Rapid response occlusion detector for a medication infusion pump
First Claim
1. A rapid response occlusion detector for use with a medication infusion pump having a syringe defining a chamber with medication therein, infusion tubing for connecting the medication chamber to a patient, a piston plunger for advancement into the medication chamber to administer a dose of the medication to the patient, and drive means for controllably advancing the piston plunger into the medication chamber to administer a succession of discrete doses of the medication to the patient, said occlusion detector comprising:
- force sensor means for monitoring and for providing output signals representative of the pressure applied to the medication within the medication chamber;
control circuit means connected to said force sensor means for receiving said output signals, said control circuit means including comparator means for comparing the difference between a first output signal corresponding to a first first pressure substantially at a point in time corresponding with advancement of the syringe plunger to administer a medication dose and a second output signal corresponding to a second pressure at a later point in time substantially after said plunger advancement but preceding the next dose; and
alarm means activated by said control circuit means when the difference between said first and second output signals is less than a predetermined value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved occlusion detector is provided in a medication infusion pump to monitor medication delivery to a patient, and to provide an early alarm in the event of medication nondelivery. The detector comprises a force sensor and related control circuit for reading and comparing the pressure applied to the medication at the time of pump operation to administer a dose to the patient, with the same pressure at a later point in time preceding the next dose. If the difference between the pressure readings is less than a predetermined value, an occlusion of the medication delivery line is indicated and an alarm is activated.
619 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A rapid response occlusion detector for use with a medication infusion pump having a syringe defining a chamber with medication therein, infusion tubing for connecting the medication chamber to a patient, a piston plunger for advancement into the medication chamber to administer a dose of the medication to the patient, and drive means for controllably advancing the piston plunger into the medication chamber to administer a succession of discrete doses of the medication to the patient, said occlusion detector comprising:
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force sensor means for monitoring and for providing output signals representative of the pressure applied to the medication within the medication chamber; control circuit means connected to said force sensor means for receiving said output signals, said control circuit means including comparator means for comparing the difference between a first output signal corresponding to a first first pressure substantially at a point in time corresponding with advancement of the syringe plunger to administer a medication dose and a second output signal corresponding to a second pressure at a later point in time substantially after said plunger advancement but preceding the next dose; and alarm means activated by said control circuit means when the difference between said first and second output signals is less than a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of detecting an occlusion condition in a medication infusion pump having a syringe defining a chamber with medication therein, infusion tubing for connecting the medication chamber to a patient, a piston plunger for advancement into the medication chamber to administer a dose of the medication to the patient, and drive means for controllably advancing the piston plunger into the medication chamber to administer a succession of discrete doses of the medication to the patient, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring and providing output signals representative of the pressure applied to the medication within the medication chamber; comparing the difference between a first output signal corresponding substantially at a point in time with advancement of the syringe plunger to administer a medication dose and a second output signal at a later point in time substantially after said plunger advancement but preceding the next dose; and activating an alarm when the difference between said first and second output signals is less than a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A failure mode detector for use with a medication infusion pump having a syringe defining a chamber with medication therein, infusion tubing for connecting the medication chamber to a patient, a piston plunger for advancement into the medication chamber to administer a dose of the medication to the patient, and drive means for controllably advancing the piston plunger into the medication chamber to administer a succession of discrete doses of the medication to the patient, said failure mode detector comprising:
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force sensor means for monitoring and for providing output signals representative of the pressure applied to the medication within the medication chamber; control circuit means connected to said force sensor means for receiving said output signals, said control circuit means including comparator means for comparing the difference between first and second output signals taken at different selected points in time wherein a failure mode is indicated when said difference is outside a predetermined range; and alarm means activated by said control circuit means when said difference indicates a failure mode.
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12. A method of detecting a failure mode in a medication infusion pump having a syringe defining a chamber with medication therein, infusion tubing for connecting the medication chamber to a patient, a piston plunger for advancement into the medication chamber to administer a dose of the medication to the patient, and drive means for controllably advancing the piston plunger into the medication chamber to administer a succession of discrete doses of the medication to the patient, said method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring and providing output signals representative of the pressure applied to the medication within the medication chamber; comparing the difference between first and second output signals taken at different selected points in time wherein a failure mode is indicated when said difference is outside a predetermined range; and activating an alarm when said difference indicates a failure mode.
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Specification