripheries of said sheets and forming predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for the fluid which is to be processed and for containing necessary active principles of the processing, said sheets having inlet and discharge connecting portions to be connected with fluid supply and discharge lines, respectively.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and wherein the pattern of sealing of said sheets to each other defines also valve and pumping mechanisms adapted for pumping fluid along said passages and into and out of said reservoirs.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said sheets are transparent so that fluid between the sheets is visible and can have characteristics thereof detected by light-signal systems.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said sheets include a mounting portion for adapting the sheets to be mounted on an apparatus which coacts with the sheets.

Claim 6

In an apparatus for processing fluids, a permanent installation and a disposable component to be used therewith, said permanent installation including a control wall having a front surface formed with recesses and grooves according to a predetermined pattern and an access wall with similar recesses and grooves located adjacent said front surface of said control wall for holding a disposable component in engagement with said front surface of said control wall, said disposable component including flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a pattern providing passages and pockets which are situated inwardly of and Spaced from the peripheries of said plastic sheets and which respectively register with said grooves and recesses, said passages and pockets providing predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for fluid to be processed, and for containing necessary active principles, and said permanent installation including at said control wall thereof control means communicating with or coacting with said passages and recesses for controlling the flow of fluid in the passages and pockets of the disposable component.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for processing fluids, a permanent installation and a disposable component to be used therewith, said permanent installation including a control wall having a front surface formed with recesses and grooves according to a predetermined pattern and an access wall with similar recesses and grooves located adjacent said front surface of said control wall for holding a disposable component in engagement with said front surface of said control wall, said disposable component including flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a pattern providing passages and pockets which are situated inwardly of and Spaced from the peripheries of said plastic sheets and which respectively register with said grooves and recesses, said passages and pockets providing predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for fluid to be processed, and for containing necessary active principles, and said permanent installation including at said control wall thereof control means communicating with or coacting with said passages and recesses for controlling the flow of fluid in the passages and pockets of the disposable component.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 5 and wherein the control means carried by said control wall includes valve plungers for pressing the sheets of said disposable component together at the passage defined therebetween and for releasing the sheets from each other at the passages so as to close and open, respectively, predetermined fluid passages defined between the sheets.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said sheets are transparent, and said control means including light-responsive devices responding to the passage of light through said sheets for receiving signals indicative of the characteristics of the fluids, said front wall being transparent so that light can pass through the sheets to provide visibility of the ongoing processes.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said sheets of said disposable unit include inlet and outlet connections.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 5 and wherein a mounting means forms part of said permanent installation and coacts with said disposable component for mounting the latter removably on the permanent installation.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said disposable component includes sheets, the area of which is greater than that of said rear wall, said sheets having portions extending beyond said walls of said permanent installation and defining additional pockets and passages for the processed fluid.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said permanent installation and disposable component form a hemodialysis and analytic monitoring system, said pockets and passages forming a flow path for blood and a flow path for dialysate, and all structures and participant materials necessary for the procedure.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said control wall carries pumping means communicating with said recesses, said sheets defining between themselves pumping chambers communicating with the latter recess, said pumping means coacting with the disposable component at said pumping chamber thereof for pumping fluid therethrough.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said sheets form portions of active controls and pumping mechanisms by interactions such as transfer of heat, or pressure relationships between fluid in adjacent layer flow paths, or via volumetric sizing of the flow paths and reservoirs.

Claim 16

For use in the processing of fluids, at least a pair of flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a predetermined pattern defining between said sheets fluid passages and pockets situated inwardly of and spaced from the peripheries of said sheets and forming predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for the fluid which is to be processed and for containing necessary active principles of the processing, said sheets having inlet and discharge connecting portions to be connected with fluid supply and discharge lines, respectively, said sheets defining non-parallel intersections of control paths with procedural paths functioning as valves by the action of higher pressure in the control paths to occlude the flow path lumen.

Claim 17

For use in the processing of fluids, at least a pair of flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a predetermined pattern defining between said sheets fluid passages and pockets situated inwardly of and spaced from the peripheries of said sheets and forming predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for the fluid which is to be processed and for containing necessary active principles of the processing, said sheets having inlet and discharge connecting portions to be connected with fluid supply and discharge lines, respectively, said sheets defining non-parallel intersections of control paths with procedural paths functioning as valves by the action of higher pressure in the control paths to occlude the flow path lumen.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 14 and wherein said sheets have series of pressure activated intersections to function as pumping mechanism.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 13 and wherein said sheets have proportional resistances within the flow patterns to proportion the volumes of fluids passing through them.

Claim 20

For use in the processing of fluids, at least a pair of flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a predeterMined pattern defining between said sheets fluid passages and pockets situated inwardly of and spaced from the peripheries of said sheets and forming predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for the fluid which is to be processed and for containing necessary active principles of the processing, said sheets having inlet and discharge connecting portions to be connected with fluid supply and discharge lines, respectively, said sheets defining intersecting control paths with procedural paths functioning as pressure sensors in procedural path to proportionally alter resistance characteristics of control path circuits operating in conjunction with fluidic logic circuits or other pressure or flow sensing mechanisms to react to significant changes in the procedural flow paths functions.

Claim 21

For use in the processing of fluids, at least a pair of flexible plastic sheets sealed to each other according to a predeterMined pattern defining between said sheets fluid passages and pockets situated inwardly of and spaced from the peripheries of said sheets and forming predetermined flow paths and reservoirs, respectively, for the fluid which is to be processed and for containing necessary active principles of the processing, said sheets having inlet and discharge connecting portions to be connected with fluid supply and discharge lines, respectively, said sheets defining intersecting control paths with procedural paths functioning as pressure sensors in procedural path to proportionally alter resistance characteristics of control path circuits operating in conjunction with fluidic logic circuits or other pressure or flow sensing mechanisms to react to significant changes in the procedural flow paths functions.