MEDICAL APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FLUID

• US 20100191199A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Talley Group Limited (Direct Healthcare Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Talley Group Limited (Direct Healthcare Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cole, Nicholas, Evans, John James Henry, Evans, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/60 Containers for suction drainage, adapted to be used with an external suction source containers not adapted for subjection to vacuum A61M1/69
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/73 comprising sensors or indicators for physical values
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/74 Suction control underwater drainage A61M1/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/78 Means for preventing overflow or contamination of the pumping systems combined with drainage containers A61M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3382 Upper level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3386 Low level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/80 Arrangements for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/38 having only one measuring chamber

Abstract

There is described a medical apparatus, which may comprise a fluid collection vessel and a sensor. The sensor is arranged to sense when the fluid collection vessel is substantially full even when the fluid collection vessel is tilted by up to a predetermined angle from its preferred orientation. The fluid collection vessel may comprise a main chamber and a sensor chamber in fluid communication with one another. The sensor is located in the sensor chamber. The fluid inlet, the main chamber and the sensor chamber are arranged such that fluid entering the fluid collection vessel via the fluid inlet flows into the main chamber even when the fluid collection vessel is tilted by up to the predetermined angle from its preferred orientation, and, once the main chamber is full, any further collected fluid flows from the main chamber into the sensor chamber.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus for collecting fluid which has been pumped along a fluid collection conduit from a fluid collection site, the apparatus comprising:

a fluid collection vessel having a preferred orientation in use, the fluid collection vessel having a fluid inlet for receiving fluid; and

a sensor arranged to sense when the fluid collection vessel is substantially full even when the fluid collection vessel is tilted by up to a predetermined angle from its preferred orientation.

2. The medical apparatus of claim 1 wherein the predetermined angle is at least 30 degrees.

3. The medical apparatus of claim 2 wherein the predetermined angle is at least 45 degrees.

4. The medical apparatus of claim 3 wherein the predetermined angle is at least 60 degrees.

5. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the fluid collection vessel comprises:

a main chamber; and

a sensor chamber in fluid communication with the main chamber, the sensor being located in the sensor chamber;

wherein the fluid inlet, the main chamber and the sensor chamber are arranged such that fluid entering the fluid collection vessel via the fluid inlet flows into the main chamber even when the fluid collection vessel is tilted by up to the predetermined angle from its preferred orientation, and, once the main chamber is full, any further collected fluid flows from the main chamber into the sensor chamber.

6. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the fluid collection vessel comprises one or more baffles to restrict the direct flow of fluid from the fluid inlet towards the sensor.

7. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the fluid inlet is located at or near the top of the fluid collection vessel when the fluid collection vessel is in its preferred orientation.

8. The medical apparatus of claim 7 when dependent on claim 5 wherein the main chamber comprises a fluid outlet into the sensor chamber, the main chamber fluid outlet being located close to the collection vessel fluid inlet and further being located outside an imaginary cone which, when the fluid collection vessel is in its preferred orientation, extends downwardly and outwardly from the fluid inlet at the predetermined angle.

9. The medical apparatus of any of claims 5 to 8 wherein the sensor chamber comprises a substantially U-shaped chamber which is substantially vertically oriented when the fluid collection vessel is in its preferred orientation, one limb of the substantially U-shaped chamber being in fluid communication with the main chamber, the sensor being disposed in the other limb of the substantially U-shaped chamber.

10. The medical apparatus of any of claims 5 to 9 wherein the fluid collection vessel further comprises a fluid transfer chamber in fluid communication between the main chamber fluid outlet and a fluid inlet of the sensor chamber.

11. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the sensor triggers when immersed in fluid.

12. The medical apparatus of claim 11 wherein the sensor comprises two spaced electrical contacts within the fluid collection vessel arranged such that when the fluid collection vessel is substantially full, the fluid completes an electrical circuit between the two spaced contacts.

13. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the fluid collection vessel is disposable.

14. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim wherein the fluid collection vessel comprises an air outlet located close to the sensor.

15. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim further comprising a fluid collection conduit for conveying fluid from the fluid collection site to the fluid inlet of the fluid collection vessel.

16. The medical apparatus of any preceding claim further comprising a pump operable to pump fluid along the fluid collection conduit from the fluid collection site to the fluid collection vessel.

17. The medical apparatus of claim 16 when dependent on claim 15 wherein the pump is operable to apply negative pressure within the fluid collection vessel so as to pump fluid along the fluid collection conduit from the fluid collection site to the fluid collection vessel.

18. The medical apparatus of claim 16 when dependent on claim 15 wherein the pump is operable to apply positive pressure at the fluid collection site so as to pump fluid along the fluid collection conduit from the fluid collection site to the fluid collection vessel.

19. The medical apparatus of any of claims 16 to 18 wherein the sensor is arranged to automatically turn off the pump when the sensor senses that the fluid collection vessel is substantially full.