FLOW PULSATILITY DAMPENING DEVICES

• US 20110196303A1
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Boyer, Richard, Bertos, Georgios A., Bhagtani, Reema A., Lin, Rongsheng, Schultz, Gary, Chan, William, Castellanos, Ramiro, DelCastillo, Jorge
• Granted Patent: US 8,366,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/22 eliminating pulsatile flows, e.g. by the provision of a dampening chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14212 Pumping with an aspiration and an expulsion action
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14224 Diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14228 with linear peristaltic action, i.e. comprising at least three pressurising members or a helical member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14232 Roller pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 11/0008 using accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 11/0016 with a fluid spring
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 11/0025 the spring fluid being in direct contact with the pumped fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 11/0091 using a special shape of fluid pass, e.g. throttles, ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/04 Devices damping pulsations or vibrations in fluids F16L55/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A medical fluid infusion system including: a fluid pathway for transporting a pulsatile flow of fluid; a dampening element in communication with the fluid pathway, the dampening element configured to actively dampen pressure fluctuations of the pulsatile flow to smoothen the pulsatile fluid flow, the dampening element operable in any orientation; and a fluid flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream of the dampening element to measure the flow rate of the smoothened fluid flow.

Claims

1. A medical fluid infusion system comprising:

a fluid pathway for transporting a pulsatile flow of fluid;

a dampening element in communication with the fluid pathway, the dampening element configured to actively dampen pressure fluctuations of the pulsatile flow to smoothen the pulsatile fluid flow, the dampening element operable in any orientation; and

a fluid flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream of the dampening element to measure the flowrate of the smoothened fluid flow.

2. The infusion system of claim 1, which includes a pulsatile infusion pump in communication with the fluid pathway, the infusion pump causing the pulsatile fluid flow.

3. The infusion system of claim 2, which includes a control member operable with the fluid flow sensor and the infusion pump, the control member configured to receive flowrate information from the flow sensor and to adjust the infusion pump based on the flowrate information.

4. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes an outer chamber holding air compressed from a compressed air source and an inner chamber holding the pumped fluid.

5. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes an outer chamber holding a rheologiz fluid and an inner chamber holding the pumped fluid.

6. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes a plurality of pockets formed on an inner wall of a section of tubing to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

7. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes a bellows that is expanded by the pumped fluid so as to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

8. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes a coiled section of tubing to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

9. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes a flexible wall to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

10. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes an expandable tube to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

11. The infusion system of claim 1, wherein the dampening element includes a plurality of bunched parallel tubes to actively provide a dampening force onto the pumped fluid.

12. An infusion system comprising:

a fluid pathway;

an infusion pump for pumping a non-continuous flow of fluid through the fluid pathway;

a housing enclosing an expandable membrane, an inside of the membrane defining a chamber that is in communication with the fluid pathway, an outside of the chamber within the housing containing a compressible gas that absorbs pressure fluctuations of the non-continuous flowing fluid to smoothen the non-continuous flow, the housing and the chamber operable in any orientation; and

a fluid flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream of the housing, the fluid flow sensor configured to measure a flowrate of the smoothened fluid flow.

13. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 12, wherein an inlet and an outlet of the chamber are arranged at least substantially parallel to one another so that the fluid has to change direction after entering the chamber.

14. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 12, wherein the expandable membrane is an expandable balloon or an expandable wall.

15. A medical fluid infusion system comprising:

an infusion pump;

a fluid pathway for transporting a pulsatile flow of fluid produced by the infusion pump;

a fluid holding compartment having an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the fluid pathway;

at least one compressible air balloon located inside the fluid holding compartment that tends to dampen fluctuations of the pulsatile flow of fluid; and

a flow sensor disposed along the fluid pathway downstream from the fluid holding compartment.

16. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 15, wherein the inlet and outlet of the fluid holding compartment are configured to force the flow of fluid around the at least one compressible air balloon.

17. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 15, wherein the fluid holding compartment houses a dividing wall that separates at least two of the compressible air balloons.

18. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 15, wherein the inlet and outlet of the fluid holding compartment are arranged with respect to each other such that fluid has to change direction after entering the fluid holding compartment.

19. A medical fluid infusion system comprising:

an infusion pump that creates at least a semi-pulsatile flow of fluid;

a flow sensor disposed downstream from the infusion pump; and

a tube for carrying the at least semi-pulsatile flow of fluid from the infusion pump to the flow sensor,

the tube enclosing at least one compressible air balloon for smoothing the flow of fluid from the pump to the flow sensor.

20. The medical fluid infusion system of claim 19, wherein a surface of the at least one air balloon is the inner wall surface of the tube.