Centrally managed modular infusion pump system

• US 4,756,706 A
• Filed: 01/21/1986
• Issued: 07/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: American Hospital Supply Corp. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bobo, Donald E., Weyant, Robert R., Kerns, Ralph M., Rubalcaba, Bernardino Jr., Rake, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US06/821,153
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 604/19, 604/21, 604/30, 604/31, 604/50-52, 604/56, 604/65-67, 604/82, 604/83, 604/246, 604/251-253, 604/247, 128/DIG. 12, 128/DIG. 13, 128/630, 364/413, 364/415, 364/416
• US Class Current: 604/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1407 Infusion of two or more substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14228 with linear peristaltic action, i.e. comprising at least three pressurising members or a helical member
• 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: Y10S 128/13 Infusion monitoring

Abstract

A plurality of infusion pump modules are detachably connected to a portable central management unit. The modules can be programmed by the central management unit, and their operating information displayed by the central management unit, when they are connected to it; yet the modules, once programmed, can operate independently when detached from the central mangagement unit, and they can display limited operational information on their own.

Claims

1. A portable modular infusion pump system comprising:

(a) a central management unit;

(b) a plurality of modules; and

(c) connection means on each of said modules and on said management unit for releasably structurally and electrically connecting said modules to each other and to said central management unit to form a stack of modules extrending from said central management unit;

(d) said modules being positionable in said stack in any order at any time during operation of said system, and being detachable from said stack at any time during such operation, and

(e) said modules including communication means for transmitting to said central management unit through said electrical connection information regarding their operation;

(f) at least one of said modules being a pump module including an infusion pump and internal control means for controlling the same, said control means being programmable by said central management unit but arranged to operate said infusion pump independently of said central management unit in accordance with a program established by said central management unit; and

(g) said central management unit including means for programming said internal control means and for receiving and displaying information from said modules concerning their operation.

2. The system of claim 1, in which one of said modules is permanently connected to said central management unit.

3. The system of claim 1, in which said detachable modules include:

(i) extendable connecting means for mechanically and electrically interconnecting the module with an adjacent one;

(ii) said connecting means including contact pins adapted to mate with corresponding contact pins on an adjacent module when said connecting means are extended, and a guide pin adapted to mate with a corresponding recess in said adjacent module when said connecting means are extended, whereby said module and said adjacent module are mechanically interlocked when they are electrically connected by the extension of said connecting means; and

(iii) said connecting means being fully retractable into the housing of said module when said module and said adjacent module are disconnected from each other.

4. The system of claim 1, in which said detachable modules include:

(i) module microprocessor means programmable by said central management unit for controlling operational parameters of said infusion pump;

(ii) said module microprocessor means being programmed to store infusion volume history data from the operation of said infusion pump and to transmit the same to said central management unit.

5. The system of claim 4, in which said module microprocessor means further control a display of operational parameters of said infusion pump and of alarm conditions in said module independently of said central management unit.

6. The system of claim 1, in which said central management unit includes:

(i) central microprocessor means for cyclically receiving operational information from said modules, and displaying said information on demand;

(ii) said central microprocessor means also being programmed to receive operational parameters from an operator and to transmit the same to a selected module to program said module.

7. The system of claim 6, in which said central microprocessor means are further programmed to store operational information from each of said modules at predetermined intervals so as to provide an operational history of each of said modules.

8. The system of claim 1, said central management unit further comprising microprocessor means programmed to cyclically interrogate said modules individually, and display operational information therefrom, in the order of their position in the stack but to record operational information from said modules in accordance with identifying indicia supplied by said modules.

9. The system of claim 8, further including:

(h) identity-assigning means in said central management unit for supplying identifying indicia to each module in said stack when said assembly is activated; and

(i) alarm means in said central management unit for indicating an alarm condition when said central management unit fails to recognize said identifying indicia in one of the modules of the stack or fails to cyclically communicate with one of the modules in the stack.

10. The system of claim 1, in which said pump modules include:

(i) delay means programmable by said central management delaying the start of the module'"'"'s operation to a predetermined time, and

(ii) alarm means for monitoring predetermined parameters of said pump module and for indicating an alarm condition upon detecting parameter values which would interfere with the onset of the programmed operation of said module at said predetermined time.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sensing module connectable into said stack, said sensing module including communication means for conveying physiological information to said central management unit, and said central management unit including microprocessor means programmed to reprogram at least one of said pump modules in response to said information.

12. The system of claim 1, in which said detachable modules each have first and second sets of electrical contacts, said first set of contacts on each module being adapted to engage said second set of the module above it when said modules are stacked;

said first and second sets being electrically interconnected within each of said modules in such a manner that each contact of said first set in the topmost module of the stack is operatively connected to a module occupying a predetermined position in said stack, regardless of the order in which said modules are stacked.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising an IV stand for supporting said stack, said IV stand having support means for supporting IV bottles, and guide means for retaining cannulae connecting said IV bottles and said modules in a relationship where the length of the path followed by said cannulae between said IV bottles and said modules is generally equal regardless of the position of said module in said stack.

14. The system of claim 1, in which said programming and displaying means include:

(i) attention means on each pump module for causing said programming and displaying means to accept and display data relating to said module;

(ii) means on said central management unit for entering operational parameters for said module and communicating the same to said module;

(iii) means in said module for storing operational data transmitting the same to said central management unit; and

(iv) means in said central management unit for storing said operational data for all of said pump modules, updating said stored data upon transmission of data by said modules, and displaying the operational data for the module whose attention means have most recently been actuated.