Reusable effluent drain container with key feature for dialysis and other medical fluid therapies

Abstract

A dialysis system includes a source of effluent dialysis fluid, a drain container configured to receive the effluent dialysis fluid through a drain tube, and a load cell. The drain container includes an at least semi-rigid body defining a first key feature. The load cell includes a second, mating key feature positioned and arranged to mate with the first key feature.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A dialysis system comprising:
 a source of effluent dialysis fluid;   a drain container configured to receive the effluent dialysis fluid through a drain tube, the drain container including an at least semi-rigid body defining a first key feature; and   a load cell, the load cell including a second, mating key feature positioned and arranged to mate with the first key feature.   
     
     
         2 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the load cell is positioned and arranged above a wheeled base. 
     
     
         3 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first key feature and the second key feature is a recessed key feature and the other of the first key feature and the second key feature is a projected key feature. 
     
     
         4 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the load cell includes a metal plate attached to a strain gauge. 
     
     
         5 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , further including a load cell assembly attached to the load cell, the load cell assembly positioned and arranged to removably attach to the drain container. 
     
     
         6 . The dialysis system of  claim 5 , wherein the drain container includes at least one wheel, and wherein the load cell assembly includes at least one wheel track sized to accept the at least one wheel of the drain container. 
     
     
         7 . The dialysis system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one wheel is removably attached to the drain container. 
     
     
         8 . The dialysis system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one wheel track includes an indent or stop configured to grab and hold the at least one wheel of the drain container. 
     
     
         9 . The dialysis system of  claim 5 , wherein the load cell assembly includes at least one wheel, the load cell assembly configured to roll on the at least one wheel with or without the drain container attached. 
     
     
         10 . The dialysis system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the drain container and the load cell assembly includes a telescoping handle. 
     
     
         11 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the drain container includes a projected surface allowing the load cell to measure the full weight of the drain container. 
     
     
         12 . The dialysis system of  claim 1 , further including electronics programmed to determine the total weight of effluent dialysis fluid received by the drain container using at least one of: (i) a dry weight of the drain container; (ii) a weight of the effluent dialysis fluid and the drain container at the beginning of a therapy; and (iii) a weight of the effluent dialysis fluid and the drain container at the end of the therapy. 
     
     
         13 . A dialysis treatment method comprising:
 positioning an at least semi-rigid drain container on a load cell by mating a first key feature of the drain container with a second, mating key feature of the load cell;   draining effluent dialysis fluid into the drain container;   calculating a weight of the effluent dialysis fluid drained into the drain container using the load cell;   removing the drain container from the load cell; and   wheeling the drain container to a disposal site to dispose of the effluent dialysis fluid.   
     
     
         14 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 13 , further including wheeling the drain container onto a load cell assembly attached to the load cell. 
     
     
         15 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 13 , wherein positioning the drain container on the load cell includes positioning at least one of the first key feature and the second key feature on a projected surface of at least one of the drain container and the load cell. 
     
     
         16 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 13 , wherein wheeling the drain container to the disposal site includes wheeling the drain container away from the load cell. 
     
     
         17 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 13 , wherein wheeling the drain container to the disposal site includes wheeling the drain container and the load cell to the disposal site. 
     
     
         18 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 13 , wherein removing the drain container from the load cell includes tilting the drain container so that the first key feature lifts free from the second key feature. 
     
     
         19 . A dialysis treatment method comprising:
 draining effluent dialysis fluid into an at least semi-rigid drain container;   structuring a dialysis instrument and the drain container so that the drain container can be repeatedly disconnected from and connected to the dialysis instrument; and   enabling the drain container to be wheeled to and from the dialysis instrument for disposal of the effluent dialysis fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 19 , further including (i) disconnecting the drain container from and (ii) connecting the drain container to the dialysis instrument by (i) removing the drain container from and (ii) placing the drain container onto a load cell, respectively. 
     
     
         21 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 20 , wherein connecting the drain container to the dialysis instrument includes mating a first key feature of the drain container with a second key feature of the load cell. 
     
     
         22 . The dialysis treatment method of  claim 19 , wherein enabling the drain container to be wheeled to and from the dialysis instrument includes enabling the drain container to be removed from and attached to a wheeled assembly.