Tube clamping arrangement for a dialysis machine
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a detection arrangement, comprising: an actuation element, which is designed to be moved back and forth between at least one first and one second position; a fastening portion, which is designed such that the actuation element can be brought into contact with a tube; a spring element, which interacts with the actuation element such that the spring element exerts a force on the actuation element in the direction of the second position; a retaining element, which interacts with the actuation element such that the actuation element can be moved into the first position by means of the retaining element; and a control element, which is designed to detect at least one parameter of the actuation element and/or of the retaining element and evaluate same so that the control element, on the basis of this evaluation, provides information about the condition of the detection arrangement.
1 . A detection arrangement comprising:
an actuation element that is configured to be moved to and fro between a first position and a second position, the actuation element comprising a fastening section that is configured such that the actuation element is capable of being brought into contact with a tube;
a spring element that cooperates with the actuation element such that the spring element exerts a force on the actuation element toward the second position;
a retaining element that cooperates with the actuation element such that the actuation element is configured to move into the first position by means of the retaining element; and
a control element that is configured to:
control the retaining element such that the actuation element is moved partially or completely into the second position and then partially or completely into the first position,
oscillate the actuation element at least partially between the first position and the second position by controlling the retaining element,
detect at least one parameter of the actuation element and/or of the retaining element, the at least one parameter being an oscillation characteristic, and
evaluate the at least one parameter such that the control element provides information relating to a state of the detection arrangement on the basis of said evaluation.
2 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the actuation element is configured as a clamp and the first position is an open position of the clamp and the second position is a closed position of the clamp, wherein the fastening section is configured as a reception region for a tube.
3 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the actuation element is configured as a probe finger.
4 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spring element is a magnet.
5 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the spring element has a non-linear force/distance progression.
6 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control element is configured to activate the retaining element during a movement of the actuation element in the direction of the second position to move the actuation element in the direction of the first position.
7 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the retaining element is a spring and/or an electric motor.
8 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a sensor for determining the position of the actuation element.
9 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter is the position of the actuation element over time and/or in that the at least one parameter is the starting current and/or the current progression over time of the retaining element.
10 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control element is configured to carry out the oscillation repeatedly at the same frequency or at at least two different frequencies and/or with a frequency sweep.
11 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or a polymagnet.
12 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the retaining element is the spring and the spring is a tension spring or a compression spring.
13 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the retaining element is the electric motor and the electric motor is a stepper motor.
14 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 5 , wherein
the spring element is a polymagnet,
the retaining element is an electric motor, and
the at least one parameter is at least one of: the position of the actuation element over time, a starting current of the electric motor, and a current progression over time of the electric motor.
15 . The detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the control element is configured to detect the at least one parameter without using a sensor.
16 . A dialysis machine that is configured to be equipped with a tube system comprising at least one blood tube or that is equipped with such a tube system, wherein the dialysis machine has at least one detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 .
17 . A method of using a detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , the method comprising determining a presence of a tube and/or a tube content of a dialysis machine.
18 . A method of operating a detection arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , the method comprising determining the presence of a tube and/or the tube content.