Powerhead of a power injection system

• US 20060079765A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel Flarsheim Co LLC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Neer, Charles S., Small, James R., Ziemba, Robert J., Brooks, David M., Wagner, Gary S., Gibbs, Jonathan D., Bruce, John Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,507,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/432
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1785 comprising radioactive shield means syringe shields or holders for storage of radioactive sources G21F5/018

Abstract

A contrast media injection system includes detects the absolute position of the syringe ram using a non-contact sensor. A series of magnets and Hall-Effect sensors may be used or an opto-reflective system. Illuminated knobs that are connected to the drive mechanism for the syringe ram rotate with the drive and provide visual feedback on operation through the illumination. Analog Hall-Effect sensors are used to determine the presence or absence of magnets that identify the type of faceplate being used. The faceplates include control electronics, connected to the powerhead through connectors, which may be interchangeably used by the two faceplates. The faceplate electronics include detectors for automatically detecting the capacity of pre-filled syringes. Additional features include using historical data to provide optimum pressure limit values during an injection protocol, a removable memory device for storing and transferring information such as injection protocols and injector statistics, and password protection of such protocols.

Claims

1. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a syringe ram;

a drive mechanism coupled with the syringe ram and configured to move the syringe ram;

a magnet coupled with the drive mechanism; and

a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged along a path in which the magnet travels, the sensors configured to detect a presence of the magnet.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are arranged such that two adjacent sensors detect the magnet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnet travels along a path passing over the plurality of sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said sensor generates a signal representative of the analog magnetic field strength detected by said sensor, the detected analog magnetic field strength being used to determine a relative position of said magnet.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store a respective position of the drive mechanism associated with a state of the sensors.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a position detector configured to;

determine a detected state of the sensors;

search in the memory for the respective position associated with the detected state; and

determine a position of the syringe ram based on the respective position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said sensors are analog Hall effect sensors, said memory stores a level of magnetic flux at a sensor as part of a sensor state, and said position detector compares a level of magnetic flux from sensors to levels of magnetic flux stored in said memory and uses interpolation between states in said memory to determine a position of the syringe ram.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each sensor has an overlap length Y,

the magnet has a length L;

the syringe ram travel extends over a distance D;

a number of sensors is substantially equal to D/(L−

Y).

9. The system of claim 7, wherein a spacing distance between adjacent sensors is substantially equal to (L−

Y).

10. Within a contrast media injector system, a method comprising the steps of:

positioning a syringe ram at a plurality of different locations;

acquiring at each location;

a) a first value of the syringe ram position from an encoder, and

b) a second value of a magnet from a plurality of sensors configured to detect the magnet, the magnet arranged to move with the syringe ram;

associating the first and second values for each different location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a state of the sensors representing an analog amount of magnetic flux detected by the sensors;

locating a second value substantially similar to the state and identifying its associated first value; and

determining a position of the syringe ram based on the first value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensors are arranged such that two adjacent sensors detect the magnet.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the magnet travels along a path adjacent to the plurality of sensors.

14. A contrast media injector system comprising:

a syringe ram;

a drive mechanism coupled with the syringe ram and configured to move the syringe ram;

a reflective surface coupled with the drive mechanism; and

a optical sensor configured to transmit radiation towards the reflective surface and detect a reflection therefrom.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a computing circuit configured to estimate a distance to the reflective surface based on the detected reflection.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the optical sensor has a range substantially between 1 cm and 30 cm.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an encoder configured to determine a position of the drive mechanism;

a memory configured to store a respective position of the drive mechanism associated with a detected reflection of the optical sensor.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a position detector configured to;

determine a detected reflection of the optical sensor;

search in the memory for the respective position associated with the detected reflection; and

determine a position of the syringe ram based on the respective position.

19. Within a contrast media injector system, a method comprising the steps of:

positioning a syringe ram at a plurality of different locations;

acquiring at each location;

a) a first value of the syringe ram position from an encoder, and

b) a second value of a level of a reflected signal at an optical sensor, the optical sensor configured to transmit radiation to a reflective surface that moves with the syringe ram and determine an amount of reflective radiation that returns therefrom;

associating the first and second values for each different location.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a level of radiation reflected from the reflected surface;

locating a second value substantially similar to the level of radiation and identifying its associated first value; and

determining a position of the syringe ram based on the first value.

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