Injector Having Low Input Power

• US 20100030153A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebel-Flarsheim Company (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Neer, Charles S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,657,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/154
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/10 with powered movement mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/82 Internal energy supply devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/086 Docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14546 Front-loading type injectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14566 with a replaceable reservoir for receiving a piston rod of the pump
• 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 powered injector that stores energy at a low rate when not in use and delivers energy at a high rate during injection. Energy may be stored in a highly responsive energy storage device, such as a capacitor, for rapid delivery of power to the injector motor. In certain embodiments, wires connecting the powered injector to a power supply may be relatively small and inexpensive because the current and voltage loads placed on the wires are relatively low.

Claims

1. A powered injector for injecting medical fluid, the powered injector comprising:

an energy storage device that comprises;

a power input having an input current carrying capacity; and

a power output having an output current carrying capacity, wherein the output current

carrying capacity is greater than the input current carrying capacity;

a motor coupled to the power output of the energy storage device; and

a ram coupled to the motor and having a syringe plunger interface.

2. The powered injector of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises one or more capacitors.

3. The powered injector of claim 2, wherein the one or more capacitors have a series capacitance greater than about 30 farads.

4. The powered injector of claim 2, wherein the one or more capacitors comprises a series of serially connected supercapacitors, wherein one end of the series of supercapacitors is coupled to the input of the energy storage device, and wherein another end of the series of supercapacitors is coupled to the output of the energy storage device.

5. The powered injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a power cable connected to the input of the energy storage device; and

a power source connected to the input of the energy storage device via the power cable.

6. The powered injector of claim 5, wherein a substantial portion of a length of the power cable consists essentially of insulated wire having a conductive portion with a cross-sectional area of less than about 2.6×

10<sup>−

3</sup> square inch.

7. The powered injector of claim 5, wherein the energy storage device is coupled to the power source via both the power cable and protection circuitry.

8. The powered injector of claim 5, wherein the power source is a power source of less than about 500 watts.

9. The powered injector of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is configured to output more than about 1000 watts of power when the energy storage device is in an energized state.

10. The powered injector of claim 1, further comprising:

a syringe having a medical fluid therein, wherein the syringe is coupled to the syringe plunger interface of the ram.

11. An electric injector for use with a syringe having medical fluid therein, the injector comprising:

a plurality of supercapacitors coupled to one another in series;

a motor coupled in parallel to the plurality of supercapacitors; and

a syringe interface coupled to the motor.

12. The injector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of supercapacitors have a combined capacitance greater than about one thousand farads.

13. The injector of claim 11, wherein the plurality of supercapacitors comprises more than four supercapacitors.

14. The injector of claim 11, further comprising:

a conductor having a current carrying capacity greater than about 10 amps, wherein the motor is connected to the plurality of supercapacitors through the conductor.

15. The injector of claim 11, further comprising:

a controller having a switch configured to transmit more than about 800 watts of power when in a closed state, wherein the switch is disposed in series between the plurality of supercapacitors and the motor.

16. A method of medical fluid injector operation, the method comprising:

receiving energy from a power supply at an input wattage;

storing the energy; and

outputting at least a portion of the energy to a motor at an output wattage, wherein the output wattage is at least twice as great as the input wattage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the power supply is a remote power supply.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the storing comprises charging a bank of capacitors having a capacitance greater than about 1 farad.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the output wattage is greater than about 500 watts.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the outputting comprises moving a ram of the injector.