IV fluid delivery system

• US 5,741,121 A
• Filed: 03/08/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: ALARIS Medical Systems, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: O'Leary, Stephen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KORYTNYK, PETER G
• Application Number:
  US08/614,810
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 417/53, 417/474, 417/478, 417/479, 604/153
• US Class Current: 417/53
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/082 the tubular flexible member being pressed against a wall by a number of elements, each having an alternating movement in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubular member and each having its own driving mechanism

Abstract

An IV fluid delivery system for use with a resilient, deformable tube, wherein a mechanism is provided to deform and occlude said tube by a plurality of fingers, as well as, to restore the cross-sectional area of said tube by those fingers, so as to improve the accuracy, consistency, and predictability of flow through the tube.

Claims

1. A method of delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube by using a pump mechanism having a pressure pad for supporting said tube, a plurality of fingers moving in different directions relative said pad, and drive means for actuating said fingers, wherein said fingers each include a protrusion, configured such that depression thereof causes each finger to pivot away from said pressure pad and an activator element biased to depress said protrusion and configured to retract from said protrusion as the pressure pad is brought into proximity of said fingers, said method comprising steps of:

placing said tube between said pressure pad and said fingers;

deforming and occluding said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence under the force of said fingers directed in a first direction; and

restoring the cross-sectional area of said tube under force of said fingers against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence directed in a second direction;

swinging said pressure pad away from said fingers prior to placing said tube between said pressure pad and said fingers so as to cause said activator element to depress said protrusions; and

swinging said pressure pad toward said fingers after placing said tube between said pressure pad and said fingers so as to cause said activator element to retract from said protrusions.

2. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad wherein said pressure pad is substantially V-shaped;

a first set of fingers that apply force to deform said tuobe against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers.

3. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad;

a first set of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers;

wherein said fingers pivot about a plurality of pivot shafts.

4. A pump for delivering fluid through resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

support means for supporting said tube wherein said support means is substantially V-shaped to accommodate the arcing motion of said fingers;

pumping means for generating force on said tube, such that said pumping means deform said tube against said support means in a peristaltic sequence from different directions so as to alternatingly restore and then reduce the cross-sectional area of said tube;

wherein said pumping means includes a plurality of fingers operatively engaged with a plurality of cams along a cam shaft that is driven by the drive means wherein said fingers move in an arcing motion to apply force on said tube;

pivot means for allowing said fingers to pivot to apply force on said tube; and

drive means for actuating said pumping means.

5. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube comprising:

a substantially V-shaped pressure pad;

a plurality of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence as well as urge said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to acuate said fingers.

6. The pump of claim 5, wherein said fingers alternatingly apply force from different directions.

7. The pump of claim 5, further comprising a mechanism for simultaneously retracting all fingers from said tube so as to permit proper alignment of said tube upon repositioning of said pressure pad.

8. The pump of claim 7, further comprising:

a protrusion associated with each finger, configured such that depression thereof causes said finger to pivot away from said tube; and

an activator element biased to depress said protrusion and configured to retract from said protrusion as the pressure pad is brought into proximity of said fingers.

9. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad, wherein said pressure pad is substantially V-shaped;

a first set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner against said tube to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a second direction different from the first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers.

10. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad;

a first set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner against said tube to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a second direction different from the first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers

wherein said fingers pivot about a plurality of pivot shafts.

11. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient, deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad;

a first set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner against said tube to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of a plurality of independently-operable fingers that apply force in a sequential manner to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence in a second direction different from the first direction so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers

a mechanism for simultaneously retracting all fingers of said first set of fingers and all fingers of said second set of fingers from said tube so as to permit proper alignment of said tube upon repositioning of said pressure pad;

a protrusion associated with each finger, configured such that depression thereof causes said finger to pivot away from said tube; and

an activator element biased to depress said protrusion and configured to retract from said protrusion as the pressure pad is brought into proximity of said finger.

12. A pump for delivering fluid through a resilient. deformable tube, comprising:

a pressure pad;

a first set of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area;

a second set of fingers that apply force to deform said tube against said pressure pad in a peristaltic sequence so as to restore and then reduce said tube'"'"'s cross-sectional area; and

a motor operatively engaged with said fingers to actuate said fingers such that a particular section of tube is alternatingly deformed by said first and second set of fingers;

a mechanism for simultaneously retracting all fingers of said first set of fingers and all fingers of said second set of fingers from said tube so as to permit proper alignment of said tube upon repositioning of said pressure pad;

a protrusion associated with each finger, configured such that depression thereof causes said finger to pivot away from said tube; and

an activator element biased to depress said protrusion and configured to retract from said protrusion as the pressure pad is brought into proximity of said finger.