Air-in-line sensing apparatus
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting a gas in a liquid contained in a conduit, comprising:
- a first housing having a first transducer for transmitting a signal across said conduit;
a second housing having a second transducer for receiving said signal;
wherein said first housing and said second housing are spaced a distance apart and one housing is independently rotatable in relation to the other housing; and
means for simultaneously capturing and aligning said conduit between said first and second transducers whereby said first transducer transmits said signal across said conduit and is received by said second transducer which converts said signal into an electrical signal which is processed and which will establish whether said fluid-carrying conduit is carrying a gas.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air-in-line sensing apparatus for use with a parenteral fluid administration set to detect the passage of air through a fluid conduit. The apparatus comprises a first housing having a first arcuate section mounting a first transducer adjacent the first arcuate section and a second housing having a second arcuate section mounting a second transducer adjacent the second arcuate section. One housing is independently movable relative to the other housing so that when the movable housing is moved towards the other housing, the first and second arcuate sections capture a length of administration set tubing therebetween providing secure intimate contact therewith. A signal may be generated from one of such transducers, passed through the fluid conduit and received by the other transducer to detect whether the conduit is carrying air.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting a gas in a liquid contained in a conduit, comprising:
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a first housing having a first transducer for transmitting a signal across said conduit; a second housing having a second transducer for receiving said signal; wherein said first housing and said second housing are spaced a distance apart and one housing is independently rotatable in relation to the other housing; and means for simultaneously capturing and aligning said conduit between said first and second transducers whereby said first transducer transmits said signal across said conduit and is received by said second transducer which converts said signal into an electrical signal which is processed and which will establish whether said fluid-carrying conduit is carrying a gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for detecting a gas in a conduit, comprising:
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a first housing having a first arcuate section which is in contact with a first arcuate section of said conduit; a second housing having a second arcuate section which is in contact with a second arcuate section of said conduit; wherein said first housing and said second housing are spaced a distance apart and one of said housings is independently rotatable in relation to the other of said housings; a first transducer associated with said first housing for transmitting a signal across said conduit; a second transducer associated with said second housing for receiving said signal, whereby said signal travels across said conduit and is received by said second transducer which converts said signal into an electrical signal which is processed and which will establish whether said fluid-carrying conduit is carrying the gas. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for detecting gas in a fluid conduit, comprising:
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a first housing fixedly mounted to a base and having a first arcuate section for matingly contacting a first arcuate section of said conduit; a second housing pivotally mounted to said base, said second housing being rotatable relative to said first housing, said second housing having a second arcuate section, said second housing being rotatable so that said second arcuate section of said second housing matingly contacts a second arcuate section of said conduit; a first transducer mounted in one of said housings for transmitting a signal across said conduit; and a second transducer associated in the other of said second housings for receiving said transmitted signal; whereby said signal travels across said conduit and is received by said second transducer which converts said signal into an electrical signal which is processed and which will establish whether said conduit is carrying the liquid or the gas. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for detecting a gas in a liquid contained in a conduit, comprising:
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a first housing having a first surface with a first fillet formed therein; a first transducer affixed to said first housing adjacent said first fillet; a second housing, having a second surface with a second fillet formed therein, wherein said second housing is shiftable relative said first housing and is configured such that at least a portion of said second fillet becomes positioned adjacent and parallel to said first fillet upon shifting said second housing such that said second housing slidingly engages said conduit to align and capture said conduit between said first and second fillets; and a second transducer affixed to said second housing, adjacent said second fillet. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification