Drop sensing unit and associated drip chamber for IV fluid administration
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for producing and monitoring drop flow, comprising:
- a drop sensing unit;
an associated drip chamber having mounting means thereon;
first means on said drop sensing unit supportively and removably engaging said mounting means of said drip chamber and including alignment means automatically positioning said drip chamber relative to said drop sensing unit while simultaneously restraining said drop chamber against lateral or vertical movement relative to the vertical path of normal drop flow through the chamber, said first means and said mounting means cooperating to restrict said drop sensing unit to use with said associated drip chamber to provide accurate drop flow monitoring; and
second means on said drop sensing unit engaging said drip chamber at least at a location vertically spaced from said mounting means along said path, said second means cooperating with said supportively engaging first means to exert clamping forces on said drip chamber substantially normal to said path at no more than three regions of engagement.
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Abstract
A drop sensing unit and associated, disposable drip chamber for dedicated use with the sensing unit in an IV fluid administration system, the sensing unit being adapted for convenient installation on and removal from the drip chamber, with cooperable engaging means on the sensing unit and chamber serving to locate and retain them in the desired relative position during use. Such engaging means provide for contact between the sensing unit and chamber at vertically spaced locations for effective retention, and are constructed and arranged to aid in preventing use of the sensing unit on drip chambers which differ from the specially designed chamber.
61 Citations
14 Claims
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1. Apparatus for producing and monitoring drop flow, comprising:
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a drop sensing unit; an associated drip chamber having mounting means thereon; first means on said drop sensing unit supportively and removably engaging said mounting means of said drip chamber and including alignment means automatically positioning said drip chamber relative to said drop sensing unit while simultaneously restraining said drop chamber against lateral or vertical movement relative to the vertical path of normal drop flow through the chamber, said first means and said mounting means cooperating to restrict said drop sensing unit to use with said associated drip chamber to provide accurate drop flow monitoring; and second means on said drop sensing unit engaging said drip chamber at least at a location vertically spaced from said mounting means along said path, said second means cooperating with said supportively engaging first means to exert clamping forces on said drip chamber substantially normal to said path at no more than three regions of engagement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In an IV fluid monitoring system including a sensor housing and an associated elongated drip chamber, a system of supporting and aligning the associated drip chamber relative to a sensing path defined by the drop sensor housing, comprising:
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means supportively and removably engaging the drip chamber with the drop sensor housing at a plurality of vertically spaced-apart contact areas along the longitudinal axis of the drip chamber and on opposite sides thereof; and camming means on the drop sensor housing removably engaging cooperable means located on only one side of the drip chamber to position the longitudinal axis of the drip chamber normal to the sensing path defined by the drop sensor housing and simultaneously to bias the drip chamber against misalignment with the drop sensor housing, said camming means further providing a limit to vertical movement of the drip chamber relative to the drop sensor housing in one direction only during installation of the drop sensor to the drip chamber.
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5. For use with an associated drip chamber having an elongated and generally vertically oriented body with a plurality of cantilevered projections extending laterally therefrom, a drop sensing unit comprising:
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drop sensing means; a support housing for said drop sensing means defining a contoured engagement surface adapted to engage said chamber body at a location vertically spaced from said projections; latch means connected to said support housing with a cam surface thereon engageable with one of said projections and arranged for movement toward and away from said contoured surface, said latch means being adapted to urge said chamber into a captured state relative to said support housing; and resilient means urging said latch means toward said contoured surface. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. Apparatus for producing and monitoring drop flow, comprising:
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a drop sensing unit; an associated drip chamber including mounting means; first means on said drop sensing unit supportively and removably engaging only said mounting means and including aligning means for automatically positioning said drip chamber relative to said drop sensing unit for accurate drop flow monitoring while simultaneously restraining said drip chamber against movement relative to the vertical path of normal drop flow through said chamber; and second means removably engaging said drip chamber on only an opposite side of said drip chamber from said first means, said second means cooperating with said supportively engaging first means to exert a clamping force substantially normal to said path of drop flow, said clamping force being exerted at three regions of engagement, said first and second means being vertically spaced apart along said path and being laterally spaced apart sufficiently to be incapable of exerting a clamping force on only said drip chamber. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for producing and sensing a succession of discrete fluid drops in an intravenous fluid administration system, comprising:
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a drop sensing unit; an associated drip chamber having an elongated and generally vertically oriented body and integrated drop forming means, said drop sensing unit being removably mounted on said chamber and including a housing; sensing means on said housing; retaining means positioning and holding said drop sensing unit in relation to said chamber with said sensing means in operable relation to the path of drops from said drop forming means, said retaining means having cooperable engaging means on said chamber and on said drop sensing unit that contact one another at vertically spaced and generally oppositely disposed locations, said engaging means including a first projection extending laterally from said elongated body, a latch post on said housing engageable with said projection, and conforming contact surfaces on said housing and said body, with the location of said contact surfaces being vertically spaced from the location of engagement of said projection with said latch post; and actuating means on said housing selectively operable to move said latch post toward and away from engagement with said first projection to exert a clamping force on said drip chamber body at vertically spaced locations to effect installation, retention, and removal of said sensing unit relative to said associated drip chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification