IV pump
First Claim
1. A volumetric pump for pumping between a patient and a source a volume of fluid at a preselected controlled rate until a preselected volume of fluid has been pumped, includingan output line,volumetric means for receiving the volume of fluid from the source and providing the fluid to the output line,the volumetric means including a chamber of a predetermined volume per increment of displacement which predetermined volume is a fraction of the volume of fluid from the source and a fraction of the fluid to be pumped to the output line,a plunger movable within the chamber on an incremental basis in a first direction for filling the chamber and movable within the chamber, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, on an incremental basis for emptying the chamber,plunger means coupled to the plunger for driving the plunger on the incremental basis in the first direction to fill the chamber and for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction to empty the chamber,a stepper motor constructed to operate in increments each representative of a particular distance,control means, including the stepper motor, operatively coupled to the plunger driving means to obtain an incremental operation of the plunger driving means for driving the plunger on the incremental basis in the first direction and to obtain an incremental operation of the plunger driving means for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction,means for providing an indication representing the preselected amount of fluid to be supplied between the patient and the source,means responsive to the incremental operation of the plunger driver means in driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction for counting the number of such incremental operations to obtain a determination of the amount of fluid transferred between the source and the patient, andmeans responsive to the count of the incremental operations representing the determination of the amount of fluid transferred between the patient and the source for interrupting the supply of the fluid between the patient and the source when the amount of such fluid corresponds to a preselected incremental count.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A volumetric infusion pump for intravenous administration of fluid to a patient, including a volumetric cassette for receiving fluid from an IV fluid container and for pumping such fluid at a controlled rate using an IV administration set until a predetermined volume of fluid has been infused into the patient. The volumetric cassette contains, when filled, a predetermined volume of fluid. The cassette, when coupled to a driving mechanism in the pump, provides for the fluid to be pumped from the cassette at a predetermined rate. Once the cassette chamber has been at least partially emptied a predetermined amount by the operation of the pump, the volumetric chamber of the cassette is rapidly filled and the pumping continues with such emptying and filling of the cassette chamber alternately occurring until the predetermined volume of fluid has been pumped. The cassette is of a syringe type having a chamber and a plunger piston and the stroke of the plunger is controlled by the driving mechanism of the pump. A plurality of alarm mechanisms provide safety in the operation of the pump and provide output indications to give the operator a diagnosis of the reason that the pump has been alarmed. These alarms include air-in-line, low battery, occlusion of the line, and infusion complete.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A volumetric pump for pumping between a patient and a source a volume of fluid at a preselected controlled rate until a preselected volume of fluid has been pumped, including
an output line, volumetric means for receiving the volume of fluid from the source and providing the fluid to the output line, the volumetric means including a chamber of a predetermined volume per increment of displacement which predetermined volume is a fraction of the volume of fluid from the source and a fraction of the fluid to be pumped to the output line, a plunger movable within the chamber on an incremental basis in a first direction for filling the chamber and movable within the chamber, in a second direction opposite to the first direction, on an incremental basis for emptying the chamber, plunger means coupled to the plunger for driving the plunger on the incremental basis in the first direction to fill the chamber and for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction to empty the chamber, a stepper motor constructed to operate in increments each representative of a particular distance, control means, including the stepper motor, operatively coupled to the plunger driving means to obtain an incremental operation of the plunger driving means for driving the plunger on the incremental basis in the first direction and to obtain an incremental operation of the plunger driving means for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction, means for providing an indication representing the preselected amount of fluid to be supplied between the patient and the source, means responsive to the incremental operation of the plunger driver means in driving the plunger on an incremental basis in the second direction for counting the number of such incremental operations to obtain a determination of the amount of fluid transferred between the source and the patient, and means responsive to the count of the incremental operations representing the determination of the amount of fluid transferred between the patient and the source for interrupting the supply of the fluid between the patient and the source when the amount of such fluid corresponds to a preselected incremental count.
