System for monitoring fluid distribution towards a utilization station

• US 5,446,449 A
• Filed: 06/18/1993
• Issued: 08/29/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taema (Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: Taema (Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Lhomer, Gerard, Theurant, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US08/078,029
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 340/603, 340/606, 340/611, 128/202.22, 128/205.23, 137/554, 137/557
• US Class Current: 340/611
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A monitoring system comprising at least, a first and a second indicator unit each associated with at least one fluid distribution line and each including at least two series of indicators, each series being associated with at least one pick-up of the magnitude of a fluid which circulates in a distribution line and comprising at least two indicator lights for the thresholds of the magnitude, wherein the thresholds may be adjusted by a programming unit.

Claims

1. A fluid distribution system for delivering at least one fluid toward at least one user station, comprising at least one fluid distribution line having an upstream portion connectable to a source of said fluid, a line length and a downstream portion for fluid connection to said user station, the line length including a fluid control device for controlling a parameter of said delivered fluid and a pair of sensors on both sides of said control device for sensing said parameter upstream and downstream of said control device and providing signals indicative of said parameter, at least one first indicator unit connected to the sensors and having at least one display panel comprising at least one series of warning displays including a pair of displays indicative of under and over thresholds of the parameter sensed upstream of control device and a pair of displays indicative of under and over thresholds of the parameter sensed downstream of the control device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said display panel comprises a measuring display displaying a sensed value of the parameter downstream of the control device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one second indicator unit at the user station, coupled to the first indicator unit and comprising a series of warning displays repeating the warning displays of the first indicator unit.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising a third indicator unit and an additional upstream sensor in the upstream portion of the distribution line providing a signal indicative of said parameter of said fluid in said upstream portion, the third indicator unit having at least one series of warning displays displaying values of said parameter as sensed by the upstream sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising at least two said fluid distribution lines, said first indicator unit having at least two said series of warning displays, one series associated to one of said fluid distribution lines.

6. The system of claim 4, comprising at least two said fluid distribution lines, said first and third indicator units each having at least two said series of warning displays, said series of said indicator units associated to a respective one of said fluid distribution lines.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

9. A system according to claim 3, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

10. A system according to claim 4, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

11. A system according to claim 5, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

12. A system according to claim 6, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.

13. A fluid distribution system for delivering at least one fluid from a source of said fluid towards at least one user station, comprising:

at least one fluid distribution line, the fluid distribution line further comprising

an upstream portion connectable to the source of said fluid,

an intermediate line length, and

a downstream portion for fluid connection to said user station;

a fluid control device in the line length for controlling a parameter of said delivered fluid;

an upstream line sensor in the line length on an upstream side of said control device for sensing said parameter upstream of said control device and providing upstream signals indicative of said parameter;

a downstream line sensor in the line length on a downstream side of said control device for sensing said parameter downstream of said control device and providing downstream signals indicative of said parameter;

at least one first indicator unit connected to the upstream line sensor and the downstream line sensor, the first indicator unit having at least one display panel including at least one first series of warning displays, the first series of warning displays including

a first pair of displays indicative respectively of an under-threshold condition and an overthreshold condition of the parameter sensed upstream of the control device and

a second pair of displays indicative respectively of an under-threshold condition and an overthreshold condition of the parameter sensed downstream of the control device.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said display panel includes a measurement display showing a quantitative value of the parameter sensed downstream of the control device.

15. The system according to claim 13, further comprising at least one second indicator unit located at the user station, the second indicator unit coupled to the first indicator unit and including a second series of warning displays repeating the first series of warning displays of the first indicator unit.

16. The system according to claim 13, comprising a third indicator unit and an additional upstream portion sensor in the upstream portion of the distribution line providing an upstream portion signal indicative of said parameter of said fluid in said upstream portion, the third indicator unit having at least one third series of warning displays displaying values of said parameter as sensed by the upstream sensor.

17. The system according to claim 16, comprising a plurality of fluid distribution lines, the first series of warning displays associated with a first of said fluid distribution lines, the third series of warning displays associated with a second of said fluid distribution lines.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of fluid distribution lines, said first indicator unit including a plurality of said first series of warning displays corresponding respectively to the plurality of fluid distribution lines.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said fluid distribution line comprises means for carrying a medical fluid.