Volumetric infusion pump

• US 6,013,057 A
• Filed: 01/28/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: LaBedz, Ralph H., Monaghan, Martin, Danby, Hal, Turner, John M., McGraghan, Thomas, Lynn, Kenneth M., Plumb, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Coggins, Wynn Wood
• Assistant Examiner(s): Finkel, Sharon
• Application Number:
  US09/014,935
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/153, 604/30, 604/33, 604/151, 604/246, 604/259, 604/407, 604/67, 604/248, D24/111, D24/130, 128/DIG. 12, 128/DIG. 13
• US Class Current: 604/131
• 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: A61M 39/281 Automatic tube cut-off devices, e.g. squeezing tube on detection of air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/365 Air detectors A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/1223 the actuating elements, e.g. rollers, moving in a straight line during squeezing
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/16 Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49236 Fluid pump or compressor making

Abstract

A medical infusion pump is disclosed which provides for greatly improved accuracy in the delivery of medicaments to a patient. Among the various features included in the instant invention is a pumping body which serves to deform and reform a tube so as to maintain the initial cross-section thereof and thereby preserve the output accuracy of the pump. Also disclosed with regard to the pumping body is a wholly mechanical synchronization of the pumping body and valves associated therewith and coactive with the aforementioned synchronization a mechanical linearization of output of the pumping body per each pumping cycle. Additionally, several features which serve to enhance the utility of the instant invention are also included therein among which is an associated assembly operative to automatically load or disload a tube or IV set into or out of the pumping body. Associated with the assembly operative to automatically load or disload a tube and disclosed herein is an assembly operative to selectively open or close a slide clamp associated with the tube in such a way as to ensure that the tube is occluded such that in combination with the valves associated with the pumping body, a condition of free-flow of medicament is never realized. Additionally disclosed are sensor housings adapted to measure various quantities associated with fluid flowing through the tube wherein the housings are with associated components adapted to achieve a substantially normal orientation with respect to the sidewall of the tube and in the achieving of such normal orientation, expressing an essentially zero elastic stress gradient across the tube.

Claims

1. A housing for an infusion pump having an inlet side and an outlet side and a tubeloading slot adapted to receive an IV set therein and positioned between said ends and having a pump mechanism associated with said tubeloading slot, said tubeloading slot comprising a first end and a second end wherein said first end and said second end are located exterior to said pump mechanism and said first end and said second end are downwardly curved toward the exterior of said infusion pump housing wherein the exteriormost edge of said first end and said second end are partially below said tubeloading slot.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said tubeloading slot is substantially straight and said downwardly curved first end and second end place a downward curvature on said IV set, exterior to said infusion pump housing forming drip loops in said IV set and said loops in combination with said downwardly curved first end and second end are operative to keep fluid resident on an exterior area of said IV set and out of said housing.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said tubeloading slot is substantially straight and said first end and said second end are curved downwardly from said tubeloading slot.