AU7007898A

AU7007898A - Filter device and apparatus for holding the same

Info

Publication number: AU7007898A
Application number: AU70078/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Uwe Hahmann; Klaus Heilmann; Franz-Josef Schmitt; Gerhard Spengler; Gerhard Wiesen; Ingrid Wunderlich
Original assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
Current assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 1997-06-26
Filing date: 1998-06-12
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-12
Also published as: BR9802219B1; ATE314884T1; EP0887100A1; DE59813324D1; KR100594472B1; KR19990007277A; EP0887100B1; JPH1170164A; DE19727251C2; BR9802219A; DE19727251A1; ES2255725T3; JP4144938B2; AU744404B2

Abstract

The filter has an elongated housing (1) with two flow chambers separated by a membrane. the flow chambers are formed preferably by hollow fibre bundles, in which the fibre hollows form one chamber and the surrounding space forms the other. Each flow chamber preferably has a single connector. The connectors (8-11) are all located on one side of the housing, are tubular in cross-section and are all in parallel in the same plane. Also claimed is a push-fit attachment by means of which the filter is incorporated in a fluid circuit.

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

NAME OF APPLICANT(S): Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON

CAVE

Patent Attorneys I Little Collins Street, Melbourne,. 3000.

INVENTION

TITLE:

Filter device and apparatus for holding the same The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- I. KIU la This invention relates to a filter device comprising an oblong housing with two flow spaces separated from each other by membranes, preferably including a bundle of hollow fibers held in the housing, where the-.fiber cavities constitute the one flow space and the space surrounding the bundle of fibers i constitutes the other flow space, and comprising at least one S :connection or connecting piece, preferably two connections or connecting pieces for each flow space, and an apparatus for holding the same.

Filter devices of this kind, which are used for instance as dialyzers, hemofilters or ultrafiltergs, are known in different embodiments.

Such filter devices preferably used as dialyzers have been described for instance in EP 0,441,721 B1 and EP 0,525,317 Al.

From DE-36 41 843 Al there is known a hemedialysis device including a sterilizing means, where filter device as mentioned above are used on the one hand as dialyzert and on the other hand as sterile filters for the hemodialysis solution.

-2- Filter devices as mentioned above usually consist of tubular housings with end caps, which are provided with two axial and two radial connecting pieces for the liquids to be passed therethrough. The connecting pieces are connected with tubes and/or pipe systems by means of usual connections or connectors. These connections not only can frequently be effected by means of complex manipulations, but in addition require expensive connectors with a complicated connection technique, which render the application more expensive. Moreover, the connectors may also be the reason for leakages, which in particular in the hemodialysis can lead to serious damages to _health.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create a filter device as described above, which provides for a simple and safe connection to a tube or pipe system.

In accordance with the invention, this object is solved in |that the connections are disposed on one side of the housing and the center lines thereof extend parallel to each other.

The filter device in accordance with the invention can be nconnected quickly and easily with a filter or dialysis machine or a housing holding the filter device by plugging it in such that the connections or connecting pieces come into sealing engagement with mating connections or connecting pieces. The connections or connecting pieces and the counterparts thereof should only be adjusted to each other such that "they can sealingly be connected with each other by plugging them in or also by pushing them together.

From W088/01895 filter devices as described above are known, whose end caps mounted on their tubular housings are provided with passages extending parallel to each other and communicating with one of the two flow spaces, so that by placing -3the filter devices close to each ther bined to filter batteries, in whic vices are connected in parallel. The en devices with the aligned through holes other by means of screw bolt where the caps sealing plates are mounted, w pieces, as far as the respective ends should serve as inlets or outlets.