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16. A volumetric pump for pumping fluid from a source to an output line using a volumetric cassette for receiving fluid from the source and providing fluid to the output line where the cassette includes a chamber of a predetermined volume which is a fraction of volume of fluid in the source and also a fraction of the volume of the fluid to be pumped from the source and where the cassette also includes a plunger movable within the chamber for filling the chamber during movement of the plunger in a first direction and emptying the chamber during movement of the plunger in a second direction opposite to the first direction, including
a stepper motor constructed to be operated in increments each representing a particular distance, plunger driving means, including the stepper motor, operatively coupled to the plunger in the cassette for alternately driving the plunger in the first and second directions through the particular increments of distance, control means coupled to the plunger driving means to control the plunger driving mechanism, with the control means including first means for producing the incremental operation of the stepper motor at a controlled rate to obtain incremental movements of the plunger in each of the first and second directions, second means for monitoring the count of the incremental operations of the stepper motor in driving the plunger in the second direction to control the volume of fluid pumped from the cassette chamber, the second means including third means operative to preselect a digital count representating a particular amount of fluid to be transferred from the source to the output line, the second means further including fourth means for counting the increments in the operation of the stepper motor in driving the plunger in the second direction, and the second means further including fifth means operatively coupled to the third means and the fourth means for interrupting the operation of the stepper motor when the count in the fourth means corresponds to the count in the third means.
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25. In apparatus for use in a pump for pumping fluid from a source through a cassette and to an output line at a preselected controlled rate on an incremental basis until a preselected volume of fluid has been pumped where the pump includes a stepper motor and a driving mechanism operative by the stepper motor for controlling the filling of the cassette and for controlling at least partial emptying of the cassette on the incremental basis at the controlled rate and the driving mechanism includes a shuttle and where the pump further includes a valve control mechanism having first and second states of operation for controlling the supply of fluid from the source to the cassette in the first state of operation and the flow of fluid from the cassette to the output line in the second state of operation and further includes detent means, the cassette including
a unitary housing constructed to be handled manually for coupling to the driving mechanism and the valve control mechanism, a chamber fixedly disposed on the housing and provided with a predetermined volume per unit of length which predetermined volume is a small fraction of the fluid in the source and a fraction of the fluid to be transferred between the source and the individual, a plunger movable linearly and incrementally within the chamber in first and second opposite directions for coupling to the driving mechanism in the pump in accordance with the manual positioning of the housing for at least partially filling the chamber with the fluid during the linear and incremental movement of the plunger in the first direction and for at least partially emptying the chamber of a predetermined amount of the fluid upon each linear and incremental movement of the plunger in the second direction, the plunger including means for engaging the shuttle on the pump to provide for a linear and incremental movement of the plunger in the first and second opposite directions by the driving mechanism, first and second lines fixedly disposed on the housing in communication with the chamber, the first line also being disposed for communication with the source in the first state of operation of the valve control mechanism and the second line also being disposed for communication with the output line in the second state of operation of the valve control mechanism, a valve mechanism constructed to cooperate with the valve control mechanism in providing the first and second states of operation and fixedly disposed on the housing between the first and second lines and in communication with the first and second lines and the chamber for coupling to the valve control mechanism in accordance with the manual positioning of the housing for providing for the flow of fluid from the chamber to the source and preventing the coupling of the chamber to the output line in the first state of operation of the valve control mechanism and for coupling the chamber to the output line and preventing the coupling of the chamber to the source in the second state of operation of the valve control mechanism, and detent means included in the cassette for engaging the detent means in the pump to couple the cassette to the pump in a particular relationship in accordance with the manual positioning of the housing in fixed relationship to the pump means to obtain the pumping of fluid by the pump through the cassette.
