DEVICE FOR DETECTING A GAS VOLUME FLOW

• US 20080167568A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Drager Medical AG & Co KG (Dragerwerk AG)
• Inventors: ROHDE, Kerstin, GERDER, Henning, KELLNER, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 8,109,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0042 in the expiratory circuit
• 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 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/18 Supports or connecting means for meters

Abstract

A device is provided for detecting a gas volume flow, especially for a respirator. The device includes a flow sensor, which surrounds a lumen for guiding the gas volume flow, and the flow sensor has an ultrasound transmitter with a sound generator (20) and an ultrasound receiver. The device has a connection sensor (17, 19), which is designed to detect a connection, especially an installation position or correctness of the connection or both, of the ultrasound transmitter to the transmitter mount and/or a connection of the ultrasound receiver to the receiver mount and to change at least one of its electrical properties as a function of the connection, or to generate a connection signal, which represents the connection, and to output this signal on the output side.

Claims

1. A device for detecting a gas volume flow, the device comprising:

a lumen for guiding the gas volume flow;

a flow sensor surrounding said lumen, said flow sensor including an ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver, said ultrasound transmitter being arranged at a spaced location from said ultrasound receiver such that said ultrasound receiver can receive ultrasound waves transmitted by said ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound waves pass through said lumen at least in some sections;

a mount associated with said flow sensor, said mount including a transmitter mount for mounting said ultrasound transmitter, said transmitter mount for separably connecting to said ultrasound transmitter, and said mount including a receiver mount for mounting said ultrasound receiver, said receiver mount for separably connecting to said ultrasound receiver, said mount including a connection sensor for detecting at least one of a connection between said ultrasound transmitter and said transmitter mount and a connection between said ultrasound receiver and said receiver mount, said connection sensor changing at least one electrical property as a function of the connection, or generating a connection signal, which represents the connection, and providing an output of said at least one electrical property or said connection signal.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connection sensor is a magnetic sensor, including a magnetic sensor part connected to at least one of said ultrasound transmitter and said ultrasound receiver, said magnet sensor for detecting a magnetic field in the area of said transmitter mount and/or said receiver mount.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ultrasound receiver is an ultrasound converter for operation as an ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver and/or said ultrasound transmitter is an ultrasound converter for operation as an ultrasound receiver and an ultrasound transmitter.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of said transmitter mount and said receiver mount has a conically shaped contact surface.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said connection sensor detects a sound run time and/or sound wavelength.

6. A respirator comprising:

a lumen for guiding a breathing gas volume flow;

a flow sensor surrounding said lumen, said flow sensor including an ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver, said ultrasound transmitter being arranged at a spaced location from said ultrasound receiver such that said ultrasound receiver receives ultrasound waves transmitted by said ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound waves pass through said lumen at least in some sections;

a mount associated with said flow sensor, said mount including a transmitter mount for mounting said ultrasound transmitter, said transmitter mount for separably connecting to said ultrasound transmitter, and said mount including a receiver mount for mounting said ultrasound receiver, said receiver mount for separably connecting to said ultrasound receiver, said mount including a connection sensor for detecting at least one of a connection between said ultrasound transmitter and said transmitter mount and a connection between said ultrasound receiver and said receiver mount, said connection sensor changing at least one electrical property as a function of the connection, or generating a connection signal, which represents the connection, and providing an output of said changing at least one electrical property or said connection signal.

7. A flow sensor comprising:

an ultrasound transmitter;

an ultrasound receiver;

a transmitter mount for said ultrasound transmitter; and

a receiver mount for said ultrasound receiver, wherein said transmitter mount is designed to be separably connected to said ultrasound transmitter and said receiver mount is designed to be separably connected to said ultrasound receiver, at least one of said transmitter mount and said receiver mount has a conically shaped contact surface.

8. A flow sensor in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

a sensor element at least one of arranged in the area of said transmitter mount and arranged in the area of said receiver mount, said sensor element for magnetically detecting a connection of at least one of said ultrasound transmitter and said ultrasound receiver respectively to said transmitter mount and said receiver mount.

9. A flow sensor in accordance with claim 7, wherein said transmitter mount and said receiver mount cooperate to form a lumen receiving region, said lumen for guiding a gas volume flow, said transmitter mount and said receiver mount positioning said ultrasound transmitter and said ultrasound receiver relative to said lumen receiving region with said ultrasound transmitter being arranged at a spaced location from said ultrasound receiver such that said ultrasound receiver can receive ultrasound waves transmitted by said ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound waves pass through said lumen at least in some sections.