The connections may have tubular orif The orifices of the connections may b re also in a common p parallel planes or also in a ommn 4 The center lines of the orific xp i which may include longitudinal plane, whch t c housing or extend parallel to the cen i -so lie on mutuall' The orifices may also lie mutuall extend radial to the housingthe same can be comindividual filter ded caps of the filter are braced with each n the outer sides of hich carry connecting of the through holes ces.

e disposed in mutually lane.

diently lie on a common the center line of the Lter line of the housingy parallel planes, which I *s ce with a preferred embodiment it is provided that In accordance with a prefe at the end caps of the housing.

the connections are disposed at the end caps ediently In this embodiment, the housing iself, connections,h et consists of a tube section, is fre- from connections, so that the housing wall may be designed thinner and thus in a matethe housing way. When the connections or connecting pieces rial-saving way- the same may be designed more are provided at the end caps, the same may be designed more rugged without applying a load onto the ouing itself.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment it is provided that he end caps are provided with radial beads extending over the bottom surfaces thereof where the connections open into the ends of said beads protruding over the cap edges. In this way, a particularly stable construction is ensured, which 3,

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54 -4keeps the housing portion enclosed between the caps free from connections and stresses resulting therefrom.

The invention furthermore relates to an apparatus for holding filter devices with radial connections, preferably filter devices as described above.

Filter devices, which are usually designed for single usage, must be able to be connected easily, quickly and safely with a filter or dialysis machine and be exchanged quickly and easily.

An apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral connections, whose center lines extend parallel to each other, preferably filter devices as described above, is characterized by a means for positioning the filter device in a position for holding the same, in which its connections or connecting pieces are aligned with the spouts of the holder, and by means of which the correspondingly aligned connections or connecting pieces can sealingly be pushed or pressed onto the spouts. The means may consist of a guideway including two guide sections, of which the first one is used for mounting and positioning the filter device and the second one is used for moving the filter device into the correct position, so that the connections or connecting pieces of the filter device are pushed onto the spouts with a sealing contact.

The means may also consist of a pivoted support for the filter device, into which the same is hung for positioning, so that when the filter device has been hung into-the support, its connecting pieces can be pressed onto the spouts of the holder in the correct position.

The means may also consist of a guiding means provided with an actuating means, into which guiding means the filter device is inserted, and which guiding means subsequently pushes or urges the filter device in the direction of the holder such that its connections or connecting pieces come into sealing engagement with the spouts.

A preferred embodiment is characterized by an oblong frameor housing-like holding member, which is provided with guideways for receiving mating guiding pieces of the filter devices for aligning the same in transverse direction and in the depth thereof, and with a stop member for aligning the same in longitudinal direction, where extensible spouts are Sprovided, which in the aligned condition of a mounted filter device come into sealing engagement with the connecting pieces thereof.

Expediently, the guideways consist of grooves, whose flanks are provided with grooves or undercuts parallel to the edges thereof, into which mutually parallel ribs are engaging, connections or connecting pieces of the filter devices.

The flanks or edges of the upper groove may be provided with I the stop member.

"I In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment it is provided that the spouts are disposed on a sliding block, which is movably guided in the holding member in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the spouts, that the sliding block is loaded by at least one spring element in the direca means tensioning the spring element, upon release of which the spouts are snappingly engaged in the connections or connecting pieces of the mounted filter device. In accordance with this aspect of the invention it is ensured that upon mounting and centering the filter device on the holding member the connection between the connections or connecting pieces of the filter device and the spouts and thus with the 6 i ff r i filter or dialysis machine can be effected quickly and easily.

The means tensioning the spring element may consist of a tog- The means tensioning the spwhng s position gle lever or an eccentric, which in its tensioning position s been moved into its dead center position- When the eccenhastric or toggle leve is released from its dead center positric or toggle lever ii the connecting tion, the spouts will snappingly engage in the connecting pieces of the mounted filter device.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment it is provided that the sliding block of one side carrying the spouts is mounted in a carriage, which for adaptation to different spacings of the connections or connecting pieces of the filter device on the end face is guided in the holding member for a limited movement.

For aligning the carriage, the sliding block may be provided with a positioning means, which engages in a stop member of the filter device, which positions the carriage.

The positioning means expediently consists of a pin with an inclined surface, which engages in a stop edge of the filter device.