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27. A volumetric pump for pumping fluid from a source to an output line at a preselected controlled rate until a preselected volume of fluid has been pumped, including
volumetric means for receiving fluid from the source of fluid and providing fluid to the output line, and including a chamber in the volumetric means of a predetermined volume per unit of length, which predetermined volume is a fraction of the volume of fluid in the source and a fraction of the fluid to be pumped to the output line, a plunger movable within the chamber in a first direction for filling the chamber with fluid and movable in the chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction for at least partially emptying the chamber, a plunger driving mechanism coupled to the plunger for driving the plunger in the first direction to fill and in the second direction at least partially empty the chamber, the plunger driving mechanism including a stepper motor constructed to provide movements on an incremental basis in first and second opposite directions where each incremental movement constitutes a particular distance, the stepper motor being operatively coupled to the plunger driving mechanism to drive the plunger driving mechanism in the first and second directions through the incremental distances in accordance with the incremental operation of the stepper motor in the first and second directions, control means coupled to the stepper motor for controlling the operation of the stepper motor and including first means for obtaining an operation of the stepper motor at a controlled rate on an incremental basis in the second direction to at least partially empty the chamber by a predetermined volume at a preselected rate until the chamber is at least partially empty and for obtaining the operation of the stepper motor on an incremental basis in the first direction to refill the cassette, and second means for monitoring the operation of the stepper motor in the second direction to count the number of incremental operations of the stepper motor in the second direction and thereby to determine the volume of fluid pumped from the cassette, third means adjustable to provide a count representative of a preselected volume of fluid, fourth means including a first diagnostic alarm coupled to the second means and the third means for providing an alarm when the count indicated by the second means to represent the volume of fluid corresponds to the count in the third means to represent the preselected volume of fluid, and fifth means including a second diagnostic alarm for monitoring the plunger driving mechanism for detecting the driving of the plunger in the second direction on an incremental basis at a rate less than the preselected rate and for providing an alarm upon such detection.
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30. A battery operated volumetric pump for pumping fluid dispensed from a source of fluid to an output line at a preselected controlled rate, including
a battery, a volumetric cassette for receiving fluid from the source of fluid and providing fluid to the output line, and including a chamber of a predetermined volume per unit of length and with a total volume which is a fraction of the source of fluid and a fraction of the volume of fluid to be dispensed from the source, the cassette also including a plunger movable within the chamber for filling and at least partially emptying the chamber a predetermined amount upon movement of the plunger in alternate directions, and a stepper motor constructed to operate in first and second opposite directions in increments each representing a particular distance, the stepper motor being operatively coupled to the battery to be energized by the battery, a plunger driving mechanism, including the stepper motor, coupled to the plunger for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in alternate directions to fill and at least partially empty the chamber, control means coupled to the plunger driving mechanism for controlling the operation of the stepper motor to alternately drive the plunger on an incremental basis at a controlled speed in one direction to at least partially empty the cassette chamber a predetermined amount at a preselected rate until the chamber is at least empty and to drive the plunger on an incremental basis in the opposite direction to refill the cassette, detector means coupled to the battery for detecting the voltage level across the battery, and an alarm mechanism coupled to the detector means for actuating an alarm upon the detection of a voltage level of the battery below a preselected value.
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32. A volumetric pump for pumping fluid dispensed from a source of fluid to an output line at a preselected controlled rate until a preselected volume of fluid has been pumped, including
a volumetric cassette for receiving fluid from the source of fluid and providing fluid to the output line, and including a chamber of a predetermined volume per unit of length and with a total volume which is a fraction of the source of fluid and a fraction of the volume of fluid to be dispensed to the output line, the cassette also including a plunger movable within the chamber in a first direction for filling the chamber with fluid and movable within the chamber in an opposite direction for at least partially emptying the chamber of the fluid, a stepper motor constructed to operate on an incremental basis in first and second opposite directions where each increment represents a particular displacement a plunger driving mechanism, including the stepping motor, coupled to the plunger for driving the plunger on an incremental basis in alternate directions in accordance with a pulse drive stepping signal to fill and at least partially empty the chamber and wherein a predetermined number of incremental operations of the stepper motor equal a unit quantity of fluid pumped and the rate of the fluid pumped is in accordance with the rate of introduction of the pulse drive stepping signal, means for adjusting the rate of the pulse drive stepping signal in accordance with the preselected controlled rate, control means coupled to the plunger driving mechanism for providing a pulse drive stepping signal at a particular rate for controlling the plunger driving mechanism to alternately drive the plunger on an incremental basis in the first direction at a controlled speed in accordance with the rate of the pulse drive stepping signal to at least partially empty the cassette chamber a predetermined amount at a preselected rate and to drive the plunger on an incremental basis in the opposite direction to refill the cassette, means for providing a preselected count of the number of increments of operation of the stepper motor in the opposite direction, means operatively coupled to the stepper motor for counting the number of incremental operations of the stepper motor in the opposite direction, and means operatively coupled to the last two mentioned means for comparing the count in the last two mentioned means to interrupt the operation of the stepper motor when the counts coincide.
