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Single diaphragm telemetric differential pressure sensing system

  • US 4,281,667 A
  • Filed: 04/13/1978
  • Issued: 08/04/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An in vivo differential pressure sensor adapted for implantation in the living body and for in vivo calibration after implantation, said sensor comprising:

  • (a) a housing having a means defining an opening therein(b) a single flexible diaphragm means which extends across the housing opening and is secured with respect to said housing, said single flexible diaphragm means having a first and a second side;

    (c) means allowing the first side of the single flexible diaphragm means to be in contact with and in mechanical pressure communication witha first bodily medium and allowing the second side of said single flexible diaphragmmeans to be in contact with and in mechanical pressure communication with a second bodily medium whereby a change in the difference of said pressures in the two bodily media will cause motion of at least a portion of said single flexible diaphragm means with respect to said housing;

    (d) means connected to said housing for contacting the single flexible diaphragm means for a predetermined relationship between the pressures on said two sides of said single flexible diaphragm means thereby defining a mechanical contact reference position of said single flexible diaphragm means with respect to said housing for a predetermined relationship between said pressures on said single flexible diaphragm means;

    (e) means having a preselected, detectable, variable parameter, the preselected, detectable variable parameter being detectable by detection apparatus located outside the living body, said means having a preselected, detectable variable parameter being at least in part cooperatively connected to and movable with said single flexible diaphragm means so that said preselected, detectable variable parameter will change with movement of said single flexible diaphragm means, such that the value of said preselected, detectable parameter can be detected at said mechanical contact reference position, said single flexible diaphragm means and said means having a preselected, detectable variable parameter being so constructed and cooperatively connected that said parameter value changes as a known function of the displacement with respect to said mechanical contact reference position of said single flexible diaphragm means and said displacement is a known function of the difference in pressures on the opposite sides of said single flexible diaphragm means;

    whereby when said sensor is implanted in the living body, the single flexible diaphragm means assumes said mechanical contact reference position when the pressure in said second bodily medium exceeds the pressure in said first bodily medium by said predetermining relationship thereby enabling the value of said preselected, detectable, variable parameter to be determined in vivo at said mechanical contact reference position, and whereby the value of said preselected, detectable, variable parameter is a measure of the difference in pressures in said two bodily media.

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