# US 12,184,014 B2 · Electrical plug for a dialysis machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,184,014 B2 - Document ID: US12184014B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/456,122 - Filed: 2023-08-25 - Published: 2023-12-14 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-12 - Assignees: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. - Applicants: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. - Inventors: Martin Joseph Crnkovich; Colin Weaver; David Yuds - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184014B2 ## CPC - H01R 24/30: with additional earth or shield contacts - A61M 1/14: Dialysis systems; Artificial kidneys; Blood oxygenators (semi-permeable membranes characterised by the material, manufacturing processes therefor B01D71/00){; Reciprocating systems for treatment of body fluids, e.g. single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis} - A61M 1/1656: {Apparatus for preparing dialysates} - A61M 1/34: Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration - H01R 13/025: {formed by the conductors of a cable end} - H01R 13/6335: {comprising a handle} - H01R 13/652: with earth pin, blade or socket - H01R 24/76: with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall - H01R 24/78: with additional earth or shield contacts - H01R 31/02: Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92) - H01R 31/06: Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94) - A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches - A61M 2205/8262: connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter - A61M 2209/00: Ancillary equipment - H01R 2103/00: Two poles - H01R 2201/12: for medicine and surgery - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - 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)} ## Abstract A dialysis machine comprising: a power supply for providing power to the dialysis machine, the power supply including a power supply cable that includes a first ground wire electrically connected to a first ground prong; and a hydraulics system for making dialysate, supplying the dialysate to a dialysate circuit, and draining spent dialysate from the dialysate circuit, the hydraulics system including a hydraulics grounding cable that includes a second ground wire electrically connected to a second ground prong. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plug that is configured to plug into an AC power outlet, the plug comprising: a power supply cable that includes a first ground wire electrically connected to a first ground prong of the plug, the power supply cable for providing power to a medical device; and a grounding cable for providing a grounding connection to a treatment system of the medical device, the grounding cable including a second ground wire electrically connected to a second ground prong of the plug, wherein the treatment system is configured to physically or electrically connect to a patient. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the first ground prong and the first ground wire are electrically isolated from the second ground prong and the second ground wire. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the first ground wire and the second ground wire do not share a common insulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein an adapter is configured to: removably connect to and from an electrical connection with the power supply cable; removably connect to and from an electrical connection with the grounding cable; and plug into the AC power outlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, further comprising a handle for facilitating simultaneous connection or disconnection of the power supply cable and the grounding cable to or from the AC power outlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The plug of claim 5, wherein a first end of the handle connects to the plug near a connected end of the power supply cable and a second end of the handle connects to the plug near a connected end of the grounding cable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the grounding connection of the treatment system is separate and distinct from the first ground wire and the first ground prong of the power supply cable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, further comprising: a line prong that is electrically connected to a line wire of the power supply cable; and a neutral prong that is electrically connected to a neutral wire of the power supply cable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the first ground prong and the first ground wire are in electrical communication with the second ground prong and the second ground wire via a connection that occurs behind a wall plate of the AC power outlet when the plug is plugged into the AC power outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the plug is a contiguous piece of material to which all prongs are connected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, further comprising one or more non-conductive prongs for improving an integrity of a connection between the plug and the AC power outlet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the plug is configured such that the medical device complies with one or more requirements specified by a standards organization when the first ground prong is connected to a first AC socket of the AC power outlet and the second ground prong is connected to a second AC socket of the AC power outlet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The plug of claim 12, wherein the standards organization is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the one or more requirements are specified in IEC 60364-7-710. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the grounding cable is configured to plug into a grounding socket of the medical device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The plug of claim 14, wherein the grounding socket is in electrical communication with a metal chassis of the treatment system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a dialysis machine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the power supply cable and the grounding cable electrically connect to the medical device at separate locations at a housing of the medical device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, further comprising one or more recesses sized to allow screws of a wall plate connected to the AC power outlet to fit therein such that the plug rests evenly against the wall plate when connected to the AC power outlet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The plug of claim 1, wherein the plug ensures that two grounding connections are made simultaneously and maintained concurrently when the plug is plugged into the AC power outlet.