Split Reservoir Bags and Method of Using Split Reservoir Bags to Improve the Heating and Generation of Dialysate

Abstract

The present specification provides a reservoir bag for containing a dialysate during a dialysis treatment. The bag has four walls and a membrane extending from a first wall to a second opposing wall which divides the bag into a first and a second sub-reservoir having changeable volumes. The maximum volume of each sub-reservoir is between 80 to 100% of the entire volume of the bag. The bag further includes at least an inlet and an outlet positioned in at least one of the walls for enabling fluid entry into and exit out of the first sub-reservoir and at least an inlet and an outlet positioned in at least one of the walls for enabling fluid entry into and exit out of the second sub-reservoir.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A reservoir bag for containing a dialysate fluid during a dialysis treatment, wherein the reservoir bag is defined at least by a first wall and a second wall and wherein the reservoir bag comprises:
 a membrane extending from the first wall of the reservoir bag to the second wall of the reservoir bag, said second wall opposing the first wall, wherein the membrane is attached to the first wall and the second wall so that an internal volume of the reservoir bag is divided into a first sub-reservoir and a second sub-reservoir, wherein said first sub-reservoir and second sub-reservoir are fluidically isolated from each other, wherein said membrane is flexible such that, upon application of fluid pressure, said membrane moves causing the first sub-reservoir to have a changeable volume and the second sub-reservoir to have a changeable volume, and wherein a maximum volume of the first sub-reservoir is equal to 80% to 100% of an entire amount of the internal volume of the reservoir bag and a maximum volume of the second sub-reservoir is equal to 80% to 100% of the entire amount of the internal volume of the reservoir bag;   a first inlet and a first outlet positioned on a surface of the reservoir bag for enabling fluid entry into, and exit out of, the first sub-reservoir; and   a second inlet and a second outlet positioned on a surface of the reservoir bag for enabling fluid entry into, and exit out of, the second sub-reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  wherein said first wall of the reservoir bag is defined by a first length having a first midpoint positioned along said first length and wherein said membrane has a first end attached to the first wall at said first midpoint. 
     
     
         3 . The reservoir bag of  claim 2  wherein said second wall of the reservoir bag is defined by a second length having a second midpoint along said second length and wherein said membrane has a second end attached to the second wall at said second midpoint. 
     
     
         4 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  wherein the first sub-reservoir is adapted to receive an unfiltered mixture of water and compounds via the first inlet and adapted to be a source of said unfiltered mixture of water and compounds to a sorbent device in a dialysis machine via the first outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The reservoir bag of  claim 4  wherein the second sub-reservoir is adapted to receive a filtered mixture of water and compounds via the second inlet and adapted to be a source of said filtered mixture of water and compounds to the dialysis machine via the second outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  wherein the membrane has a thickness that is less than a thickness of said first wall and said second wall. 
     
     
         7 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  wherein the reservoir bag comprises one or more handles extending outside the bag for moving the bag. 
     
     
         8 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  wherein said first wall of the reservoir bag is defined by a first length having a first midpoint positioned along said first length and a first end of the membrane is attached to the first wall at a location along the first wall that is positioned at a distance less than the distance to the first midpoint. 
     
     
         9 . The reservoir bag of  claim 8  wherein said second wall of the reservoir bag is defined by a second length having a second midpoint positioned along said second length and a second end of the membrane is attached to the second wall at a location along the second wall that is positioned at a distance less than the distance to the second midpoint. 
     
     
         10 . The reservoir bag of  claim 1  further comprising a third inlet positioned on a surface of the reservoir bag for enabling fluid entry into, and exit out of, the first sub-reservoir. 
     
     
         11 . A method of heating water in a reservoir bag to be used in a dialysis treatment, the reservoir bag comprising a first sub-reservoir and a second sub-reservoir, wherein the first and second sub-reservoirs are fluidically isolated, the method comprising:
 filling the first sub-reservoir with unfiltered water through a first inlet on said reservoir bag;   applying heat to the reservoir bag to heat up the unfiltered water in said reservoir bag to a predefined temperature;   extracting the unfiltered water out of the first sub-reservoir through a first outlet;   passing the unfiltered water through a sorbent cartridge to generate filtered water;   filling the filtered water into the second sub-reservoir through a second inlet;   determining a temperature of the filtered water in the reservoir bag; and   terminating heating the reservoir bag when the filtered water has a predefined temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising adding a plurality of compounds to the unfiltered water through the first inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the reservoir bag comprises a membrane extending from a first wall of the reservoir bag to a second opposing wall of the reservoir bag, wherein the membrane is attached to the first wall and the second wall so that an internal volume of the reservoir bag is divided into the first sub-reservoir and the second sub-reservoir. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said membrane is flexible such that, upon application of fluid pressure, said membrane moves causing the first sub-reservoir to have a changeable volume and the second sub-reservoir to have a changeable volume. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein a maximum volume of the first sub-reservoir is equal to 80-100% of the internal volume of the reservoir bag and a maximum volume of the second sub-reservoir is equal to 80-100% of the internal volume of the reservoir bag. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the first inlet and the first outlet are positioned on a surface of the reservoir bag for enabling fluid entry into, and exit out of, the first sub-reservoir and the second inlet is positioned on a surface of the reservoir bag for enabling fluid entry into, and exit out of, the second sub-reservoir. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein, when said dialysis treatment is initiated, the first sub-reservoir contains a first volume of fluid and the second sub-reservoir comprises an amount of fluid equal to 0 to 10% of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein, after a priming procedure, the first sub-reservoir contains 10-40% of the first volume of fluid and the second sub-reservoir comprises between 20-70% of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising periodically performing a plurality of dilutions during said dialysis treatment by passing water from the first sub-reservoir to the second sub-reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein, after a first dilution of said plurality of dilutions, the first sub-reservoir contains 5-35% of the first volume of fluid and the second sub-reservoir comprises between 40-80% of the first volume of fluid.