Tubing connector

• US 6,089,105 A
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CardioPulmonary Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CardioPulmonary Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Ricciardelli, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US09/310,561
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 73/861.52, 73/861.63, 73/861.64, 73/863.83, 73/864.34, 128/204.23, 128/204.24, 600/538, 604/43, 604/283
• US Class Current: 73/861.52
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/40 Details of construction of the flow constriction devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/42 Orifices or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/46 Pitot tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis

Abstract

In a respiratory air flow measuring monitor, a tubing connector for connecting lumen tubing to the analyzer module includes a connector housing for attaching the tubing connector to the analyzer module, and a female socket in the connector housing for receiving the lumen tubing therein. A light-emitting diode and corresponding light detector detects the presence of the lumen tubing within the female socket. A second pair of light emitters and diodes discriminates different types of respiratory air flow sensors attached to the analyzer module. The female socket is configured to receive multiple lumen tubes, and to maintain polarity by discriminating different diameters of the lumen tubes.

Claims

1. In a respiratory measurement system, a tubing connector for attaching lumen tubing from an air flow rate sensor to an analyzer module, said lumen tubing being comprised of first, second and third lumen tubes, and wherein the first and second lumen tubes have the same outer diameter and the third lumen tube has an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameters of the first and second lumen tubes, said tubing connector comprising:

a connector housing, said connector housing including a female socket for receiving the lumen tubing from the air flow rate sensor, the female socket being comprised of a first substantially cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first lumen tube, a second substantially cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the second lumen tube, and a third substantially cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the third lumen tube; and

,

a light emitter and corresponding light detector for detecting the presence of the lumen tubing received within the female socket.

2. The tubing connector of claim 1, further comprising first, second and third rigid connector tubes embedded in the centers of the first, second and third substantially cylindrical portions, respectively, of the female socket, the rigid connector tubes each having an outer diameter slightly larger than the internal diameters of the lumen tubes.

3. The tubing connector of claim 1, wherein the light emitter and corresponding light detector are comprised of a first light emitter and a first light detector embedded in a side wall of the female socket, the first light emitter and first light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the first emitter does not impinge upon the first detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from the first emitter is refracted by one of the lumen tubes to impinge upon the first detector.

4. The tubing connector of claim 3, further comprising a second light emitter and a second light detector embedded in the side wall of the female socket, the second light emitter and second light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the second emitter does not impinge upon the second detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from second emitter is refracted by one of the other lumen tubes to impinge upon the second detector.

5. A tubing connector for selectively connecting and disconnecting lumen tubing to a device, said device designed for receiving a fluid transmitted by said lumen tubing, said lumen tubing having an internal diameter and an outer diameter, said tubing connector comprising:

a connector housing for attaching said tubing connector to said device, said connector housing including a female socket for receiving the lumen tubing therein; and

,

a light emitter and corresponding light detector for detecting the pressure of the lumen tubing within the female socket.

6. The tubing connector of claim 5, wherein the light emitter and corresponding light detector are comprised of a first light emitter and a first light detector embedded in a side wall of the female socket, the first light emitter and first light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the first emitter does not impinge upon the first detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from the first emitter is refracted by the lumen tubing to impinge upon the first detector.

7. The tubing connector of claim 5, wherein the lumen tubing is comprised of a plurality of individual lumen tubes bonded together, and the female socket is configured to receive said plurality of bonded lumen tubes.

8. The tubing connector of claim 7, further comprising a second light emitter and a second light detector embedded in the side wall of the female socket, the second light emitter and second light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the second emitter does not impinge upon the second detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from second emitter is refracted by one of the other lumen tubes to impinge upon the second detector.

9. The tubing connector of claim 7, wherein the lumen tubing is comprised of first, second and third lumen tubes bonded together, and wherein the first and second lumen tubes have the same outer diameter and the third lumen tube has an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer diameters of the first and second lumen tubes, and said female socket in said tubing connector is comprised of a first substantially cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first lumen tube, a second substantially cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the second lumen tube, and a third cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the third lumen tube.

10. The tubing connector of claim 9, further comprising first, second and third rigid connector tubes embedded in the centers of the first, second a third substantially cylindrical portions, respectively, of the female socket, the rigid connector tubes each having an outer diameter slightly larger than the internal diameters of the lumen tubes.

11. In a respiratory measurement system, a tubing connector for attaching lumen tubing from an air flow rate sensor to an analyzer module, said lumen tubing being comprised of first, second and third lumen tubes, wherein said first and second lumen tubes have an identical external geometric shape and the third lumen tube has an external geometric shape different from the external geometric shapes of the first and second lumen tubes, said tubing connector comprising:

a connector housing, said connector housing including a female socket for receiving the lumen tubing from the air flow rate sensor, the female socket being comprised of a first portion having an internal geometric shape corresponding to the external geometric shape of the first lumen tube, a second portion having an internal geometric shape corresponding to the external geometric shape of the second lumen tube, and a third portion having an internal geometric shape different from the internal geometric shapes of the first and second portions of the female socket and corresponding to the external geometric shape of the third lumen tube.

12. The tubing connector of claim 11, further comprising a light emitter and corresponding light detector for detecting the pressure of the lumen tubing within the female socket.

13. The tubing connector of claim 12, wherein the first, second and third lumen tubes each have an internal diameter, and the tubing connector further comprises first, second and third rigid connector tubes embedded in the centers of the first, second and third portions, respectively, of the female socket, the rigid connector tubes each having an outer diameter slightly larger than the internal diameters of the lumen tubes.

14. The tubing connector of claim 12, wherein the light emitter and corresponding light detector are comprised of a first light emitter and a first light detector embedded in a side wall of the female socket, the first light emitter and first light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the first emitter does not impinge upon the first detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from the first emitter is refracted by one of the lumen tubes to impinge upon the first detector.

15. The tubing connector of claim 14, further comprising a second light emitter and a second light detector embedded in the side wall of the female socket, the second light emitter and second light detector being angularly offset relative to each other so that when the lumen tubing is not present within the female socket light from the second emitter does not impinge upon the second detector, but when the lumen tubing is received within the female socket light from second emitter is refracted by one of the other lumen tubes to impinge upon the second detector.