Intravenous feeding system

• US 3,884,228 A
• Filed: 02/26/1974
• Issued: 05/20/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sonometrics Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steven Hahn
• Inventors: Hahn, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/445,845
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 222/59,95,96,103,214 340/239R 351/51 128/214R,214E,214F,214.2,DIG.12,DIG.13
• US Class Current: 604/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/148 flexible, e.g. independent bagsA61M5/155 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1689 Drip counters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion

Abstract

A closed intravenous infusion system comprises a completely filled, collapsible bottle of accordion type construction, motor driven means for mechanically compressing the bottle and forcing the intravenous fluid out of the bottle into an administration set, and means for controlling operation of the motor driven means so as to provide a desired feeding rate and to stop the feed when the bottle has been emptied to the desired degree, or in the event of a fluid blockage or other malfunction of the system. The top flange of the bottle is provided with a diaphragm aperture through which drugs may be injected into the intravenous solution, while the lower end or neck of the bottle also contains a diaphragm through which the administration set may be inserted. The bottom flange is also provided with another diaphragm subject to the fluid pressure in the bottle which is operative to stop the feed if the pressure becomes excessive as a result of fluid blockage downstream. The neck of the bottle is made of a special material which passes infrared energy, which is not passed by liquid, and is associated with an infrared source and detector which detect the failure of drops of fluid to appear in the drop chamber during operation of the system and thereupon produce an alarm.

Claims

1. A closed intravenous feeding system comprising a feed container of collapsible fluid-tight construction adapted to be completely filled with fluid to be intravenously administered to a patient, an administration set detachably connected to said container, means for mechanically compressing said container and thereby forcing fluid out of the container into said administration set, means for controlling the rate of compression of said container and thereby controlling the rate of feed of fluid to the administration set, means for disabling said compression means and stopping compression of said container when the pressure of the fluid therein rises above a predetermined value, means for disabling said compressing means when said container has been emptied to a predetermined extent, means for producing an alarm signal when said compressing means becomes disabled, a drop chamber between said administration set and the lower end of said container, means for detecting the presence of fluid drops in said drop chamber, means for producing an alarm signal when drops fail to appear within said chamber during a predetermined period of time, said container being of accordian construction having upper and lower flanges, and said compressing means including a pair of vertically extending rods offset from said container, means for detachably connecting the upper ends of said rods to the upper flange of said container, and means including an electric motor and a solenoid operated clutch for positively moving said rods downwardly at a predetermined speed.

2. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 wherein said rods and said connecting means are electrically conductive, and the energizing circuit of said clutch includes said rods, said connecting means and an electrical circuit in said upper flange adapted to be closed by said connecting means.

3. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 including a stationary support for the lower flange of said container, a pressure sensing diaphragm in said lower flange, and a normally closed pressure actuated switch carried by said support positioned beneath and in contact with said diaphragm, said switch being operable to open the energizing circuit of said clutch and thereby disable said compressing means when the pressure in said container sensed by said diaphragm exceeds a predetermined amoUnt.

4. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting means includes a horizontal bar connecting the upper ends of said rods, and wherein said means for moving said rods downwardly includes a vertically extending toothed rack having its upper end connected to said bar, and gearing driven by said motor for engaging said rack.

5. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 4 wherein said rack is rotatable about its longitudinal axis to move the teeth thereof into and out of engagement with said gearing.

6. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 including means for varying the speed of said motor and thereby varying the rate at which fluid is fed to said administration set.

7. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 including an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid operated clutch, said circuit having a plurality of switches connected in series all of which must be closed in order to energize said clutch, and means for selectively opening one of said switches in the event of a malfunction of the system.

8. a closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 including an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid operated clutch, said circuit having a plurality of switches connected in series all of which must be closed in order to energize said clutch, and means for opening one of said switches when the fluid pressure in said container exceeds a predetermined mount.

9. A closed intravenous feeding system as defined in claim 1 including an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid operated clutch, said circuit having a plurality of switches connected in series all of which must be closed in order to energize said clutch, and means for opening one of said switches when said container has been emptied to a predetermined extent.

10. In a closed intravenous feeding system for use with an airtight feed container of collapsible construction adapted to be completely filled with fluid to be intravenously administered to a patient, said container having upper and lower flanges, a flexible wall connecting said flanges and an administration set connected to the lower end thereof, means for mechanically compressing said container and thereby forcing fluid out of the container into said administration set comprising a support for the lower flange of said container, a pair of vertically extending connecting rods offset laterally from said support, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the upper ends of said connecting rods for movement in a horizontal plane toward and away from the upper flange of said container when the latter is mounted on said support, means carried by said arms for releasably engaging the upper flange of said container, and means for positively moving said rods downwardly including a vertically extending toothed rack connected to said connecting rods, an electric motor and gearing driven by said motor for engaging and driving said rack.

11. In a closed intravenous feeding system, the combination defined in claim 10 including a solenoid operated clutch for drivingly connecting said motor to said gearing, and wherein said connecting rods and said arms are electrically conductive, and the energizing circuit of said clutch includes said rods, said arms and means carried by the upper flange of said container for forming a conductive path between said arms when the latter are in engagement with said flange.

12. In a closed intravenous feeding system, the combination defined in claim 10 wherein said toothed rack is rotatable about its longitudinal axis to move the teeth thereof into and out of engagement with said gearing.