# US 2018/0024022 A1 · Method for checking a connection state between a blood treatment apparatus and a blood tubing set, and apparatuses > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0024022 A1 - Document ID: US20180024022A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/549,282 - Filed: 2016-02-12 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-12 - Assignees: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH - Applicants: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH - Inventors: Josef Beden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024022A1 ## CPC - A61M 1/3627: {Degassing devices; Buffer reservoirs; Drip chambers; Blood filters} - A61M 1/367: {Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621} - G01M 3/02: by using fluid or vacuum - A61M 2039/1005: {Detection of disconnection} - A61M 2039/1044: {Verifying the connection, e.g. audible feedback, tactile feedback, visual feedback, using external light sources} - A61M 2205/14: Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus - A61M 2205/276: preventing unwanted use - A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow - A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers - A61M 2205/70: with testing or calibration facilities - A61M 2205/7536: allowing gas passage, but preventing liquid passage, e.g. liquophobic, hydrophobic, water-repellent membranes - 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)} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The disclosure relates to a method for checking a connection between a compressed air outlet of a blood treatment apparatus and a pressure measuring line of an extracorporeal blood tubing set. The methods disclosed include providing a blood treatment apparatus having a compressed air line. A compressed air device is in fluid communication with the compressed air line for generating pressure within the compressed air line. A compressed air outlet is in fluid communication with both the compressed air line and an exterior of the blood treatment apparatus. The compressed air outlet is connectable with a pressure measuring line and a pressure sensor. The method also includes building up a pressure and an air flow in the compressed air line and/or at the compressed air outlet, measuring a pressure at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line, and evaluating an increase of the measured pressure. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-22. (canceled) ### Claim 23 A method for checking a connection between a compressed air outlet of a blood treatment apparatus and a pressure measuring line of an extracorporeal blood tubing set, the method comprising, providing the blood treatment apparatus comprising: a compressed air line; a compressed air device in fluid communication with the compressed air line; the compressed air outlet in fluid communication with both the compressed air line and an exterior of the blood treatment apparatus, wherein the compressed air outlet is connectable with a pressure measuring line; and a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line; building up, using the compressed air device, a pressure and an air flow in the compressed air line, or at the compressed air outlet, or both; measuring a pressure or a change of the pressure over time prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line using a pressure sensor; and evaluating an increase of the measured pressure or of the measured change of the pressure over time, by comparing the measured pressure or the measured change of the pressure over time with previously measured or stored values, thresholds, ranges, or courses. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the evaluating the increase of the measured pressure or of the measured change of the pressure over time indicates whether the compressed air outlet and the pressure measuring line are connected. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method according to claim 24, further comprising providing an assessment, including a list of minimum values, maximum values, patterns, curves, or courses of pressure increases or of pressure increases over time, which have been collected for or which designate, two or more preselected pressure measuring lines which differ from each other; and wherein the evaluating the increase of the measured pressure or of the measured change of the pressure over time comprises checking the list. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method according to claim 25, wherein an indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist or does not take place, if a preselected minimum increase in pressure or a preselected course of the increase in pressure is not reached or not detected by evaluating. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist, if the measured pressure increase does not reach or does not exceed a preselected pressure value. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist, if the measured pressure does not reach or exceed a preselected pressure value within a maximum period of time since the building up of the pressure. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein when the indication of the assessment reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist, either: (i) an error message is issued or triggered, (ii) the method is cancelled or interrupted, or (iii) both. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, further comprising re-executing the method, if the indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist, or in case a user requires or demands to do so. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein when: (i) the indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist or (ii) the increase of the measured change of the pressure over time is not included in the list, then the method further comprises disabling the beginning of or interrupting a blood treatment performed by the blood treatment apparatus. ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein when: (i) the indication of the assessment regarding the connection reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist or (ii) the increase of the measured change of the pressure over time is not included in the list, the method further comprises one or both of: (a) blocking treatment modalities of the blood treatment apparatus and (b) restricting treatment parameters of a blood treatment method performable or executable by the blood treatment apparatus ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the method is concluded prior to beginning a treatment of a patient using the extracorporeal blood tubing set. ### Claim 34 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein the blood treatment apparatus is a device for apheresis, hemodialysis, hemofiltration, or hemodiafiltration. ### Claim 35 A detection device configured for performing or prompting a method for checking a connection between a compressed air outlet of a blood treatment apparatus and a pressure measuring line of an extracorporeal blood tubing set, the method comprising: providing the blood treatment apparatus comprising: a compressed air line; a compressed air device in fluid communication with the compressed air line; the compressed air outlet in fluid communication with both the compressed air line and an exterior of the blood treatment apparatus, wherein the compressed air outlet is connectable with a pressure measuring line; and a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line; building up, using the compressed air device, a pressure and an air flow in the compressed air line, or at the compressed air outlet, or both; measuring a pressure or a change of the pressure over time prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line using a pressure sensor; and evaluating an increase of the measured pressure or of the measured change of the pressure over time, by comparing the measured pressure or the measured change of the pressure over time with previously measured or stored values, thresholds, ranges, or courses. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The detection device according to claim 35, comprising at least one display for displaying a result of the method. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The detection device according to claim 35, comprising at least one alarm device configured for issuing an alarm when the method reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The detection device according to claim 35, wherein the detection device is configured to act on or to affect the blood treatment apparatus such that one or both of: (i) at least one treatment option, for which the blood treatment apparatus is designed, is not performable or executable, and (ii) the treatment is not performable by the blood treatment apparatus using preselected treatment parameters, when the method reveals that the connection does not exist or does not correctly exist. ### Claim 39 (depends on 35) The detection device according to claim 35, being or comprising either a control device, or a function test monitor, or both. ### Claim 40 A blood treatment apparatus that is at least one of: (i) in signal communication with at least one detection device, (ii) connected to at least one detection device for signal communication, and (iii) comprising at least one detection device the at least one detection device configured for performing or prompting a method for checking a connection between a compressed air outlet of a blood treatment apparatus and a pressure measuring line of an extracorporeal blood tubing set, the method comprising: providing the blood treatment apparatus comprising: a compressed air line; a compressed air device in fluid communication with the compressed air line; the compressed air outlet being in fluid communication with both the compressed air line and an exterior of the blood treatment apparatus, wherein the compressed air outlet is connectable with a pressure measuring line; and a pressure sensor arranged to measure a pressure prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line; building up, using the compressed air device, a pressure and an air flow in the compressed air line, or at the compressed air outlet, or both; measuring a pressure or a change of the pressure over time prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line using a pressure sensor; and evaluating an increase of the measured pressure or of the measured change of the pressure over time, by comparing the measured pressure or the measured change of the pressure over time with previously measured or stored values, thresholds, ranges, or courses ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The blood treatment apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the blood treatment apparatus is a device for apheresis, hemodialysis, hemofiltration, or hemodiafiltration. ### Claim 42 A blood tubing set for use in a blood treatment being performed with a blood treatment apparatus, wherein the blood tubing set comprises at least one pressure measuring line, a connector and at least one air-permeable membrane being arranged in the connector or at another point or site of the pressure measuring line. ### Claim 43 A digital storage medium with electrically readable control signals that when executed by a hardware processor of a blood treatment apparatus cause the blood treatment apparatus to carry out operations comprising: building up, using a compressed air device of the blood treatment apparatus, a pressure and an air flow in a compressed air line of the blood treatment apparatus, or at a compressed air outlet of the blood treatment apparatus, or both; measuring a pressure or a pressure over time prevailing at the compressed air outlet or in the compressed air line using a pressure sensor; and evaluating an increase of the measured pressure or of the measured pressure over time, by comparing the measured pressure or the measured change of the pressure over time with previously measured or stored values, thresholds, ranges, or course.