SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROPORTIONAL MIXING AND CONTINUOUS DELIVERY OF FLUIDS

• US 20090112164A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Kalafut, John F., Reilly, David M., Schriver, Ralph H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1422 with double acting or multiple pistons
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for mixing and delivering fluids such as contrast media and saline is disclosed including at least two fluid sources, a pump, a joining fluid path connecting the at least two fluid sources to an inlet to the pump, and a valve device in the fluid path upstream of the pump. The valve device includes an actuator adapted to restrict flow in at least one of respective fluid lines connecting the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet. A patient interface device may be associated with an outlet of the pump. The valve device actuator is generally adapted to restrict the flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines such that an incremental positional change in valve device actuator position provides a substantially linear change in fluid mixture ratio of the fluids from the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet.

Claims

1. A system for mixing and delivering fluids, comprising:

at least two fluid sources;

a pump;

a joining fluid path connecting the at least two fluid sources to an inlet to the pump; and

a valve device in the fluid path upstream of the pump and comprising an actuator adapted to restrict flow in at least one of respective fluid lines connecting the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet; and

wherein the valve device actuator is adapted to restrict flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines such that an incremental positional change in valve device actuator position provides a substantially linear change in fluid mixture ratio of the at least two fluids from the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least two fluids comprise at least contrast media and a diluent.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve device actuator is adapted to simultaneously at least partially restrict flow in each of the respective fluid lines.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a positive displacement pump.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the positive displacement pump comprises a multi-chamber piston pump.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective fluid lines have different diameters.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a flow meter associated with at least one of the respective fluid lines.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective fluid lines comprise compressible tubing, and wherein the valve device comprises a pinch valve and the valve device actuator comprises a pinch block adapted to restrict flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines via compression of the compressible tubing.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

10. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective fluid lines are joined via a branch connector having an outlet in fluid connection with the pump inlet.

11. A system for mixing and delivering fluids, comprising:

at least two fluid sources;

a pump;

a joining fluid path connecting the at least two fluid sources to an inlet to the pump;

a valve device in the fluid path upstream of the pump and comprising an actuator adapted to restrict flow in at least one of respective fluid lines connecting the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet; and

a controller operatively associated with the valve device for controlling positional movement of the valve device actuator; and

wherein the valve device actuator is adapted to restrict the flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines such that an incremental positional change in valve device actuator position provides a substantially linear change in fluid mixture ratio of the at least two fluids from the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least two fluids comprise contrast media and a diluent.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the valve device actuator is adapted to simultaneously at least partially restrict flow in each of the respective fluid lines.

14. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the pump comprises a positive displacement pump.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the positive displacement pump comprises a multi-chamber piston pump.

16. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the respective fluid lines have different diameters.

17. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the respective fluid lines comprise compressible tubing, and wherein the valve device comprises a pinch valve and the valve device actuator comprises a pinch block adapted to restrict flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines via compression of the compressible tubing.

18. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the respective fluid lines are joined via a branch connector having an outlet in fluid connection with the pump inlet.

19. A system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a flow meter associated with at least one of the respective fluid lines and wherein the controller effects positional change of the valve device actuator at least in part based on feedback from the flow meter.

20. A system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a patient interface device associated with an outlet of the pump.

21. A method for mixing and delivering fluids comprising:

providing a joining fluid path connecting at least two fluid sources to an inlet to a pump;

providing a valve device in the fluid path upstream of the pump and comprising an actuator adapted to restrict flow in at least one of respective fluid lines connecting the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet; and

restricting the flow in at least one of the respective fluid lines with the valve device actuator such that an incremental positional change in valve device actuator position provides a substantially linear change in fluid mixture ratio of the of the at least two fluids from the at least two fluid sources to the pump inlet.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 further comprising associating a patient interface device with an outlet of the pump.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the valve device actuator simultaneously at least partially restricts flow in each of the respective fluid lines.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the respective fluid lines have different diameters.

25. A method as claimed in claim 21 further comprising a flow meter associated with at least one of the respective fluid lines and the method further comprising a controller effecting positional change of the valve device actuator at least in part based on feedback from the flow meter.