One embodiment of the invention wi11 subsequently be explained in detail with reference to the drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a view of that side of the filter device into which open the connections thereof, Fig. 2 shows a section through the filter device along line A-A of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a side view of the filter device in accordance with Fig. i, rotated by ,-f -7is Fs1 Fig. 4 shows a top view of the filter device in accordance with Figs. 1 to 3, Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the housing of the filter device with lifted end caps, Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the filter device in accordance with Figs. 1 to 5, which has been inserted in a holding member of a filter or dialysis machine, Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of the holding member in accordance with Fig. 6, without the filter device held in the same, Fig. 8 shows a rear view of the holding member in accordance with Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 9 shows a section through A-A of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 shows a section through B-B of Fig. 8, Fig. 11 shows a section through C-C of Fig. 8, Fig. 12 shows a section through D-D of Fig. 8, the holding member along line the holding member along line th holding member along line the holding member along line Fig. 13 shows the carriage of the holding member, which carries the lower spouts, in an exploded view of its individual components.

The filter device consists of a tubular housing 1, whose ends have enlarged diameters due to bell-shaped edge portions 2.

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At the inside of the bell-shaped edge 2, freely protruding strip-like projections 3 are connected, which have approximately the same distance from each other over the periphery and are aligned with the cylindrical wall of the housing 1.

These strip-like projections serve to hold the sealing compounds bonding the ends of the bundle of fibers not represented here.

The end faces of the cylindrical edges 4 of the approximately cup-shaped end caps 5 are bluntly abutting against the ringshaped end faces of the bell-shaped edges of the housing i.

The end faces of the end caps 4 and the edges 2 of the housing 1 are sealingly bonded or welded together.

On the convex bottom surfaces 6 of the end caps 5, radially extending nose-shaped beads 7 have been mounted, which protrude beyond the caps 5 towards one side. Into the ends of the beads radially protruding beyond the end caps 5 two connections 8, 9 and 10, 11, respectively, are opening, whose orifices lie in a common plane parallel to the center line of the housing 1. The outwardly disposed connections 8, 11 communicate with the fiber cavities not represented here, whereas the inner connections 9, 10 open into the space of the housing enclosing the bundle of fibers.

The orifices of the connections 8 to 11 are enclosed by the end face of the beads 12, 13 in a frame-like manner, which beads are provided on their outside with outwardly protruding, mutually parallel ribs 14, 15, which serve to anchor the connections on a holding member of the housing, which is provided with mating connections for the connections 8 to 11, where connecting the connections can be effected by simply plugging or pushing them in.

The housing 1 and the caps 5 usually consist of injectionmolded plastic parts.

-9- Fig. 6 illustrates a holding member designated as a whole by the reference numeral 21, which in a manner not represented here-is attached to the housing of a filter or dialysis machine. Into the holding member 21, the filter device as described in Figs. 1 to 5, which has been designated as a whole by the reference numeral 20, has been inserted such that its connections 8 to 9 are tightly connected with extensible spouts of the holding member 21.

The holding member 21 consists of a concave housing 22, whose open side is connected with the housing of a filter or dialysis device such that its peripheral edge rests against the S outside of a housing wall.

The concave housing comprises a central recess 23, so that S. upper and lower housing portions 24, 25 protrude and enclose the recessed central housing portion 23.

In the protruding upper and lower housing portions 24, aligned grooves 26, 27 are provided, which are freely flared to the top in a funnel-shaped way. In their opposing flanks the aligned grooves 26, 27 are provided with further grooves 28, 29, which towards the outside are defined by shoulders 31. The upper shoulders 30, 31 are provided with step- S: like stops 32.

The width of the nose-shaped beads 7 of the filter devices directly before the ribs 14, 15 forming the outer edges corresponds to the distance between the shoulders 30, 31 of the grooves-26, 27, so that the filter device can be inserted from the top via the funnel-shaped inlets into the grooves 26, 27 of the holding member such that the ribs are guided in the grooves 28, 29 provided in the flanks and engage behind the shoulders 30, 31 of the grooves 26, 27. The frame-like end faces of the beads 12, 13 can be pushed into the grooves 26, 27 of the holding member 21 until the lower edge 33 of the frame-like border of the end face of the upper bead 12 abuts against the stops 32 formed in the shoulders 30, 31. in this position, the two upper spouts 34, 35 are aligned with respect to the upper connections 8, 9, so that these spouts can be engaged in the connections- The lower spouts 36, 37 are engaged in the lower connections 11 upon corresponding alignment.

