Blood processing method and apparatus with disposable cassette

An apparatus for regulating flow of fluids in a blood-washing system, comprising:

• a rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• a disposable cassette for housing a flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen adjacent to which the flexible tube resides;
• and
• a securing mechanism for removably securing the cassette to the apparatus such that the flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and rollers of the rotor for inducing fluid flow through the tube by rotating the rotor and wherein the flexible tube is a primary flexible tube and the cassette further comprises a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow fluid flow between the primary flexible tube and each of the secondary flexible tubes.

An apparatus for regulating flow of fluids in a blood-washing system, comprising:

• a rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• a disposable cassette for housing a flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen adjacent to which the flexible tube resides;
• and
• a securing mechanism for removably securing the cassette to the apparatus such that the flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and rollers of the rotor for inducing fluid flow through the tube by rotating the rotor wherein the flexible tube is a primary flexible tube and the cassette further comprises a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow fluid flow between the primary flexible tube and each of the secondary flexible tubes, wherein the securing mechanism comprising a movable handle which, when closed, causes the flexible tube to be secured against the rollers of the rotor;
• a drag bar which moves with the handle and contacts the cassette drawing the cassette toward the rotor as the handle is moved toward the closed position;
• and
• a locking mechanism which locks the handle in a closed position.

A blood processing apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• a disposable cassette housing a primary flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen against which the primary flexible tube resides, the cassette further comprising a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow fluid to be introduced into the primary flexible tube from a plurality of different fluid sources;
• a plurality of pneumatic solenoid controlled pinch valve for individually occluding each of the secondary flexible tubes against a closing surface of the cassette;
• and
• a securing mechanism for removably securing the cassette to the apparatus such that the primary flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and the rollers of the rotor, whereby fluid flow through the primary tube may be induced by rotating the rotor.

A cassette for housing a primary flexible tube through which a fluid flow is induced by a peristaltic pump, the cassette comprising;

• a platen adjacent which the primary tube resides, the primary tube being compressed between the platen and a rotor of the peristaltic pump;
• a secondary tube in fluid communication with the primary tube;
• and
• a closing surface adjacent the secondary tube against which the secondary tube can be pinched to restrict fluid flow through the secondary tube with additional secondary tubes each in fluid communication with the primary tube and additional closing surfaces each located adjacent one of the additional secondary tubes such that each secondary tube can be closed individually.

A blood-processing apparatus for securing a primary pumping tube in a peristaltic pumping mechanism, the apparatus comprising:

• a cassette to which the primary pumping tube is mounted;
• a working surface to which the cassette is removably securable, the cassette being restricted in first and second mutually perpendicular directions when positioned on the working surface;
• a peristaltic pump rotor located adjacent the working surface;
• and
• a securing mechanism which responds to manual force in a single direction to bring a restricting member into contact with the cassette located on the working surface, application of said manual force causing the restricting member to move the cassette in a third direction perpendicular to said first and second directions to bring the primary pumping tube of the cassette into engagement with the pump rotor.

A method of regulating flow of biological fluids, the method comprising:

• providing a rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• providing a disposable cassette housing a flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen against which the flexible tube resides;
• securing the cassette to the rotor with a securing mechanism such that the flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and rollers of the rotor;
• and
• rotating the rotor to induce fluid flow through the flexible tube, wherein the flexible tube provided with the disposable cassette is a primary flexible tube and the step of providing a disposable cassette further comprises providing a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow the fluid flow between the primary flexible tube and each of the secondary flexible tubes.

A method of regulating flow of biological fluids, the method comprising:

• providing a rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• providing a disposable cassette housing a flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen against which the flexible tube resides;
• securing the cassette to the rotor with a securing mechanism such that the flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and rollers of the rotor;
• and
• rotating the rotor to induce fluid flow through the flexible tube, wherein the flexible tube provided with the disposable cassette is a primary flexible tube and the step of providing a disposable cassette further comprises providing a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow the fluid flow between the primary flexible tube and each of the secondary flexible tubes, wherein locking the securing mechanism comprises locking the securing mechanism with a pneumatic lock.

A method of regulating flow of biological fluids, the method comprising:

• providing a rotor for a peristaltic pump having a plurality of rollers disposed about the circumference of the rotor;
• providing a disposable cassette housing a flexible tube through which fluid flows, the cassette having a platen against which the flexible tube resides;
• securing the cassette to the rotor with a securing mechanism such that the flexible tube is in contact with both the platen and rollers of the rotor;
• and
• rotating the rotor to induce fluid flow through the flexible tube, wherein the flexible tube provided with the disposable cassette is a primary flexible tube and the step of providing a disposable cassette further comprises providing a manifold connecting a plurality of secondary flexible tubes to the primary flexible tube to allow the fluid flow between the primary flexible tube and each of the secondary flexible tubes, further comprising:
• providing a working surface on which the cassette resides while secured to the rotor;
• and
• providing a base plate to which elements which interact with the cassette are secured, said elements protruding through spaces in the working surface to interact with the cassette while the cassette is secured to the rotor and lowering the base plate when the cassette is not secured to the rotor such that said elements which interact with the cassette are recessed below the working surface.