# US 10,117,737 B2 · Implantable systems and methods for removing specific impurities from fluids such as blood > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,117,737 B2 - Document ID: US10117737B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/951,271 - Filed: 2015-11-24 - Published: 2016-03-24 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-09 - Applicants: Zvi Herschman - Inventors: Zvi Herschman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117737B2 ## CPC - A61M 1/1678: {intracorporal (peritoneal dialysis A61M1/28)} - A61F 2/022: {Artificial gland structures using bioreactors (hemodialysis A61M1/16; hemofiltration A61M1/34; other extracorporeal blood treatment A61M1/36)} - A61M 1/3417: {using distinct filters for dialysis and ultra-filtration} - B01D 61/42: Electrodialysis; Electro-osmosis {; Electro-ultrafiltration; Membrane capacitive deionization} - A61F 2230/0069: cylindrical - A61F 2250/0001: Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants - A61F 2250/0023: differing in porosity - A61F 2250/0024: made from both porous and non-porous parts, e.g. adjacent parts - A61F 2250/0043: differing in electric properties, e.g. in electrical conductivity, in galvanic properties - B01D 57/02: by electrophoresis (treatment of water, waste water, sewage or sludge by electrophoresis C02F1/469; electrophoretic production of compounds or non-metals C25B7/00; investigating or analysing materials by using electrophoresis G01N27/26) - B01D 61/44: Ion-selective electrodialysis - B01D 61/52: Accessories; Auxiliary operation - B01D 61/54: Controlling or regulating - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract Systems and methods utilize semipermeable nanotubes in conjunction with application of controlled electrical potentials across semipermeable nanotube walls allow selective transport of charged impurities (e.g., charged impurities, ions, etc.) from a fluid into these nanotubes. Impurities collected in these nanotubes can then be removed from the fluid, (e.g., blood) as a waste stream. A collection of semipermeable nanotubes each carrying a waste stream can be aggregated and merged into a ureter for excretion thereby providing an artificial kidney system. Sensors that detect/measure various impurities may be included in the system to feed information to a microprocessor to inform on concentrations of impurities, and thereby control electrical potentials applied to the system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for removing impurities from a fluid, comprising: at least one nanotube array formed from a plurality of nanotubes arranged in an array, said nanotubes having hollow interiors and including nanotube walls having a plurality of pores dimensioned to allow said impurities, but not other constituents of the fluid, to pass through said pores and into the hollow interiors, wherein said impurities are concentrated to form waste streams that flow within the hollow interiors of the nanotubes, an enclosure surrounding the at least one nanotube array, through which the fluid may flow in a fluid path exterior to the hollow interiors of the nanotubes; an outlet conduit coupled to the nanotubes that collects the waste streams but does not convey the fluid, to thereby remove said impurities from said fluid, and electrodes coupled to said enclosure, wherein the electrodes are configured to generate an electric field to drive at least some of the impurities of the fluid in the fluid path through the plurality of pores in the nanotube walls and into the hollow interiors of the nanotubes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the electric field is oriented across said nanotube walls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for monitoring an amount of at least one of the impurities within the fluid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, further comprising at least one microprocessor that regulates said electric field by analyzing information obtained from the at least one sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one microprocessor utilizes the at least one sensor to adjust the electric field in accordance with a monitored impurity level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor utilizes at least one of electrochemical and optical detection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid is a bodily fluid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the bodily fluid is blood, said system being dimensioned to be implanted within a body to form an artificial kidney for removing said impurities from said blood. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the waste streams are capable of flowing to a ureter of the body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further configured for connection to a body so that the bodily fluid enters the system from at least one of an artery and a vein in the body, the waste streams exit the system for excretion by the body, and the bodily fluid that remains in the system is recirculated through at least one of the same artery, a different artery, the same vein, and a different vein of the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising an energy source that is at least one of (i) a battery configured to be implanted and (ii) a biological fuel cell that is configured to utilize glucose potential gradients normally occurring in blood. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one nanotube array is constructed from materials comprising at least one of carbon, polymers, cross-linked polymers, inorganic compounds, metals, or organic compounds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein one or more anticoagulants are attached to one or more surfaces of the system that are configured to contact the bodily fluid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of pores are dimensioned to pass specific impurities, but not blood cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of pores are dimensioned to pass water and impurities while red blood cells or other large blood constituents are excluded. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein at least some of the plurality of nanotubes are aligned substantially in parallel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, where said plurality of pores are dimensioned to pass ionic impurities, but not red blood cells. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electric field is generated by either a fixed or variable voltage waveform. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said electrodes are configured to generate an electric field transverse to the nanotube walls.