JP2008136678A - Condition detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a state detection device capable of effectively removing bubbles present inside the liquid flow in either the forward direction or the reverse direction.
A state detection device (1) for detecting a state of a liquid flowing in a pipe in a state of being disposed in the pipe, the liquid storage part (2) for storing the liquid, and the liquid in the liquid storage part (2). An inflow part 4 for inflow, an outflow part 5 for allowing liquid to flow out from the liquid storage part 2, and above the central part in the vertical direction of the liquid storage part 2 in the attached state of the state detection device 1, An inflow port 8 that is a rear end portion of the inflow portion 4 and an outflow port 9 that is a front end portion of the outflow portion 5 are provided.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a state detection device that detects a state of a liquid flowing in a pipe in a state of being interposed in the pipe.

  As an example of a state detection device for monitoring the state in a circuit through which liquid flows, a pressure measurement device that detects the pressure of the liquid flowing in the circuit by displacement of a diaphragm provided in the detection device (Patent Document 1) And an optical detection device that detects the degree of turbidity of the liquid and the concentration of a specific component present in the liquid based on the light transmittance.

  Since these detection devices cannot accurately detect pressure and light transmittance when bubbles are present in the detection device, it is necessary to remove bubbles inside the detection device.

  In particular, when these detection devices are incorporated in a circuit for extracting and processing blood outside the body, such as a blood circuit, the pressure of the liquid flowing in the circuit and the light transmittance are important indicators related to human life. Accurate detection is desired.

  The technical background will be described below by taking a blood circuit and a dialysis monitoring device as examples.

  Hemodialysis is a treatment method in which blood derived from a patient is circulated through a blood purifier (dialyzer) to remove excess water and waste products in the blood. The flow path connected to the patient is called a blood circuit, and blood drawn from the patient by a blood pump arranged in the dialysis monitoring device flows in this circuit, and is purified by the blood purifier connected thereto, and again. Returned to the body. A hollow fiber type semipermeable membrane is accommodated inside the blood purifier, blood is circulated inside the hollow fiber, dialysate is circulated outside the hollow fiber, and blood is diffused and filtered through the semipermeable membrane. Move unnecessary substances in the dialysate and remove them from the blood.

  In general, blood and dialysate are circulated in opposite directions to improve dialysis efficiency during treatment. Moreover, in order to remove bubbles from the dialysate, the dialysate flows from the lower side to the upper side of the hollow fiber of the blood purifier. Therefore, blood circulates from the upper side to the lower side in the blood purifier so as to counter flow with the dialysate.

On the other hand, before the treatment is performed, a preparatory work for replacing the air in the blood circuit or the blood purifier with physiological saline or the like and circulating the blood in the circuit is required. Of these preparatory operations, filling the circuit with physiological saline using the blood pump of the dialysis monitoring apparatus after the circuit is attached to the dialysis monitoring apparatus is called “priming”. In the priming operation, liquid is circulated from the lower side to the upper side in the blood flow path of the blood purifier, in which air tends to remain, so that air in the circuit can be easily removed. That is, it is required to circulate the liquid from the upper side to the lower side at the time of treatment, and from the lower side to the upper side at the time of priming, and the flow of the liquids in both directions is upside down. For this reason, at the time of priming, the blood purifier is inverted, and pre-treatment such as liquid replacement is performed with the blood purifier inlet positioned downward and the blood purifier outlet positioned upward. . Further, when shifting to treatment, an operation of rearranging in the correct direction is necessary, and when performing treatment of a plurality of dialysis patients at the same time, the operation becomes very complicated.
Japanese Patent No. 3526965

  Therefore, recently, a priming method has been proposed which is devised so as not to require human intervention as much as possible from the initial state in which the blood circuit is connected to the dialysis monitoring device to the start of treatment.

  As one of the priming methods, for example, a method is proposed in which the blood circuit is preset in the dialysis monitoring device and the pump is rotated in the reverse direction to generate a flow in the direction opposite to the flow direction of the liquid flowing at the time of treatment. Has been. During priming, the pump is rotated in the reverse direction to generate a reverse flow, so that the blood purifier can be filled from the bottom to the top with the blood purifier set in the direction during treatment. It becomes. However, this priming method causes a new problem. For example, when a pressure detection device having a structure as shown in FIG. 6 is used, the direction of flow is reversed between priming and treatment, so any one state (priming, treatment) The bubble removal can only be done easily. That is, air can be easily expelled from the bottom to the top (forward direction) of the arrow shown in the figure, but when the liquid is circulated in the direction opposite to the arrow in the figure as in the case of the priming, the air There is a problem that it becomes difficult to drive out. Similar problems can occur with similarly shaped optical sensing devices.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is capable of effectively removing air bubbles not only in the normal liquid flow direction during dialysis but also in priming in which the liquid flow is reversed. The purpose is to provide a detection device.

