Artificial kidney dialysate preparation system

Claim 2

A dialysis system for treating a first fluid with dialysis fluid, the dialysis fluid being a mixture of water and dialysis concentrate, said system comprising: a dialyzer; a source of water; a source of dialysis concentrate; first fluid conducting means communicating with said source of water; second fluid conducting means communicating with said source of dialysis concentrate; a single pump in fluid communication with said first and second fluid conducting means for drawing water from said source of water through said first fluid conducting means, for drawing dialysis concentrate from said source of dialysis concentrate through said second fluid conducting means, and for mixing water and said dialysis concentrate prior to its introduction into said dialyzer; third fluid conducting means for conducting said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate from said single pump to and through said dialyzer; gas removal means in said third fluid conducting means for removing gas bubbles from said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate; and throttling means interposed in said first conducting means; said throttling means, said single pump and said gas removal means cooperating with one another to deaerate said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate.

Claim 3

The dialysis system of claim 1 further including fourth fluid conducting means communicating with each of said first and second fluid conducting means and with said single pump for conducting said water and dialysis concentrate to said single pump, pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure in said fourth fluid conducting means, and pressure control means responsive to the pressure measured by said pressure measuring means for controlling said single pump.

Claim 4

The dialysis system of claim 2 further including proportioning means for controlling the portions of water and dialysis concentrate drawn through said first and second fluid conducting means.

Claim 5

The dialysis system of claim 3 wherein said proportioning means comprises detection means associated with said third fluid conducting means for detecting the proportions of dialysis concentrate in said third fluid conducting means, and concentration control means associated with said second fluid conducting means for controlling the amount of dialysis concentrate drawn through said second fluid conducting means, said concentration control means being responsive to the proportion of dialysis concentrate detected by said detection means in said third fluid conducting means.

Claim 6

The dialysis system of claim 4 wherein said concentration control means comprises a variable throttle valve interposed in said second fluid conducting means and a controller for controlling the variation in opening of said variable throttle valve in response to the proportion of dialysis concentrate detected by said detection means.

Claim 7

The dialysis system of claim 5 wherein said detection means comprises a conductivity meter for measuring the conductivity of the mixture of water and dialysis concentrate in said third fluid conducting means.

Claim 8

The dialysis system of claim 1 further including a second pump interposed in said third fluid conducting means at a position downstream of said dialyzer for drawing the mixture of water and dialysis concentrate through said dialyzer.

Claim 9

The dialysis system of claim 7 further including fourth fluid conducting means communicating with each of said first and second fluid conducting means and with said single pump for conducting said water and dialysis concentrate to said single pump; first pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure in said fourth fluid conducting means; first control means for controlling said single pump, said first control means being responsive to the pressure measuring means for measuring the pressure in said third fluid conducting means downstream of said dialyzer; and second control means for controlling said second pump, said second control means being responsive to the pressure measured by said second pressure measuring means.

Claim 10

A dialysis system for treating a first fluid with dialysis fluid, the dialysis fluid being a mixture of water and dialysis concentrate, said system comprising: a dialyzer; a source of water; a source of dialysis concentrate; first fluid conducting means communicating with said source of water; second fluid conducting means communicating with said source of dialysis concentrate; a single pump in fluid communication with said first and second fluid conducting means for drawing water from said source of water through said first fluid conducting means, for drawing dialysis concentrate from said source of dialysis concentrate through said second fluid conducting means, and for mixing said water and said dialysis concentrate prior to its introduction into said dialyzer; at least one fluid restricting means in one of said first and second fluid conducting means for controlling the amount of water and dialysis concentrate withdrawn by said single pump to provide a desired proportion of water and dialysis concentrate to be mixed to form said dialysis fluid; third fluid conducting means for conducting said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate from said single pump to and through said dialyzer; gas removal means in said third fluid conducting means for removing gas bubbles from said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate; and throttling means interposed in said first fluid conducting means, said throttling means, said single pump and said gas removal mean cooperating with one another to deaerate said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate.

Claim 11

A dialysis system for treating a first fluid with dialysis fluid, the dialysis fluid being a mixture of water and dialysis concentrate, said system comprising: a dialyzer; a source of water; a source of dialysis concentrate; first fluid conducting means communicating with said source of water; second fluid conducting means communicating with said source of dialysis concentrate; a single pump in fluid communication with said first and second fluid conducting means for drawing water from said source of water through said first fluid conducting means, for drawing dialysis concentrate from said source of dialysis concentrate through said second fluid conducting means, and for mixing said water and said dialysis concentrate prior to its introduction into said dialyzer; at least one fluid restricting means in one of said first and second fluid conducting means for controlling the amount of water and dialysis concentrate withdrawn by said single pump to provide a desired proportion of water and dialysis concentrate to be mixed to form said dialysis fluid; third fluid conducting means for conducting said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate from said single pump to and through said dialyzer; gas removal means in said third fluid conducting means for removing gas bubbles from said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate; and throttling means interposed in said first fluid conducting means, said throttling means, said single pump and said gas removal mean cooperating with one another to deaerate said mixture of water and dialysis concentrate.