Calibration system and method for making

• US 5,348,706 A
• Filed: 05/24/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Abul-Haj, Roxanne E., Norman, Jacob J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, LYLE
• Application Number:
  US08/067,422
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/102, 422/100, 422/103, 436/8, 436/11, 128/DIG. 13, 128/DIG. 12, 604/65, 604/67, 604/151
• US Class Current: 73/1.03
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4522 the components being pressed through porous bodies, e.g. flat plates, blocks or cylinders, which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube B01F25/45243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4163 checking the operation of, or calibrating, the measuring apparatus G01N27/3274, G01N27/4175 and G01N33/0006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4165 for pH meters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/13 Infusion monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/10 Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/102499 Blood gas standard or control

Abstract

An endless loop calibration system comprising a sensor cassette having a flow-through passage and at least one sensor to be calibrated, a chamber coupled to the sensor cassette to define an endless loop, a calibration liquid in the endless loop, and a valve element which is employed to prevent the flow of calibration liquid through the endless loop. This valve element, preferably carried by a housing, urges a tube compressor to squeeze a compressible tube against a curved wall surface sufficiently to prevent fluid from flowing in the compressible tube across the zone, and to maintain the at least one sensor in the sensor cassette wet with calibration liquid for long term storage of the calibration system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending through said housing between said inlet and said outlet;

a curved wall surface on said housing;

a tube compressor;

a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said passage, said compressible tube being between said curved wall surface and said tube compressor and being wrapped in a circumferential direction at least part way around said tube compressor;

said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube;

a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, said flow-through passage being in fluid communication with said passage extending through said housing so as to form an endless loop therewith;

a calibration liquid located in said endless loop so as to wet said sensor; and

means for keeping said sensor relatively wet during storage of said apparatus, said means comprising an element carried by said housing for urging said tube compressor to squeeze a zone of said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing includes at least one indexing surface, said tube compressor defines an opening, a portion of said element is in contact with said at least one indexing surface and another portion of said element is located in said opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing includes two spaced apart indexing surfaces, said tube compressor defines an opening, a different portion of said element is in contact with each of said indexing surfaces and another portion of said element is located in said opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said compressible tube includes interior walls and a coating which acts to inhibit said interior walls from fusing together during extended periods of time when said compressible tube is squeezed sufficiently to prevent fluid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said element is adapted to be coupled to a drive assembly to move said element and thereby cause said tube compressor to move relative to said curved wall surface to pump fluid in said compressible tube.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage extending through said housing between said inlet and said outlet;

a curved wall surface on said housing;

a tube compressor;

a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said passage, said compressible tube being between said curved wall surface and said tube compressor and being wrapped in a circumferential direction at least part way around said tube compressor;

said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube;

a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, said flow-through passage being in fluid communication with said passage extending through said housing so as to form an endless loop therewith;

a calibration liquid located in said endless loop so as to wet said sensor;

means for keeping said sensor relatively wet during storage of said apparatus, said means comprising an element for urging said tube compressor to squeeze a zone of said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone;

a package base; and

a package cover attached to said package base and, together with said package base, defining an enclosed space in which said housing, said sensor device, and said means comprising said element are located.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said package base is made of a polymeric material which is air, water and microorganism impermeable and is able to withstand autoclave sterilization conditions, and said package cover is made of a polymeric material which is air and water permeable, microorganism impermeable and is able to withstand autoclave sterilization conditions.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said package base is made of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polycarbonates and mixtures thereof;

and said package cover is made of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins and mixtures thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said compressible tube includes interior walls and a coating which acts to inhibit said interior walls of said compressible tube from fusing together during extended periods of time when said compressible tube is squeezed sufficiently to prevent fluid from flowing in said compressible tube across said zone.

10. A method for producing a calibration system comprising:

forming a system comprising a sensor device having a flow-through passage and including at least one sensor to be calibrated, and a housing including a curved wall surface and defining a fluid passage so that said flow-through passage and said fluid passage are parts of an endless loop, a tube compressor, and a compressible tube carried by said housing and defining at least a portion of said fluid passage, said tube compressor being mounted on said housing for movement relative to said curved wall surface to squeeze said compressible tube in a region which moves along said compressible tube to thereby pump fluid in said compressible tube;

introducing a calibration liquid into said endless loop; and

maintaining said sensor in a relatively wet condition during storage of said system by placing an element relative to said tube compressor to urge said tube compressor to squeeze said compressible tube sufficiently to prevent said calibration liquid from flowing through said endless loop.

11. The method of claim 10 which further comprises:

locating said system in a package base made of a polymeric material which is air, water and microorganism impermeable and is able to withstand autoclave sterilization conditions;

attaching a package cover on said package base to thereby form an enclosed package defining an interior space in which said system is located, said package cover being made of a polymeric material which is air and water permeable, microorganism impermeable and is able to withstand autoclave sterilization conditions; and

, thereafter,

subjecting said enclosed package to effective autoclave sterilization conditions to thereby sterilize said system.