  In the above description, the blood circuit has been described as an example. However, the same techniques and issues are generally applicable to devices that derive and process body fluids outside the body, such as blood purification monitoring devices such as blood filtration devices, heart-lung machines, and blood concentration devices. have.

  In order to achieve the above object, a state detection device according to the present invention is a state detection device that detects a state of a liquid flowing in a pipe in a state of being interposed in the pipe, and stores the liquid. Part, an inflow part for allowing liquid to flow into the liquid storage part, an outflow part for allowing liquid to flow out from the liquid storage part, and above the central part in the vertical direction of the liquid storage part in the attached state detection device, An inflow port that is a rear end portion of the inflow portion and an outflow port that is a front end portion of the outflow portion are provided.

  This makes it possible to effectively push out the air bubbles floating inside the liquid storage part to the outflow part regardless of whether the direction of the liquid flowing through the pipe is the forward direction or the reverse direction, thereby enhancing the effect of removing the air bubbles. I can do things. Furthermore, it is preferable that the inflow port and the outflow port are within a distance of 10 to 40% of the maximum length in the width direction of the liquid storage part.

  Further, the liquid storage part has a top that is higher than the other part of the liquid storage part, and the inlet and the outlet are arranged at or near the top of the liquid storage part. Is desirable.

  As a result, the bubble removal effect can be further enhanced, and even if the liquid flows in either the forward direction or the reverse direction, the bubbles can be removed almost equally.

  In addition, it is desirable that the upper end portion of the inflow port, the top of the liquid storage portion, and the upper end portion of the outflow port are arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane.

  Accordingly, the bubbles are smoothly pushed out by the liquid regardless of whether the liquid direction is the forward direction or the reverse direction, and the bubbles in the liquid storage part can be removed very easily.

Further, it is preferable that the liquid storage part has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the inflow port and the outflow port are disposed on a peripheral wall of the liquid storage part.

  Thereby, the air bubbles existing in the liquid storage part can easily move upward along the peripheral wall of the liquid storage part. Accordingly, it is possible to easily remove the bubbles from the outlet arranged at the upper part of the peripheral wall.

  Even if the liquid flow is in either the forward direction or the reverse direction, it is possible to remove the bubbles easily and reliably.

  Next, a pressure detection device which is an embodiment of the state detection device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pressure detection device with one end face opened.

  A pressure detection device 1 as a state detection device shown in FIG. 1 is interposed in a blood circuit or a dialysate circuit attached to the dialysis monitoring device, and detects the pressure of blood or dialysate in the circuit in real time. It is a part of the apparatus and includes a T-shaped housing 3 having a cylindrical liquid storage portion 2 at the center.

  FIG. 2 is a front view of the pressure detection device. In addition, the figure has shown the attitude | position in the normal attachment state of a pressure detection apparatus. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pressure detector 1 in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pressure detection device 1 includes an inflow portion 4 and an outflow portion 5 that communicate the liquid storage portion 2 and the outside of the housing 3.

  The inflow part 4 and the outflow part 5 are flow paths that are directly connected to the liquid storage part 2, and in the case of this embodiment, are linearly provided from the outside of the housing 3 toward the liquid storage part 2. It is a flow path. For convenience, the inflow portion 4 and the outflow portion 5 and an inflow port 8 and an outflow port 9 which will be described later are fixed, but the inflow portion 4 is used as the outflow portion at the time of priming where the liquid flows backward. Function and the inlet 8 functions as an outlet. Similarly, the outflow portion 5 functions as an inflow portion, and the outflow port 9 functions as an inflow port.

  In the case of this embodiment, the angle θ formed by the outflow portion 5 with respect to the inflow portion 4 is 160 degrees. The angle θ is preferably 180 degrees or less. This is because if the angle exceeds 180 degrees, bubbles are difficult to remove. That is, since the outflow portion 5 is lowered with respect to the outflow port 9, the bubbles in the liquid storage portion 2 are difficult to be discharged through the outflow portion 5.