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34. The volumetric pump of cllaim 32 additionally includes means responsive to the pulse drive stepping signal during each refilling of the cassette chamber for counting the number of the pulse drive stepping signal during each such refilling and for providing an additional count in the pulse drive stepping signal corresponding to such count during the next operation of the stepper motor in the opposite direction for compensating the rate of pumping the fluid to the output line to equal the preselected rate.
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36. A volumetric pump for pumping fluid dispensed from a source of fluid to an output line at a preselected controlled rate including
a volumetric cassette for receiving fluid from the source of fluid and providing fluid to the output line, and including a chamber of a predetermined volume per unit of length and of a total volume which is a fraction of the source of fluid and a fraction of the fluid to be dispensed to the output line, the cassette also including a plunger movable in a first direction within the chamber for filling the chamber with the fluid and also movable within the chamber in an opposite direction for at least partially emptying the chamber of the fluid, a plunger driving mechanism coupled to the plunger for alternately driving the plunger in the first and opposite directions respectively to fill and at least partially empty the chamber, and the plunger driving mechanism including a stepper motor constructed to operate on an incremental basis in first and second opposite directions to provide particular incremental displacements in such directions in accordance with the incremental operations of the stepper motor, a valve mechanism to control the flow of fluid to and from the cassette chamber during filling and at least partial emptying of the cassette chamber, the valve mechanism having first and second positions and being synchronized in operation between the first and second positions in accordance with the operation of the stepper motor to provide for a flow of fluid to the chamber during the incremental operation of the stepper motor in driving the plunger in the first direction and to provide for a flow of fluid from the chamber during the incremental operation of the stepper motor in driving the plunger in the second direction, and control means coupled to the plunger driving mechanism to control the stepper motor to alternately drive the plunger at a controlled rate in the second direction, with the valve mechanism in the first position, to at least partially empty the cassette chamber at a preselected rate until the chamber is at least partially empty, and to drive the plunger in the first direction, with the valve mechanism in the second position, to refill the cassette.
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39. Apparatus for use in a pump for pumping fluid between a source and an individual at a controlled rate where the pump includes a stepper motor and first means operatively coupled to the stepper motor for moving linearly and incrementally and for pumping fluid in accordance with such linear and incremental movement and includes a shuttle on the first means and where the pump further includes second means for controlling the pumping of the fluid between the source and the individual and having first and second states of operation and further includes third means for providing detents, such apparatus including,
a hollow chamber having a particular volume per unit of length and having first and second conduits and having a volume considerable less than the volume of fluid to be transferred between the source and the individual, the chamber being disposed to provide for the passage of fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit and to provide for the passage of such fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit, the chamber and the first and second conduits being disposed and constructed to provide for the passage of the fluid between the source and the chamber and between the chamber and the individual without contacting the pump or the first means or the second means, a plunger disposed in the chamber for coupling to the first means in a particular relationship for linear and incremental movement by the first means in a first direction to provide for the passage of the fluid through the first conduit between the chamber and the source and for linear and incremental movement in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide for the passage of the fluid between the chamber and the individual, the plunger means being constructed to be engaged by the shuttle on the first means in the pump to provide for a positive drive of the plunger by the first means, a valve disposed in communication with the chamber and in fixed relationship with the chamber and in communication with the first and second conduits for coupling to the second means in a particular relationship and cooperative with the second means in the coupled relationship for providing the first and second states of operation to provide for a flow of the fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit and to prevent the flow of fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit in the first state of operation of the second means and to provide for a flow of the fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit and to prevent the flow of the fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit in the second state of operation of the second means, and coupling means disposed in fixed relationship with the chamber for fixed coupling to the third means in the pump to provide for a coupling of the plunger to the first means and a coupling of the valve to the second means and thereby to provide for a controlled transfer of the fluid between the source and the individual in accordance with the operation of the second means in the first and second states.
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43. In combination for pumping fluid between a source and an individual,
drive means including a linearly reciprocatable drive member, the reciprocatable drive member including a shuttle, pump means operable to reciprocate the drive member on a controlled basis in the linear direction, the pump means being constructed to provide an incremental movement of the drive member in the linearly reciprocal directions with each increment representing a movement of the drive member through a particular increment of distance, the pump means including a stepper motor responsive to the introduction of pulses to provide precise increments of movement in accordance with the introduction of the pulses, a hollow chamber having a particular volume per unit of length and having a total volume considerably less than the volume of fluid to be transferred between the source and the individual and having first and second conduits, the chamber being disposed to provide for the passage of fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit and to provide for the passage of fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit, a plunger disposed in the chamber for linearly reciprocating movement with the drive member on an incremental basis in a first direction to provide for the passage of the fluid through the first conduit between the chamber and the source and for linearly reciprocating movement on an incremental basis in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide for the passage of the fluid between the chamber and the individual, the plunger including a portion for positively engaging the shuttle, valve control means fixedly disposed in communication with the chamber and the first and second conduits and having first and second states of operation and operable in the first state to provide for a flow of fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit and to prevent the flow of the fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit and operable in the second state to provide for the flow of fluid between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit and to prevent the flow of the fluid between the source and the chamber through the first conduit, means responsive to the operation of the valve control means in individual ones of first and second states for providing an operation of the valve control means in the other one of the first and second states, the hollow chamber and the plunger being physically displaced from the drive member, the pump means and the valve control means to provide for the pumping of the fluid through the chamber and the first and second conduits between the source and the individual without contacting the drive member, the pump means and the valve control means, pulse means for providing a plurality of pulses at a variably controlled rate, the pulse means being means operatively coupled to the stepper motor to provide an incremental operation of the stepper motor at the variably controlled rate in driving the drive member in the linearly reciprocating directions through a plurality of cycles to provide for the flow of fluid into and out of the chamber at a particular rate related to the variably controlled rate of incremental operation of the stepper motor, first adjustable means for preselecting a particular number of increments of movement of the plunger in a particular one of the linearly reciprocatable directions to control the amount of fluid to be transferred between the source and the individual, counting means operatively coupled to the pump means for counting the number of increments of movement of the plunger in the particular one of the linearly reciprocatable directions to determine the incremental flow of fluid through the chamber at the variably controlled rate, and means operatively coupled to the adjustable means and the counting means for interrupting the incremental operation of the stepper motor at the variably controlled rate to interrupt the flow of fluid through the chamber at the particular rate when the count provided by the counting means corresponds to the preselected amount selected by the adjustable means.
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49. In combination in a cassette for use with a pump for passing fluid at a controlled rate between a source and an individual where the pump includes first means including a stepper motor of a first particular configuration and constructed to provide a flow of the fluid on an incremental basis at a particular rate and including a shuttle movable by the stepper means and includes second means of a second particular configuration and constructed to control the direction of fluid flow and detent means having a third particular configuration and constructed to provide a mating relationship,
a hollow chamber constructructed to provide a storage of limited volume relative to the volume of fluid to be transfused between the source and the individual and having first and second conduits respectively disposed for communication with the source and the individual and having a particular volume per unit of length, a plunger movable within the chamber in opposite reciprocatory directions in sequence for an insertion of the fluid into the chamber during a movement of the plunger in one of the opposite reciprocatory directions in the sequence and to provide for a transfer of fluid from the chamber during a movement of the plunger in the other one of the opposite reciprocating directions in the sequence, the plunger including means engaging the shuttle on the basis of a quick connect and disconnect for movement by the shuttle, the plunger including means having a configuration corresponding to the configuration of the shuttle to provide a mating relationship with the shuttle for a movement on an incremental basis of the plunger in opposite reciprocating directions by the first means, a valve movable between first and second positions and operable in the first position to provide a communication between the source and the chamber through the first conduit and to prevent a communication between the chamber and the individual and operable in the second position to provide a communication between the chamber and the individual through the second conduit and to prevent a communication between the source and the chamber, means having a configuration corresponding to the second particular configuration to provide a mating relationship between the means and the valve for an operation of the valve on a controlled basis between the first and second positions, and means having a configuration corresponding to the third particular configuration to mate with the detent means on the basis of a quick connect and disconnect to provide a fixed disposition of the chamber and the plunger and valve relative to the pump.
Specification