The upper spouts 34, 35 are disposed on a sliding block which is guided on five pins 41 to 45 so as to be longitudinally movable. The pins 41 to 45 have been screwed into holes in the housing. The pins 41 to 44 are provided with enlarged Sheads on which the one ends of compression springs are supported, whose other ends abut against the sliding block and act on the same in the direction of the housing wall 46.

In the side walls of the housing 21 a shaft 47 is rotatably supported, which carries an external lever 48. On the shaft 47 in the housing an eccentric 49 is mounted, whose eccentric surface can roll on the adjacent wall of the sliding block

S

as shown in Fig. 9. By means of the lever 48 the eccentric 49 can be rotated into its dead center position or beyond its dead center position, in which the sliding block is moved to the inside on the pins 41 to 45, so that the springs are Diased even more. In this biased form, the filter device 20 is inserted into the grooves 26, 27. When the lever 48 is now swivelled inwards from its upright position, the eccentric 49 will snap into its position shown in Fig. 9, so that the compression springs move the sliding block 40 to the outside and sealingly connect the spouts 34, 35 with the connections or connecting pieces 8, 9, so that the spouts 34, 35 are connected with the connecting pieces 8, 9.

The pin 45, which is not enclosed by a compression spring, serves to guide the sliding block 40 in the housing 21.

-11- The spouts 36, 37 are disposed on a sliding block 50, which is guided on the pins 51 to 55, whose front ends have been screwed into the block 56, where the pins 51 to 54 enclose compression springs, which are supported on the one hand on the enlarged heads of the pins and on the other hand on the sliding block 50. The further pin 55 exclusively serves to guide the sliding block In the side walls of the block 56 a shaft 58 is supported, on which two eccentrics 59, 60 are mounted, which in the manner shown in Fig. 11 can be supported on covering walls 61, 62 of the sliding block 50, which define lateral recesses of the sliding block 50. The spouts 36, 37 connected with the sliding block 50 extend through holes 63, 64 in the block 36.

The sliding block 50 is provided with a centering pin 65 in line with the spouts, which extends through the block 56 in a further hole 66. The centering pin 65 is provided with an in- Sclined face as shown in Fig. 7.

I The spouts 36 and 37 as well as the centering pin 65 extend through the bottom of the groove 27 in an oblong hole 68 shown in Fig.

7 in which the same are movable to a limited extent.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the block 56 is provided with lateral skids 69, 70, so that it is movable to a limited extend in complementary guiding grooves in longitudinal direction of the housing 21.

On the outside of the housing 22, the shaft 58 carrying the eccentric 59, 60 is provided with a lever 72, by means of which the eccentric shaft can be rotated.

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Prior to inserting the filter module 20 into the grooves 26, 27 of the housing 21, the two levers 48 and 72 are brought into the vertical position, so that the eccentrics will bias the sliding blocks 40 and 50 as described above, and the spouts are in their engaged position. Subsequently, the filter module 20 is inserted into the grooves, until the lower edge 33 ikeend faceof the frameikenbead 12 is supported on the stops 32. For connecting the spouts 34, 35 with the connections 8; 9, the lever 48 is then shifted as shown in Fig. 7, so that the spouts 34, 35 come into a snapping and sealing engagement with the connections 8, 9.

Subsequently, the lower lever 72 is also shifted, so that the lower sliding block is extended and the spouts 36, 37 come into snapping engagement with the connections 10, 11 of the filter module. If due to manufacturing tolerances the dis tance of the spouts from the connections 10, 11 is not absolutely correct, the same will be aligned by the adjusting pin whose inclined surface acts upon the upper edge of the frame-like border of the end face of the lower bead 13 of the filter module and by means of its inclined surface 67 lifts the carriage-like block 56 to such an extent that the aligned spouts 36, 37 can move into the recesses 10, 11.

