System and method for monitoring a dosage pump in a dialysis machine

A method for monitoring the flow of a fluid through a dosage pump having a suction stroke for drawing said fluid into said dosage pump from a source of said fluid and a discharge stroke for discharging said fluid from said dosage pump, said dosage pump incorporated as an internal part of a dialysis machine to regulate the amount of a pre-prepared dialysis fluid flowing through said dialysis machine to be mixed with a concentrate fluid simultaneously being pumped through the dialysis machine, an auxiliary pump disposed between said source of said fluid and said dosage pump, and a slave chamber disposed between said auxiliary pump and said dosage pump, said method comprising detecting the level of said fluid in said slave chamber and emitting a signal when said level is below a first predetermined level in said slave chamber, and actuating said auxiliary pump after emitting said signal whereby said level of said fluid in said slave chamber is increased above a second predetermined level by said discharge stroke of said dosage pump.

Apparatus for monitoring the flow of a fluid through a dosage pump having a suction stroke for drawing said fluid into said dosage pump from a source of said fluid and a discharge stroke for discharging said fluid from said dosage pump, said apparatus comprising an auxiliary pump disposed between a fluid source and said dosage pump, a slave chamber disposed between said auxiliary pump and said dosage pump, said slave chamber including a level detector for detecting a first predetermined level of said fluid in said slave chamber and emitting a signal when said level of said fluid in said slave chamber is below said first predetermined level, control means for activating said auxiliary pump after said level detector emits said signal whereby said slave chamber is refilled with said fluid by said auxiliary pump after said suction stroke of said dosage pump has drawn said fluid into said dosage pump and caused said level detector to emit said signal, and regulating means for regulating said dosage pump whereby said suction stroke is carried out at a first speed and said discharge stroke is carried out at a second speed, said first speed being substantially greater than said second speed, and said second speed providing a substantially constant flow rate.

Apparatus for monitoring the flow of a fluid through a dosage pump having a suction stroke for drawing said fluid into said dosage pump from a source of said fluid and a discharge stroke for discharging said fluid from said dosage pump, said apparatus comprising an auxiliary pump disposed between a fluid source and said dosage pump, said auxiliary pump comprising a second dosage pump having a predetermined volume per cycle or portion thereof, a slave chamber disposed between said auxiliary pump and said dosage pump, said slave chamber including a level detector for detecting a first predetermined level of said fluid in said slave chamber and emitting a signal when said level of said fluid in said slave chamber is below said first predetermined level, said slave chamber further including a side wall and an inlet for said second dosage pump, said inlet being disposed adjacent to said side wall of said slave chamber, and control means for activating said auxiliary pump after said level detector emits said signal whereby said slave chamber is refilled with said fluid by said auxiliary pump after said suction stroke of said dosage pump has drawn said fluid into said dosage pump and caused said level detector to emit said signal.

A method for monitoring the flow of a fluid through a dosage pump having a suction stroke for drawing said fluid into said dosage pump from a source of said fluid and a discharge stroke for discharging said fluid from said dosage pump, an auxiliary pump disposed between said source of said fluid and said dosage pump, and a slave chamber disposed between said auxiliary pump and said dosage pump, said method comprising detecting the level of said fluid in said slave chamber and emitting a signal when said level is below a first predetermined level in said slave chamber, actuating said auxiliary pump after emitting said signal whereby said level of said fluid in said slave chamber is increased above a second predetermined level by said discharge stroke of said dosage pump, and regulating said dosage pump so that said suction stroke is carried out at a first speed and said discharge stroke is carried out at a second speed, said first speed being substantially greater than said second speed, and said second speed providing a substantially constant flow rate.