INJECTOR DEVICE, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DETECTING A VACUUM WITHIN A SYRINGE

• US 20080281278A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ACIST Medical Systems Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Original Assignee: E-Z-EM Incorporated (Bracco SPA)
• Inventors: Williams, Robert C. JR., Cross-Hansen, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,333,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/264
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14526 the piston being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54

Abstract

An injector system, method and computer program product for detecting a vacuum within a syringe are provided. Various embodiments include an actuator device configured to be engaged with a piston member of a syringe for extending and retracting the piston member within the syringe. A controller device is also provided for detecting an output generated by the actuator device when retracting the piston member. The detected output may be associated with a pressure within the reservoir. The controller device determines, via the detected output, when the pressure comprises a selected negative pressure and provides an indicia of the negative pressure to a user and/or a signal to the actuator device.

Claims

1. An injector system adapted to be operably engaged with a syringe device comprising a reservoir including a dispensing distal end defining a dispensing aperture and a proximal end defining a proximal aperture, the syringe device further comprising a piston member movably disposed in the reservoir and configured to be movable between the distal end and the proximal end, the piston member being in movable sealing engagement with a reservoir sidewall, the injector system comprising:

an actuator device configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end; and

a controller device in communication with the actuator device, the controller device being configured to detect an output generated by the actuator device when retracting the piston member, the output being associated with a pressure within the reservoir, the controller device being further configured to determine, via the detected output, when the pressure comprises a selected negative pressure and to provide an indicia thereof to a user or a signal thereof to the actuator device, in response to the determined selected negative pressure.

2. An injector system according to claim 1, wherein the controller device is further configured to convert the output into a pressure value comparable to the selected negative pressure.

3. An injector system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device comprises an electric motor operably engaged with a movable plunger head configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises an electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member, and wherein the controller device comprises an electrical sensor configured to determine when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member.

4. An injector system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device comprises a hydraulic servo system comprising a hydraulic actuator for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises a hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member, and wherein the controller device comprises a pressure transducer device configured to determine when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member.

5. An injector system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface in communication with the controller device, and wherein the indicia comprises a perceptible output transmitted via the user interface.

6. An injector system according to claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a speaker and the perceptible output comprises an audible alarm.

7. An injector system according to claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a display and the perceptible output comprises a visible indicia.

8. An injector system according to claim 7, wherein the visible indicia comprises a prompt to clear an obstruction in a conduit in fluid communication with the dispensing aperture.

9. An injector system according to claim 8, wherein the prompt comprises text instructions.

10. An injector system according to claim 8, wherein the prompt comprises a pictogram.

11. An injector system according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device is further configured to automatically cease extending the piston member toward the distal end or retracting the piston member toward the proximal end in response to the signal provided by the controller device.

12. An injector system according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to receive a threshold value corresponding to the selected negative pressure.

13. A method for detecting a substantially negative pressure in a syringe device comprising a reservoir including a dispensing distal end defining a dispensing aperture and a proximal end defining a proximal aperture, the syringe device further comprising a piston member movably disposed in the reservoir and configured to be movable between the distal end and the proximal end, the piston member being in movable sealing engagement with a reservoir sidewall, the method comprising:

moving the piston member using an actuator device configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end;

detecting an output generated by the actuator device when retracting the movable plunger head, the output being associated with a pressure within the reservoir;

determining, via the detected output, when the pressure comprises a selected negative pressure; and

providing an indicia of the determined selected negative pressure to a user or a signal thereof to the actuator device.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising converting the output into a pressure value comparable to the selected negative pressure.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the actuator device comprises an electric motor operably engaged with a movable plunger head configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises an electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member, and wherein the determining step further comprises determining when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the actuator device comprises a hydraulic servo system comprising a hydraulic actuator for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises a hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member, and wherein the determining step further comprises determining when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the providing step further comprises providing an indicia comprising a perceptible output transmitted via a user interface.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the perceptible output comprises an audible alarm.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the perceptible output comprises a visible indicia.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein the providing step further comprises providing an indicia comprising a prompt to clear an obstruction in a conduit in fluid communication with the dispensing aperture.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the prompt comprises text instructions.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the prompt comprises a pictogram.

23. A method according to claim 13, further comprising ceasing extending the piston member toward the distal end or retracting the piston member toward the proximal end in response to the signal.

24. A method according to claim 13, further comprising receiving a threshold value corresponding to the selected negative pressure.

25. A computer program product for detecting a substantially negative pressure in a syringe device comprising a reservoir including a dispensing distal end defining a dispensing aperture and a proximal end defining a proximal aperture, the syringe device further comprising a piston member movably disposed in the reservoir and configured to be movable between the distal end and the proximal end, the piston member being in movable sealing engagement with a reservoir sidewall, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code instructions stored therein comprising:

a first set of computer instructions for moving the piston member using an actuator device configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end;

a second set of computer instructions for detecting an output generated by the actuator device when retracting the movable plunger head, the output being associated with a pressure within the reservoir;

a third set of computer instructions for determining, via the detected output, when the pressure comprises a selected negative pressure; and

a fourth set of computer instructions for providing an indicia of the determined selected negative pressure to a user or a signal thereof to the actuator device.

26. A computer program product according to claim 25, further comprising a fifth set of computer instructions for converting the output into a pressure value comparable to the selected negative pressure.

27. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the actuator device comprises an electric motor operably engaged with a movable plunger head configured to be selectively operably engaged with the piston member for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises an electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member, and wherein the third set of computer instructions for determining further comprises a sixth set of computer instructions for determining when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the electrical current drawn by the actuator device when retracting the piston member.

28. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the actuator device comprises a hydraulic servo system comprising a hydraulic actuator for extending the piston member toward the distal end and retracting the piston member toward the proximal end, and wherein the output of the actuator device comprises a hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member, and wherein the third set of computer instructions for determining further comprises a seventh set of computer instructions for determining when the pressure comprises the selected negative pressure based at least in part on the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic actuator when retracting the piston member.

29. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the fourth set of computer instructions for providing further comprises an eighth set of computer instructions for providing an indicia comprising a perceptible output transmitted via a user interface.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29, wherein the perceptible output comprises an audible alarm.

31. A computer program product according to claim 29, wherein the perceptible output comprises a visible indicia.

32. A computer program product according to claim 25, wherein the fourth set of computer instructions for providing further comprises a ninth set of computer instructions for providing an indicia comprising a prompt to clear an obstruction in a conduit in fluid communication with the dispensing aperture.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein the prompt comprises text instructions.

34. A computer program product according to claim 32, wherein the prompt comprises a pictogram.

35. A computer program product according to claim 25, further comprising a tenth set of computer instructions for ceasing extending the piston member toward the distal end or retracting the piston member toward the proximal end in response to the signal.

36. A computer program product according to claim 25, further comprising an eleventh set of computer instructions for receiving a threshold value corresponding to the selected negative pressure.