Syringe pumps

• US 6,592,551 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smiths Group plc (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smithgroup Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Cobb, Anthony Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US09/562,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 604/67, 604/151, 604/152, 604/155, 604/118, 604/131, 604/154, 604/156, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.12
• US Class Current: 604/155
• 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 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/01 Motorized syringe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion

Abstract

A syringe pump has a drive mechanism for moving the plunger of a syringe along a barrel. Ears at the rear of the barrel engage against a wall on the pump and an L shape clamp arm is urged against the ears by a spring. The clamp arm is mounted about an axis at right-angles to the syringe and is articulated at a point along its length. A lever having a flag at one end is pivoted about a horizontal axis by movement of the arm and moves relative to an optical sensor so that the output of the sensor indicates whether the syringe is correctly loaded in the pump. The clamp arm is rotated away from the barrel by the drive mechanism during loading of the syringe.

Claims

1. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end,

said rear end having a portion projecting radially outwardly;

a movable member movable in a first direction towards engagement with said portion at said rear end of said barrel; and

a sensor for sensing the position of said movable member to detect whether or not said rear end of the barrel is correctly positioned,

wherein said syringe drive mechanism is coupled with said movable member such that said movable member is moved in a direction opposite said first direction prior to loading said syringe.

2. A syringe pump according to claim 1, wherein said portion at said rear end of said barrel includes radially-projecting ears.

3. A syringe pump according to claim 1 including resilient means arranged to move said movable member in said first direction.

4. A syringe pump according to claim 1, wherein the said sensor is an optical sensor.

5. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end,

said rear end having a portion projecting radially outwardly;

a movable member movable in a first direction towards engagement with said portion at said rear end of said barrel; and

a sensor for sensing the position of said movable member to detect whether or not said rear end of the barrel is correctly positioned,

wherein said portion at said rear end of said barrel includes radially-projecting ears,

wherein one side of said ears engage a wall on the pump, and wherein said movable member engages an opposite side of said ears.

6. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end,

said rear end having a portion projecting radially outwardly;

a movable member movable in a fist direction towards engagement with said portion at said rear end of said barrel; and

a sensor for sensing the position of said movable member to detect whether or not said rear end of the barrel is correctly positioned,

wherein the said movable member includes an arm, a pivot at one end of said arm and an articulated joint at a location along the length of said arm.

7. A syringe pump according to claim 6, wherein said sensor includes a lever engaged with said arm so that the lever is displaced by movement of said arm.

8. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end,

said rear end having a portion projecting radially outwardly;

a movable member movable in a first direction towards engagement with said portion at said rear end of said barrel; and

a sensor for sensing the position of said movable member to detect whether or not said rear end of the barrel is correctly positioned,

wherein said movable member has a pad with a forward face and a V shape edge surface, and

wherein said forward face engages the said portion at the said rear end of said barrel and, said V shape edge surface lies against said plunger.

9. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end,

said rear end having a portion that projects radially outwardly;

a clamp arm movable in a first direction towards engagement with said portion at the said rear end of said barrel;

an actuating arm displaceable with the syringe drive mechanism so as to move said clamp arm away from said barrel during loading of a syringe; and

a sensor for sensing the position of said clamp arm to detect whether or not said rear end of said barrel is correctly positioned.

10. A syringe pump comprising:

a syringe drive mechanism;

a location to receive a syringe of the kind having a plunger movable along a barrel,

said barrel having an outlet at its forward end and a rear end;

an L shape clamp arm pivoted at one end about an axis at right angles to the axis of the syringe,

said clamp arm having an articulated joint at a point along its length and having a pad at its opposite end adapted to move forwardly of the syringe to contact the rear end of the barrel;

an optical sensor; and

a sensor lever coupled at one end with said clamp arm and pivoted about an axis at right angles to the axis about which the clamp arm is pivoted,

the opposite end of said sensor lever having a flag movable relative to said optical sensor such that said sensor provides an output indicative of the position of said clamp arm.