For attachment in a housing wall of the filter or dialysis machine the concave housing 21 is provided with feet on the rear side, which have locking recesses for connection.

The concave housing 21 and the sliding blocks as well as the carriage-like block 56 may consist of injection molded plastic parts.

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Claims

1. A filter device with an oblong housing comprising two flow spaces separated from each other by membranes, preferably including a bundle of hollow fibers held in the housing, where the fiber cavities constitute the one flow space and the space surrounding the bundle of fibers constitutes the other flow space, and comprising at least one connection or connecting piece, preferably two connections or connecting pieces for each flow space, characterized in that the connections (8 to 11) are disposed on one side of the housing and their center lines extend parallel to each other.

2. The filter device as claimed in claim characterized in that the connections (8 to 11) have tubular orifices. 14

3. The filter device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, character- S 'ized in that the orifices of the connections (8 to 11) lie in mutually parallel planes. S4. The filter device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the orifices of the connections (8 to 11) lie in a common plane. The filter device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the center lines of the connections (8 to 11) lie on a common longitudinal plane.

6. The filter device as claimed in any of claims 1 to characterized in that the center lines of the orifices (8 to 11) lie on mutually parallel planes.

7. The filter device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the connections (8 to 11) are pro- vided at the end caps of the housing

8. The filter device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the end caps are provided with radial beads extending over the bottom surfaces (6) thereof, into whose ends protruding beyond the cap edges the connections (8 to 11) are opening.

9. An apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral con- nections or connecting pieces, whose center lines extend parallel to each other, preferably filter devices as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a means for positioning the filter device in a position with re- spect to the holder in which the connections or connect- ing pieces thereof are aligned with the spouts of the holder, and which are provided with guiding means which Sensure a subsequent combination of the connections and 1 i S- 15 connecting pieces with the spouts such that the same come into sealing engagement with each other. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized by an oblong frame- or housing-like holding member (21), which is provided with guideways (26, 27) for receiving mating guiding members (14, 15) of the filter device for aligning the same in transverse direction and in the depth thereof, and with a stop member (32) for aligning the same in longitudinal direction, and by extensible spouts (34, 35; 36, 37) which in the aligned condition of a mounted filter device (20) sealingly engage in the con- nections (8 to 11) or connecting pieces thereof. i* 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the guideways consist of grooves (26, 27), whose flanks are provided with grooves (28, 29) parallel to their edges, with which.mutually parallel ribs (14, come into engagement, which as mating guiding members are disposed laterally of the connections or connecting S' pieces (8 to 11) of the filer devices

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the flanks or edges of the upper groove (26) are provided with the stop member (32).

13. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, char- acterized in that the spouts (34, 35; 36, 37) are pro- vided on a sliding block (40, 50), which in the direction of their longitudinal axes is movably guided in the hold- ing member that the sliding block (40,-50) is loaded by at least one spring element in the direction of the mounted filter device, and that a means tensioning rIB gp

16- the spring element is provided, upon release of which the spouts snappingly engage in the connections or connecting pieces of the mounted filter device. 14. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13, char- acterized in that the means tensioning the spring element consists of a toggle lever or an eccentric, which in its tensioning position has been moved into its dead center position. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14, char- acterized in that the sliding block (50) of one side car- rying the spout is mounted in a carriage-like block (56), which for adaptation to different distances of the con- nections or connecting pieces (8 to 11) of the filter de- vice provided on the end face is guided for a limited movement in the holding member (21). 16. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15, char- acterized in that for alignment of the carriage-like I block (56) the sliding block (50) is provided with a po- sitioning means "o 17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that the positioning means consists of a pin (65) with an inclined surface which acts on a stop edge of the filter device 4. 17 S18. A filter device substantially as hereinbefore 1described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.

19. The steps, features, compositions and compounds disclosed herein or referred to or indicated in the specification and/or claims of this application, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features. DATED this TWELFTH day of JUNE 1998 Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE g patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) e* BS