DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE BASED FLOW SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICATION DELIVERY MONITORING AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine the flow rate of a fluid system comprising:
- a disposable portion having;
a body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet;
a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet;
an upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and
a downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and
a reusable portion having;
an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the upstream fluid pressure membrane; and
a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the downstream fluid pressure membrane.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly and method of using the same to determine the rate of fluid flow in a fluid system. The sensor assembly comprises a disposable portion, and a reusable portion. A flow restricting element is positioned along a fluid flow passage between an inlet and an outlet. The disposable portion further has an upstream fluid pressure membrane and a downstream fluid pressure membrane. The reusable portion has an upstream fluid pressure sensor and a downstream fluid pressure sensor. The upstream fluid pressure sensor senses the upstream fluid pressure at a location within the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element. The downstream fluid pressure sensor senses the downstream fluid pressure at a location within the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet. The process utilizes output of the sensors to calculate the flow rate of the fluid.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine the flow rate of a fluid system comprising:
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a disposable portion having; a body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet; an upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and a reusable portion having; an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the upstream fluid pressure membrane; and a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the downstream fluid pressure membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A disposable assembly for use with a differential pressure based fluid flow sensor assembly, the assembly comprising:
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a body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet; an upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of determining a fluid flow rate in a fluid flow system comprising:
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providing a differential pressure based flow sensor assembly comprising; a disposable portion having; a disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet; a disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and a reusable portion having; an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane; and a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane; directing a fluid through the fluid flow passage; calculating the fluid flow rate based on a pressure difference between an output of the upstream fluid pressure sensor and an output of the downstream fluid pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A fluid delivery system for delivering medication from a first source to a patient including measuring the flow rate of the fluid, the system comprising:
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an infusion pump that selectively varies a rate of flow of the first medication from the first source through a fluid line; a differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine the flow rate of the first medication within the fluid line, the sensor assembly comprising; a disposable portion having; a disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet; a disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and a reusable portion having; an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane; and a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane; and a processor adapted to control the infusion pump by varying the rate of flow of the first medication based on information provided by the differential pressure based flow sensor assembly, the processor further being adapted to determine the amount of the first medication provided to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of delivering medication to a patient comprising:
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providing a differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine a flow rate of a first medication within a fluid line, the sensor assembly comprising; a disposable portion having; a disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet; a disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and a reusable portion having; an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable upstream fluid pressure membrane; and a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned to generally determine the fluid pressure at the disposable downstream fluid pressure membrane; sensing the flow rate of a first medication with the flow sensor assembly controlling an infusion pump that selectively varies the flow rate of the first medication, wherein the controlling is based upon information the flow sensor assembly provides a processor; and determining an amount of the first medication delivered to the patient, wherein the determining is based upon information the flow sensor assembly provides the processor. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method of determining a fluid flow rate in a medical fluid flow system comprising:
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providing an upstream pressure sensor in a medical fluid flow path; providing a downstream pressure sensor in the fluid flow path; providing a flow restricting element along the fluid flow path between the upstream pressure sensor and the downstream pressure sensor; directing a fluid through the medical fluid flow path; calculating the fluid flow rate based on a pressure difference between an output of the upstream fluid pressure sensor and an output of the downstream fluid pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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Specification