Sequence valve for piggyback IV administration with occlusion failure sensing

• US 4,637,817 A
• Filed: 11/14/1985
• Issued: 01/20/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Graseby Medical Limited
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Archibald, G. Kent, Slaker, Frank A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Costantino, Mario
• Application Number:
  US06/797,929
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 604/80-83, 604/85, 604/249, 604/250, 604/245-248, 604/28-34, 604/258, 251/4-10,68, 128/DIG. 12, 128/DIG. 13, 137/595, 137/553-555, 340/540, 340/679, 340/606, 200/61.42, 200/61.43
• US Class Current: 604/81
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/06 by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means F16K7/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/13 Infusion monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8225 Position or extent of motion indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87161 With common valve operator

Abstract

A piggyback IV administration system uses a solenoid actuated sequence valve to control the flow of fluid from a pair of IV fluid sources to the inlet of an IV pump or controller. The sequence valve pinches off a first tube while allowing fluid to flow through the second tube and then, in response to a control signal, changes state so that the second tube is pinched off and fluid can flow through the first tube unimpeded. The sequence valve automatically senses conditions which indicate a failure of the sequence valve to occlude the second tube when the valve changes state.

Claims

1. A sequence valve for selectively occluding first and second flexible tubes in sequence, the sequence valve comprising:

a base;

a crank pivotally connected to the base for movement between first and second crank positions;

bias means for providing a bias force to the crank which urges the crank toward the second crank position;

occluder means connected to the crank for occluding the first flexible tube when the crank is in the first crank position, and for occluding the second flexible tube when the crank is in the second crank position;

releasable latch means for latching the crank in the first crank position and for releasing the crank in response to a control signal to allow the bias force to pivot the crank to the second crank position; and

means for sensing a condition indicative of failure of the sequence valve to occlude the second flexible tube and providing a signal in response thereto.

2. The sequence valve of claim 1 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

contact means for contacting a first switch element when the crank is in the first crank position and for contacting a second switch element when the crank is in the second crank position to provide signals representative of the position of the crank.

3. The sequence valve of claim 2 wherein the means for sensing a condition further comprises:

means for measuring a time from when the contact means breaks contact with the first switch element until the contact means makes contact with the second switch element.

4. The sequence valve of claim 3 and further comprising:

means for providing an alarm signal if the time measured is greater than a predetermined value.

5. The sequence valve of claim 2 wherein the crank is movable to third position past the second crank position if the occluder means does not engage the second flexible tube, and wherein the means for sensing a condition further comprises:

means for causing the contact means and the second switch element to break electrical contact if the crank moves to third position.

6. The sequence valve of claim 5 wherein the second switch element comprises a contact wire having a fixed end and a free end, and a terminal normally in contact with the free end;

and wherein the means for causing the contact means and the second switch element to break electrical contact engages and deflects the contact wire when the crank moves to the third position to cause the free end to move out of contact with the terminal.

7. The sequence valve of claim 1 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing when the crank has moved to a third position which can only be reached if the second flexible tube is not in position to be occluded by the occluder.

8. The sequence valve of claim 1 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing rate of movement of the crank from the first crank position toward the second crank position.

9. The sequence valve of claim 1 and further comprising:

channel means for positioning the first and second tubes in side-by-side relationship.

10. The sequence valve of claim 9 wherein the occluder means comprises an occluder stud connected to the crank and extending into the channel means between the first and second tubes so that when the crank is in the first crank position the occluder stud causes the first tube to be pinched off and when the crank is in the second crank position the occluder stud causes the second tube to be pinched off.

11. The sequence valve of claim 10 and further comprising:

a first leaf spring on one side of the channel means for urging one of the tubes toward the occluder stud.

12. The sequence valve of claim 11 and further comprising:

a second leaf spring on an opposite side of the channel means for urging the other of the tubes toward the occluder stud.

13. A sequence valve for selectively occluding first and second flexible tubes in sequence, the sequence valve comprising:

spring biased pivotable tube pincher means for pinching off the first and then the second flexible tube;

pivotable latch means for holding the tube pincher in a position in which the first tube is pinched off;

a solenoid means which releases the latch in response to a control signal to permit the latch to pivot out of engagement with the tube pincher and thereby allow the tube pincher to pivot to a position in which the second tube is pinched off; and

means for sensing a condition indicative of a failure of the tube pincher to pinch off the second tube and providing a signal in response thereto.

14. The sequence valve of claim 13 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing when the tube pincher has moved to a position which can only be reached if the second flexible tube is not in position to be pinched off by the tube pincher.

15. The sequence valve of claim 13 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing rate of movement of the tube pincher from the position in which the first tube is pinched off toward the position in which the second tube in pinched off.

16. An IV administration system comprising:

a first source of a first IV fluid;

a second source of a second IV fluid;

an IV control device having an inlet and an outlet for delivering IV fluids;

a first flexible tube connected between the first source and the inlet;

a second flexible tube connected between the second source and the inlet;

a sequence valve for switching, in response to a control signal, from a first state in which the first flexible tube is occluded and the second flexible tube is not to a second state in which the second flexible tube is occluded and the first flexible tube is not;

means for providing the control signal to the sequence valve; and

means for sensing a condition indicative of failure of the sequence valve to occlude the second flexible tube in response to the control signal and providing a signal in response thereto.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the sequence valve comprises:

a base;

a crank pivotally connected to the base for movement between first and second crank positions;

bias means for providing a bias force to the crank which urges the crank toward the second crank position;

occluder means connected to the crank for occluding the first flexible tube when the crank is in the first crank position, and for occluding the second flexible tube when the crank is in the second crank position; and

releasable latch means for latching the crank in the first crank position and for releasing the crank in response to a control signal to allow the bias force to pivot the crank to the second crank position.

18. The system valve of claim 17 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing when the crank has moved to a position which can only be reached if the second flexible tube is not in position to be occluded by the occluder means.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing rate of movement of the crank from the position in which the first tube is pinched off toward the position in which the second tube is pinched off and providing a signal in response thereto.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the sequence valve comprises:

a spring biased pivotable tube pincher for pinching off the first and then the second tube;

a pivotable latch for holding the tube pincher in a position in which the first tube is pinched off; and

a solenoid which releases the latch in response to a control signal to permit the latch to pivot out of engagement with the tube pincher and thereby allow the tube pincher to pivot to a position in which the second tube is pinched off.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing when the tube pincher has moved to a position which can only be reached if the second flexible tube is not in position to be occluded by the occluder means.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the means for sensing a condition comprises:

means for sensing rate of movement of the tube pincher from the position in which the first pincher is pinched off toward the position in which the second tube is pinched off and providing a signal in response thereto.

23. An IV administration system comprising:

a first source of a first IV fluid;

a second source of a second IV fluid;

an IV control device having an inlet and an outlet for delivering IV fluids;

a first flexible tube connected between the first source and the inlet;

a second flexible tube connected between the second source and the inlet;

a sequence valve for initially occluding the first flexible tube and then occluding the second flexible tube in response to a control signal;

means for providing the control signal to the sequence valve; and

means for sensing a condition indicative of failure of the sequence valve to occlude the second tube in response to the control signal and providing a signal in response thereto.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the sequence valve includes a movable occluder which is actuated in response to the control signal.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for sensing a condition senses a rate of movement of the occluder and providing a signal in response thereto.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for sensing a condition senses movement of the occluder to a position which is only possible if the second tube is not in position to be occluded.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for sensing a condition senses absence of the second tube from the sequence valve.