Keyed cassette for dispensing pump

• US 5,752,813 A
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: A.Z.E. Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: A.Z.E. Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Meadow, Stuart, Gorn, Steven, Dahlhauser, Lawrence J., Feigenbaum, Jeffrey H., Nicholson, Laurence R., Tyner, Cliff
• Primary Examiner(s): Thorpe, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): TYLER, CHERYL JACKSON
• Application Number:
  US08/735,900
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 417/477.2, 417/412, 604/65, 604/66, 604/67, 128/DIG. 12
• US Class Current: 417/477.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1253 by using two or more rollers as squeezing elements, the rollers moving on an arc of a circle during squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion

Abstract

A method for the enhanced accuracy in dispensing from a fluid roller dispensing pump, wherein a keyed one way insertable cassette with pump compressible tubing is utilized with the fluid dispensing pump. The cassette holds and maintains a compressible plastic tube adjacent a roller pump, whereby the rollers of the pump compress the tubing to draw and accurately dispense predetermined exact amounts of liquids into vials, hypodermics and the like for accurate medical and/or laboratory use, and wherein slightly improper placement still provides dispensing but with not always detectable inaccuracies. The cassette is provided with positive proper position indicator elements to ensure both proper orientation and complete locking engagement to ensure accurate pumping and dispensing. In a preferred embodiment the pump embodies current use sensors which determine if the cassette, which causes the pump to use more current, is present. A keyed one-way cassette fitting prevents improper placement.

Claims

1. A fluid pumping system comprising a peristaltic fluid dispensing rotary pump having a plurality of rotating rollers and a keyed one way insertable cassette for the peristaltic fluid dispensing rotary pump, with said cassette having compressible tubing adapted to be compressed by the pump, wherein the cassette holds and maintains the compressible tube adjacent rollers of the pump, whereby the rollers of the pump compress the tubing to draw and accurately dispense predetermined exact amounts of liquids from a dispensing container with which the tubing is operatively connected, wherein improper placement of the cassette relative to the pump may result in inaccurate fluid dispensing, characterized in that one of the cassette and pump comprises sensing means which provides an interlock for pump operation and the other of the cassette and pump comprises actuating means for actuating the sensor to permit pump operation and wherein the actuating means actuates the sensing means only when the cassette is in proper operative position relative to the pump, wherein the pump comprises the sensing means and the cassette comprises the pump actuating means, wherein the sensing means comprises means for sensing the presence of the cassette and the sensor actuating means comprising the cassette when properly placed, said sensing means being operable by comparing a predetermined range of current normally used by the pump under load, stored in memory means, when the cassette is properly operatively positioned;

to current actually being used by the pump, with pump operation continuing only with sensed current at least that of stored current range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the cassette adapted to be engaged with the pump is keyed to only permit proper engagement of the cassette with the pump.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said portion of the cassette comprises an area of reduced size relative to another portion of the cassette adapted to be engaged with the pump and the pump comprises a reception area of reduced size adapted to engage and hold only said reduced size portion of the cassette.