Apparatus for controlling the rate of dripping of intravenous fluid
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling the rate of dripping of an intravenous fluid into a drip-feed bottle that has a fluid-supply tube extending therefrom, comprising(a) drip-detecting means positionable on the fluid-supply tube below the drip-feed bottle for detecting the dripping of an intravenous fluid into a drip-feed bottle, said drip-detecting means comprising a pair of clipping elements positionable with the supply tube located therebetween and biased toward each other by a spring, an air bag connected to an inside of one of the clipping elements for being pressed against the supply tube, and means connected to the air bag for detecting vibrations resulting from intravenous fluid dripping into the drip-feed bottle;
- (b) a clock for measuring time and indicating the current time;
(c) constricting means positionable on the fluid-supply tube at a position downstream of the drip-feed bottle for constricting the supply tube; and
(d) a flow controller for controlling constriction of the supply tube by the constricting means based on a signal from the drip-detecting means indicating detection of a drip and a time signal from the clock.
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Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the rate of dripping of an intravenous fluid, comprising (i) a drip-detecting device for detecting that an intravenous fluid has dripped into a drip-feed bottle, (ii) a clock for measuring time and indicating the current time, (iii) a constricting arrangement connected to a fluid-supply pipe extending from the drip-feed bottle in a downstream direction, for constricting the supply tube, and (iv) a flow controller for controlling the amount of constriction of the supply pipe by the constricting arrangement, based on a signal from the drip-detecting device indicating detection of a drip and a time signal from the clock. The apparatus enables one to accurately control the interval of time at which an intravenous fluid drips into the drip-feed bottle and, hence, to administer the fluid to a patient at a desired rate.
94 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the rate of dripping of an intravenous fluid into a drip-feed bottle that has a fluid-supply tube extending therefrom, comprising
(a) drip-detecting means positionable on the fluid-supply tube below the drip-feed bottle for detecting the dripping of an intravenous fluid into a drip-feed bottle, said drip-detecting means comprising a pair of clipping elements positionable with the supply tube located therebetween and biased toward each other by a spring, an air bag connected to an inside of one of the clipping elements for being pressed against the supply tube, and means connected to the air bag for detecting vibrations resulting from intravenous fluid dripping into the drip-feed bottle; -
(b) a clock for measuring time and indicating the current time; (c) constricting means positionable on the fluid-supply tube at a position downstream of the drip-feed bottle for constricting the supply tube; and (d) a flow controller for controlling constriction of the supply tube by the constricting means based on a signal from the drip-detecting means indicating detection of a drip and a time signal from the clock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A drip-detecting device for detecting intravenous fluid dripping into a drip-feed bottle that has a supply tube extending downwardly therefrom, comprising a pair of clipping elements positionable below a drip-feed bottle and on a supply tube so that the supply tube is positioned between the clipping elements, said clipping elements being biased toward each other by a spring, an air bag connected to an inside of one of the clipping elements for being pressed against the supply tube, and means connected to the air bag for detecting vibrations resulting from intravenous fluid dripping into the drip-feed bottle.
Specification