Disposable Cartridge System for Use with Sorbent or Premixed Dialysate

1 . A hemodialysis machine defining a closed loop fluid path for dialysate solution, the hemodialysis machine comprising:

a mixing chamber for receiving the dialysate solution;

a first flow balance chamber connected to the mixing chamber;

a second flow balance chamber connected to the first flow balance chamber;

a dialyser for cleaning the dialysate solution, the dialyser connected between the first flow balance chamber and the second flow balance chamber; and

a filter for cleaning the dialysate solution, the filter connected between the second flow balance chamber and the mixing chamber;

wherein the mixing chamber and first and second flow balance chambers are provided on a cartridge removably mountable in the hemodialysis machine.

2 . A hemodialysis machine defining a closed loop fluid path for dialysate solution, the hemodialysis machine comprising:

a fixed volume of dialysate solution;

a mixing chamber for receiving the dialysate solution;

a first flow balance chamber connected to the mixing chamber;

a second flow balance chamber connected between the first flow balance chamber and the mixing chamber; and

a dialyser connected between the first and second flow balance chambers;

wherein the mixing chamber, the first flow balance chamber and the second flow balance chamber are provided on a cartridge removably mountable in the hemodialysis machine.

3 . A hemodialysis machine defining a closed loop fluid path for dialysate solution, the fluid path comprising:

a first pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet;

a dialyser having a dialyser inlet and a dialyser outlet;

a conduit connected between the outlet of the first pump chamber and the inlet of the dialyser;

a second pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet;

a conduit connected between the outlet of the dialyser and the inlet of the second pump chamber;

a dialysate regeneration device having an inlet and an outlet;

a conduit connected between the outlet of the second pump chamber and the inlet of the dialysate regeneration device;

a reservoir having a reservoir inlet and a reservoir outlet;

a conduit connected between the outlet of the dialysate regeneration device and the inlet of the reservoir; and

a conduit connected between the outlet of the reservoir and the inlet of the first pump chamber.

4 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 further comprising:

a third pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, the third pump chamber being connected between the reservoir and the first pump chamber inlet.

5 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 4 further comprising:

a fourth pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, the fourth pump chamber being connected between the third pump chamber and the first pump chamber.

6 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 5 further comprising:

a fifth pump chamber having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, the fifth pump chamber being connected between the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

7 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth pump chambers are closed by a flexible diaphragm defining respective first, second, third, fourth and fifth pumps.

8 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second pumps are flow balance pumps.

9 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 , wherein the dialysate regeneration device comprises a housing, the housing defining the inlet of the dialysate regeneration device and the outlet of the dialysate regeneration device, the housing further defining a fluid path therethrough between the inlet of the dialysate regeneration device and the outlet of the dialysate regeneration device.

10 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 , wherein the reservoir comprises:

a housing defining a continuous side wall, a top, a bottom, the inlet of the reservoir and the outlet of the reservoir, and

an overflow device mounted therein.

11 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 10 , wherein the overflow device comprises a hollow tube having an inlet and an outlet, the overflow device having a first end connected to the bottom of the reservoir and a second end defining a gap between the top of the reservoir and second end, wherein the dialysate solution in the reservoir exceeding a pre-determined volume set by the gap between the second end of the overflow device and the top of the reservoir is admitted into the overflow device.

12 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 10 , wherein the dialysate solution admitted into the overflow device is expelled from the reservoir through a reservoir drain outlet.

13 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth pump chambers is provided on a cartridge releasably mountable in the hemodialysis machine.

14 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 13 , wherein the cartridge is disposable.

15 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 13 , wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a first inlet port;

a conduit between the first inlet port and the inlet of the third pump chamber;

a first outlet port;

a conduit between the first inlet port and the first outlet port;

a second inlet port;

a conduit between the second inlet port and the inlet of the third pump chamber;

a conduit between the outlet of the third pump chamber and the inlet of the fourth pump chamber;

a third inlet port;

a conduit between the third inlet port and the inlet of the fourth pump chamber;

a conduit between the outlet of the fourth pump chamber and the inlet of the first pump chamber;

a second outlet port;

a conduit between the outlet of the first pump chamber and the second outlet port;

a fourth inlet port;

a conduit between the fourth inlet port and the inlet of the second pump chamber;

a third outlet port; and,

a conduit between the outlet of the second pump chamber and the third outlet port.

16 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 15 , wherein the cartridge further comprises:

a conduit between the second pump chamber and the fifth pump chamber; and

a conduit between the fifth pump chamber and a drain outlet.

17 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 16 , wherein the first inlet port is a clean dialysate solution inlet port, the second inlet port is a first dialysate solution constituent inlet port, the third inlet port is a second dialysate solution constituent inlet port and the fourth inlet port is a spent dialysate solution inlet port.

18 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 16 , wherein the first outlet port is a first dialysate solution constituent outlet port, the second outlet port is a clean dialysate outlet port to the dialyser and the third outlet port is the drain outlet.

19 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 , further comprising a water inlet port, an endotoxin filter, and a heater downstream of the reservoir.

20 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 19 , wherein the endotoxin filter is downstream of the water inlet port.

21 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 20 , wherein the heater is downstream of the endotoxin filter.

22 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 21 , further comprising an air vent and an ammonium sensor downstream of the heater.

23 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 22 , wherein the ammonium sensor is downstream of the air vent.

24 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth pump chambers are concave.

25 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 19 , further comprising a purified water inlet port between the reservoir and the endotoxin filter.

26 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 , wherein the dialysate regeneration device comprises a sorbent material.

27 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 ,

wherein one of the first and second pump chambers comprises a pump chamber diaphragm; and

the hemodialysis machine further comprises a light sensor for measuring and verifying a stroke position of the pump chamber diaphragm.

28 . The hemodialysis machine according to claim 3 , wherein

each of the first and second pump chambers are provided on a cartridge releasably mountable in the hemodialysis machine; and

the dialyser and the dialysate regeneration device are connected to opposing sides of the cartridge.

29 . A hemodialysis machine comprising; a cartridge removably mounted on the hemodialysis machine, the cartridge comprising:

a first flow balance pump chamber covered by a first flexible diaphragm, the first flow balance pump chamber and the first flexible diaphragm defining a first pump, the first pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet; and

a second flow balance pump chamber covered by a second flexible diaphragm, the second flow balance pump chamber and the second flexible diaphragm defining a second pump, the second pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet;

wherein each of the first and second pumps is provided with single fluid paths therethough between respective pump inlets and respective pump outlets.

30 . (canceled)