  Moreover, the inflow part 4 and the outflow part 5 are each provided with the enlarged diameter part 6 in the outer side edge part. The enlarged diameter portion 6 is a portion to which an end portion of a soft tube (not shown) that is a liquid flow path is bonded. A connector may be provided at the outer end of the inflow portion 4 or the outflow portion 5 so as to be detachable from an external pipe.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the liquid reservoir 2 has a cylindrical shape. And the liquid storage part 2 is formed by surrounding the surrounding wall and its one end part by the housing | casing 3 integrally. Further, the other end of the liquid reservoir 2 is in an open state without being closed by the housing 3.

  The other end of the liquid storage part 2 in the open state is sealed with a diaphragm described later, and the liquid storage part 2 is formed by the diaphragm and the housing 3.

  The housing 3 is entirely formed of a transparent resin so that the state of the liquid inside the liquid storage unit 2 can be visually observed. This is to make it possible to visually check the state of blood, the state of dialysate, the state of fluid flow, and the like during dialysis.

  Furthermore, since the peripheral wall portion of the housing 3 forming the liquid storage unit 2 is transparent, light can be transmitted through the liquid storage unit 2. Thereby, for example, the optical detector having the housing 3 as described above is interposed in the dialysate circuit through which the dialysate flows, and the change in the amount of transmitted light that passes through the liquid storage part 2 where the dialysate is stored is stored. , It is possible to determine the turbidity of the dialysate, that is, the presence or absence of blood leaking into the dialysate (leakage). It can be realized with one device. Moreover, since the liquid storage part 2 becomes a knob-like part having a larger volume than that of a connected tube or the like, the distance through which light passes through the dialysate existing in the liquid storage part 2 can be increased. It becomes possible to improve the sensitivity etc. which detect the turbidity of a liquid.

  An inflow port 8 that is an end portion of the inflow portion 4 and an outflow port 9 that is an end portion of the outflow portion 5 are provided on the peripheral wall surface of the liquid storage portion 2. As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the inflow port 8 and the outflow port 9 are disposed above the center in the direction of the vertical axis 10 passing through the center of the liquid storage unit 2. Further, the pressure detection device 1 is arranged so as to be symmetric with respect to the vertical axis 10 and shifted in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3).

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper end portion of the inflow port 8 and the upper end portion of the outflow port 9 are disposed at substantially the same position in the horizontal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 2). Moreover, the top of the liquid storage part 2 is arranged at the position.

  As described above, each upper end portion and the top are arranged on the same plane, so that bubbles gathering toward the top of the liquid storage portion 2 are easily conveyed to the outlet 9 by the liquid flowing in from the inlet 8. Accordingly, it is possible to easily remove the bubbles without retaining the bubbles in the liquid storage unit 2. In the case of the present embodiment, since the liquid storage part 2 has a cylindrical shape, the top exists in a linear shape.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pressure detection device 1 has the shape and storage of the liquid storage unit 2 so that the liquid state in the liquid storage unit 2 remains the same even if the liquid flow direction is changed. The positional relationship between the liquid portion 2 and the inflow portion 4 and the outflow portion 5, the inclination of the inflow portion 4 and the outflow portion 5, the positions of the inflow port 8 and the outflow port 9 are symmetrical in FIG. It is made symmetrical. In this way, by making the shape of each part symmetrical and making the positional relationship of each part symmetrical, even if the liquid flow direction is reversed, the bubbles existing inside the liquid storage part 2 are effectively eliminated as described above. It becomes possible to do. Accordingly, it is possible to easily remove bubbles inside the pressure detection device even during priming in which the liquid flow direction is reversed.

  4A and 4B are views showing a state in which the diaphragm 11 as a pressure detection unit is attached to the housing, in which FIG. 4A is a front view, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line AA shown in FIG. It is.

  As shown in the figure, the other end of the cylindrical liquid storage part 2 is sealed by a diaphragm 11 that is deformed by the pressure of the liquid existing in the liquid storage part 2. The diaphragm 11 is attached to the housing 3 by a pressing ring 12 for preventing the diaphragm 11 from falling off.

