Enteral feeding pump and feeding set therefor

• US 20070208304A1
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Inventors: Harr, James, Hanlon, James, Wiesner, Joel, Hudson, Joseph, Sisk, Ricky, Meier, Kevin, Gaines, Robert, Knauper, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,927,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0482 Enteral feeding product
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps

Abstract

An enteral feeding pump and feeding set for use to deliver a supply of liquid to a patient. The feeding set has a conduit for the nutrient liquid and a safety interlock device associated with the conduit. The enteral feeding pump has a pumping device and a control system for controlling operation of the pump. An electromagnetic radiation source operatively connected to the control system of the enteral feeding pump emits an electromagnetic radiation signal in a direction for striking the safety interlock device of the feeding set. The safety interlock device is adapted to affect the direction of the electromagnetic radiation. An electromagnetic radiation detector is operatively connected to the control system for receiving the electromagnetic radiation signal when the direction is affected by the safety interlock device, and provides an indication to the control system that the feeding set conduit is properly positioned in the enteral feeding pump.

Claims

1. An enteral feeding pump and feeding set for use to deliver a supply of nutrient liquid to a patient, the feeding set comprising a conduit for the nutrient liquid and a safety interlock device associated with the conduit, the enteral feeding pump comprising:

a pumping device operable to act on the feeding set to drive flow of the liquid in the feeding set;

a control system for controlling operation of the pumping device;

a source of electromagnetic radiation operatively connected to the control system of the pump for emitting electromagnetic radiation in a direction for striking the safety interlock device of the feeding set, the electromagnetic radiation being of a wavelength selected so that the safety interlock device can affect the propagation of the electromagnetic radiation;

an electromagnetic radiation detector operatively connected to the control system and arranged for receiving said electromagnetic radiation when its propagation from the source of electromagnetic radiation is affected by the safety interlock device, and providing an indication to the control system that the feeding set conduit is properly positioned in the feeding pump.

2. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said safety interlock device comprises an electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member received in a recess of the pump when the enteral feeding set is properly loaded, the propagation affecting member comprising a material that diffuses electromagnetic radiation received from the electromagnetic radiation source.

3. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation and the radiation detector are arranged relative to each other so that electromagnetic radiation from the source of electromagnetic radiation will not impinge upon the radiation detector unless the path of the electromagnetic radiation is altered.

4. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 3 wherein the source of electromagnetic radiation and the radiation detector are arranged relative to each other at an angle other than about 180 degrees.

5. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation and detector are parallel to receive the electromagnetic radiation transmitted from the safety interlock device when the feeding set conduit is properly loaded in the pump.

6. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 5 wherein said safety interlock device comprises a reflector to reflect the electromagnetic radiation to the detector when the feeding set conduit is properly loaded in the pump.

7. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 6 wherein said reflector comprises reflective tape affixed to the safety interlock device.

8. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 6 wherein said reflector comprises polished metal.

9. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said safety interlock device comprises a light pipe for the passage of the electromagnetic radiation by internal reflection within the light pipe through the safety interlock device.

10. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an alcove in the feeding pump for mounting the source of electromagnetic radiation and the detector and shielding the detector and source of electromagnetic radiation from ambient light.

11. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said safety interlock device has an opaque covering to prevent ambient light from passing to the detector when the enteral feeding set conduit is properly loaded into the pump.

12. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said source of electromagnetic radiation comprises an infrared emitter and said detector comprises an infrared detector.

13. The enteral pump and feeding set as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a visible light detector operatively connected to the control system for detecting the presence of visible light.

14. An enteral feeding set for an enteral feeding pump having a control system for controlling operation of the pump to supply nutrient liquid to a patient through the enteral feeding set loaded in the pump, a source of electromagnetic radiation operatively connected to the control system of the pump for emitting electromagnetic radiation, and an electromagnetic radiation detector operatively connected to the control system for receiving the electromagnetic radiation and providing an indication to the control system that the feeding set is properly loaded in the feeding pump, the enteral feeding set comprising:

a conduit for carrying nutrient liquid to a patient;

a safety interlock device associated with the conduit and adapted for mounting in the pump, the safety interlock device comprising an electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member formed to affect the propagation of electromagnetic radiation from the source of electromagnetic radiation when properly loaded on the pump for directing the electromagnetic radiation from the source of electromagnetic radiation to the detector when the conduit is properly loaded in the pump such that nutrient liquid flow to the patient is regulated by the pump.

15. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member comprises a material that diffuses electromagnetic radiation received from the source of electromagnetic radiation.

16. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member is adapted to refract the electromagnetic radiation from the source of electromagnetic radiation to the detector.

17. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member comprises a reflector to reflect the electromagnetic radiation to the detector when the feeding set conduit is properly loaded in the pump.

18. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 17 wherein said reflector comprises reflective tape affixed to the remainder of the safety interlock device.

19. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 17 wherein said reflector comprises polished metal.

20. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member comprises a light pipe for the passage of the electromagnetic radiation through the safety interlock device.

21. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member has an opaque covering to prevent visible light from passing through at least a portion of said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member.

22. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member comprises a material that is opaque to visible light and allows transmission of infrared radiation therethrough.

23. The enteral feeding set as set forth in claim 14 wherein said electromagnetic radiation propagation affecting member has at least one hole therein sized and positioned to diffract electromagnetic radiation from the source of electromagnetic radiation.

24. A safety interlock device for an enteral feeding set that may be used with an enteral feeding pump having a control system for controlling operation of the pump to supply fluid to a patient through the enteral feeding set loaded in the pump, a source of electromagnetic radiation operatively connected to the control system of the pump for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a first electromagnetic radiation detector operatively connected to the control system for detecting electromagnetic radiation generally of a first wavelength and providing an indication that the enteral feeding set is properly loaded on the pump, and a second electromagnetic radiation detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation generally of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength and providing an indication that the enteral feeding set is not properly loaded on the pump, the safety interlock device comprising:

a radiation propagation affecting member adapted for attachment to the enteral feeding set, formed to transmit electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength, and formed not to transmit the electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength wherein upon proper loading of the safety interlock device on the pump the radiation propagation affecting member guides electromagnetic radiation of the first wavelength to the first detector and prevents electromagnetic radiation of the second wavelength from reaching the second detector.

25. A safety interlock device as set forth in claim 24 wherein the radiation propagation affecting member has a first end adapted for fluid connection with a conduit section of the enteral feeding set and a second end adapted for fluid connection with another conduit section of the enteral feeding set.