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Pressure (occlusion) sensor

  • US 5,989,222 A
  • Filed: 06/12/1998
  • Issued: 11/23/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for detecting an impediment to a fluid flow through an intravenous line, comprising:

  • (a) a pump chassis;

    (b) a pump in fluid communication with the intravenous line and mountable within the pump chassis to receive a driving force, said pump including a proximal port, a distal port, and an elastomeric membrane overlying a fluid path through the fluid pump adjacent the proximal port and distal port;

    (c) a proximal pressure sensor mounted on the pump chassis and including a member that is coupled to the elastomeric membrane adjacent to the proximal port of the pump and responsive to a deflection and force exerted by the elastomeric membrane due to a proximal fluid pressure within the pump, producing a proximal pressure signal indicative thereof;

    (d) a distal pressure sensor mounted on the pump chassis and including a member that is coupled to the elastomeric membrane adjacent to the distal port of the pump and responsive to a deflection and force exerted by the elastomeric membrane due to a distal fluid pressure within the pump, producing a distal pressure signal indicative thereof; and

    (e) a controller that is electrically coupled to the proximal pressure sensor and the distal pressure sensor to receive the proximal and distal pressure signals, said controller employing the proximal pressure signal to determine a baseline proximal pressure and an absolute proximal pressure, and employing the distal pressure signal to determine a baseline distal pressure and an absolute distal pressure, and determining whether an impediment to fluid flow through the intravenous line has occurred as a function of the baseline proximal pressure, the baseline distal pressure, the absolute proximal pressure, and the absolute distal pressure.

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