The load cell 13 connected to the diaphragm 11 is a sensor for detecting a displacement near the center of the diaphragm 11 as a pressure.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a blood purification monitoring device 14 suitable for continuous and slow therapy, a blood circuit 17 and a dialysate circuit 18 (replacement fluid circuit, filtrate circuit) attached thereto.

  As shown in the figure, the pressure detection device 1 is disposed in a blood circuit 17 before and after a blood purifier 19 used for blood purification, and detects the pressure of blood during treatment in real time.

  Further, the pressure detection device 1 is also disposed in the dialysate circuit 18 so that the pressure of the dialysate is detected in real time. Furthermore, a light emitting unit 20 and a light receiving unit 21 are provided on both sides of the pressure detection device 1 of the dialysate circuit 18, and the intensity of light emitted from the light emitting unit 20 is detected by the light receiving unit, thereby dialysis. The presence or absence of blood leakage in the liquid is confirmed. In this way, by monitoring the concentration change (change in the amount of received light) of blood and specific components present in the liquid storage unit 2 using the pressure detection device 1, the state of the dialysate can be observed together with the pressure. It becomes possible.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not necessarily limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, even a state detection device that does not include a pressure detection unit (diaphragm) is included in the present invention. For example, if the state detection device has a transparent housing that forms a liquid storage part, the feature of the liquid storage part that can easily remove bubbles regardless of the liquid flow direction can be used. By transmitting the light, a long distance that the liquid interferes with the light can be secured, and the turbidity of the liquid, the concentration of a specific component present in the liquid, and the like can be detected with high sensitivity.

  Further, the pressure may be detected not only by measuring the pressure accurately using a diaphragm, but also by using what is called a pillow to roughly detect only the positive or negative pressure. A pillow is generally used in a blood circuit for blood purification, and is a tube having a flexible diameter-expanded portion that is shaped and processed into an elliptical cross section in the axial direction of a liquid flow. Thus, the negative pressure state in the blood circuit can be confirmed by the degree of collapse of the enlarged diameter portion.

  Further, the shape of the liquid storage part 2 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, but may be a spherical shape. Moreover, even if it employ | adopts arbitrary shapes, such as a rectangle, it is included by this invention. In particular, the spherical shape is considered to be effective in that the top is one point and the bubbles rise in the same way in all directions.

  Further, the shape of the housing 3 is not limited to the T-shape, and any shape can be adopted, and for example, a cylindrical shape along the shape of the liquid storage unit 2 may be used.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to a state detection device that detects a state of a liquid flowing in a pipe. In particular, the state detection device according to the present invention is suitable for a body fluid derivation device and an extracorporeal circulation device that derive and process body fluid outside the body. Adopted.

It is a perspective view which shows the pressure detection apparatus from which the diaphragm was removed. It is a front view of the pressure detection device. It is sectional drawing which desires the II line cross section of a pressure detection apparatus from the downward direction. It is the front view (a) which shows the state which attached the diaphragm as a pressure detection part to a housing | casing, and is sectional drawing (b). It is a perspective view which shows the blood purification apparatus, the blood circuit attached to this, and a dialysate circuit. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional pressure detection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pressure detection apparatus 2 Storage part 3 Housing | casing 4 Inflow part 5 Outflow part 6 Expanded diameter part 8 Inlet 9 Outlet 10 Vertical axis | shaft 11 Diaphragm 12 Press ring 13 Load cell 14 Blood purification monitor 17 Blood circuit 18 Dialysate circuit 19 Blood purifier 20 Light emitting part 21 Light receiving part

Claims (4)

A state detection device that detects a state of liquid flowing in a tube in a state of being disposed in the tube,
A liquid storage section for storing the liquid;
An inflow part for allowing liquid to flow into the liquid storage part;
An outflow part for allowing liquid to flow out of the liquid storage part;
An inlet that is a rear end portion of the inflow portion and an outlet that is a front end portion of the outflow portion are provided above the central portion in the vertical direction of the liquid storage portion in the attached state detection device. A state detection device. The liquid reservoir has a top that is higher than the rest of the liquid reservoir,
The state detection device according to claim 1, wherein the inflow port and the outflow port are arranged at the top of the liquid storage unit or in the vicinity thereof.   The state detection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an upper end portion of the inflow port, a top of the liquid storage portion, and an upper end portion of the outflow port are disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane. The liquid storage part has a substantially cylindrical shape,
The state detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inflow port and the outflow port are disposed on a peripheral wall of the liquid storage unit.

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