AU758919B2 - Filter device and apparatus for holding the same - Google Patents

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventors: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH Uwe Hahmann Klaus Heilmann Franz-Josef Schmitt Gerhard Spengler Gerhard Wiesen Ingrid Wunderlich DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000 Filter device and apparatus for holding the same Address for Service: Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Q:\OPER\ARL\2469791 296 DIV APP.DOC 13/11/01 kI It, P:\OPERAr\70078-98 spec div.do-20/01/03 -la- This invention relates to an apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral connection or connecting pieces, whose centre lines extend parallel to each other.

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

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

DE-36 41 843 Al proposes a hemodialysis device including a sterilizing means, where filter devices as mentioned above are used on the one hand as dialyzers and on the other hand as sterile filters for the hemodialysis solution.

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 Spassed 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 P:\OPER~A\7078-98 sp di vo-20101/03 -2technique, 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.

WO 88/01895 proposes filter devices, 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 the filter devices close to each other the same can be combined to filter batteries, in which the individual filter devices are connected in parallel. The end caps of the filter devices o with the aligned through holes are braced with each other by means of screw bolts, where on the outer sides of the caps sealing plates are mounted, which carry connecting pieces, as far as the respective ends of the through holes should serve as inlets or outlets.

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

io 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.

P:OPER\I\7OO78-98 spa div.dm-2/01/03 -3- The present invention provides an apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral connections or connecting pieces, whose centre lines extend parallel to each other, comprising a means for positioning the filter device in a position with respect to the holder in which the connections or connecting pieces thereof are aligned with the spouts of the holder, and which are provided with guiding means which ensure a subsequent combination of the connections and connecting pieces with the spouts such that the same come into sealing engagement with each other.

The specification also describes a filter device not S•previously proposed in the prior art which can be connected S 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 ooo 20 can sealingly be connected with each other by plugging them .eeo.i in or also by pushing them together.

oooo coo• The means may comprise 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.

(1 1 P:'PER\AI\70078-98 sp. div.do~.-2O/0/03 -4- The means may also comprise a pivoted support for the filter device, into which the same is hung for positioning, so that when the filer 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 comprise 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 comprises an oblong frame- or 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 S same in longitudinal direction, where extensible spouts are 20 provided, which in the aligned condition of a mounted filter .eee.i device come into sealing engagement with the connecting pieces thereof.

Expediently, the guideways may comprise grooves, whose flanks are provided with grooves or undercuts parallel to the edges thereof, into which mutually parallel ribs are engaging, which are disposed as mating guiding pieces laterally of the connections or connecting pieces of the filter devices.

P:OPERAH\7O078-98 sp div.d-20/01/03 The flanks or edges of the upper groove may be provided with the stop member.

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 direction of the mounted filter device, and that there is provided a means tensioning the spring element, upon release of which the spouts are snappingly engaged in the S" connections or connecting pieces of the mounted filter device. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention Sit 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 filter or dialysis machine can be effected quickly and easily.

20 The means tensioning the spring element may comprise a .:eooi toggle lever or an eccentric, which in its tensioning position has been moved into its dead center position. When the eccentric or toggle lever is released from its dead centre position, the spouts will snappingly engage in the connecting pieces of the mounted filter device.

P:\OPER\A,\70078-98 sp div.d-20101/03 -6- 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 comprises a pin with an S•inclined surface, which engages in a stop edge of the filter device.

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

eoee ooo i A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be :described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 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. i, SFig. 3 shows a side view of the filter device in accordance Swith Fig. 1, rotated by 900, -7- 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 the holding member along line A-A of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 shows a section through the holding member along line B-B of Fig. 8, Fig. 11 shows a section through the holding member along line C-C of Fig. 8, ooooi 900 Fig. 12 shows a section through the holding member along line D-D of Fig. 8, "Fig. 13 shows the carriage of the holding member, which carries the lower spouts, in an exploded view of its in- 00 dividual components.

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

-8- 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 i. 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 S:O 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 pro- •vided with mating connections for the connections 8 to 11, where connecting the connections can be effected by simply 0..*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 outside of a housing wall.

The concave housing comprises a central recess 23, so that 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 S to the top in a funnel-shaped way. In their opposing flanks the aligned grooves 26, 27 are provided with further grooves 0 C 28, 29, which towards the outside are defi-ned by shoulders 009:00 31. The upper shoulders 30, 31 are provided with steplike stops 32.

ooooo o* ~The width of the nose-shaped beads 7 of the filter devices directly before the ribs 14, 15 forming the outer edges corooo•• responds 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 oooo• S"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 heads 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 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 biased 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 inclined face as shown in Fig. 7.

t 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.

-12- 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 of the frame-like end face of the bead 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 distance 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 S* 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.

P:OPER\ArI\70078-98 spc div.doc-20/01/03 12a- Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

e *o *o

Claims (9)

1. An apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral connections or connecting pieces, whose centre lines extend parallel to each other, comprising a means for positioning the filter device in a position with respect to the holder in which the connections or connecting pieces thereof are aligned with the spouts of the holder, and which are provided with guiding means which ensure a subsequent combination of the connections and connecting pieces with the spouts such that the same come into sealing engagement with each *eo e. S• other.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an oblong frame-or housing-like holding member, which is provided with guideways for receiving mating guiding members of the filter device for aligning the same in transverse direction and in the depth thereof, and with ooo. 20 a stop member for aligning the same in longitudinal a..direction, and extensible spouts which in the aligned eoee condition of a mounted filter device sealingly engage in the connections or connecting pieces thereof.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the guideways consist of grooves, whose flanks are provided with grooves parallel to their edges, with which mutually parallel ribs come into engagement, which as mating guiding members are disposed laterally of the connections or connecting pieces of the filter devices.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the P:\OPERArI\70078-98 spe div.doc-20101103 -14- flanks or edges of the upper groove are provided with the stop member.

The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the spouts are provided on a sliding block, which in the direction of their longitudinal axes is movably guided in the holding member, the sliding block being loaded by at least one spring element in the direction of the mounted filter device, and wherein a means tensioning the spring element is provided, upon release of which the spouts snappingly engage in the connections or connecting pieces of the mounted filter S* device. 0*

6. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to wherein 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 o center position.

7. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the sliding block of one side carrying the spout is mounted in a carriage-like block which for adaptation to different distances of the connections or connecting pieces of the filter device provided on the end face is guided for a limited movement in the holding member.

8. The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7, wherein for alignment of the carriage-like block the sliding block is provided with a positioning means. P:\OPER\ArI\70078-98 spec divdoc-20/01/03

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the positioning means comprises of a pin with an inclined surface, which acts on a stop edge of the filter device. An apparatus for holding filter devices with lateral connections or connecting pieces, substantially as described with reference to Figures 6 to 13. DATED this 21st of January, 2003 Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH S* By DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant S* ooo 0*