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Peristaltic pump occlusion detector and adjuster

  • US 5,657,000 A
  • Filed: 06/02/1995
  • Issued: 08/12/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for determining a degree of occlusion of a peristaltic pump for pumping an electrically conductive fluid, said pump comprising a flexible tube having a first tube location and a second tube location separated from the first tube location and at least one tube occluder which occludes the tube between the first and second tube locations, the apparatus comprising:

  • an electrical connector which electrically connects the first tube location to the second tube location to create a closed electrical circuit comprising conductive fluid within the flexible tube between the first tube location and the second tube location and the electrical connector;

    a source of periodically changing electrical current;

    an electric current sensor;

    an excitation coil inductively coupled to the closed electrical circuit at an excitation location and electrically connected to the source of periodically changing electrical energy; and

    a sensing coil inductively coupled to the closed electrical circuit at a sensing location separated from the excitation location and electrically connected to the electric current sensor.

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