Method and apparatus for metered infusion of fluids
First Claim
1. In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination:
- a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof;
metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof;
drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of said tubing, the lumen of said tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing;
downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement;
the improvement comprising;
upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Metering apparatus for metering the flow of fluid through an administration set includes a peristaltic-type metering pump which repeatedly and progressively compresses a section of vinyl tubing of the administration set to provide a desired flow rate. For improved metering accuracy the fluid is maintained under pressure upline and downline of the metering pump to assist the tubing in becoming fully restored following each compression by the pump. In the illustrated embodiment, upline pressure is provided by a peristaltic-type pressure pump which is operated at a controlled rate to maintain a predetermined upline pressure, and downline pressure is provided by a spring-biased plunger which bears against the tubing downline of the metering pump to partially occlude the tubing.
150 Citations
52 Claims
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1. In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination:
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a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof; drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of said tubing, the lumen of said tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement;
the improvement comprising;upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination:
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a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member;
the improvement comprising;upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, said increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination:
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metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of the tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof; drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of the tubing, the lumen of the tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement;
the improvement comprising;upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35)
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36. In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof;
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metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of the tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing the tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members along a segment of said tubing; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of the tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of point of engagement of said pressure member;
the improvement comprising;upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination:
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metering means including a rotor having in equispaced relationship along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members only over a segment of said tubing substantially corresponding to the spacing of said pressure members on the circumference of said rotor; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means comprising a movable plunger spring-biased against the wall of said tubing, for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member;
the improvement comprising;upline pressurization means comprising a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and at least partially occluding the lumen thereof; means including an additional pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members of said upline pressurization means; additional drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored to urge fluid through said tubing; and pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid upline of said point of engagement of said pressure members of said metering means for varying the speed of rotation of said additional rotor to maintain said upline pressure at a predetermined level for improved metering accuracy.
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50. The method of infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a flow path between the supply reservoir and the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; continuously compressing the sidewall of said tubing so as to completely occlude said tubing; repetitively advancing the point of compression of said tubing along a segment thereof whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; and increasing the pressure of the fluid within said segment upline of said point of compression to assist in reformation of said tubing segment for improved metering accuracy. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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Specification