Fluid flow measurement device

• US 6,964,204 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Christianson, Harlow B., Sperinde, John M., Cho, Steve T., Clark, Gene E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mack, Corey D.
• Application Number:
  US10/978,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20050061083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 738/61, 738/610.8, 738/614.2, 738/615.2, 738/616.3, 738/616.2, 738/665
• US Class Current: 73/861.52
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16813 by controlling the degree of opening of the flow line
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16854 by monitoring line pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/363 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/383 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/40 Details of construction of the flow constriction devices

Abstract

The invention is directed to a device for obtaining flow rate measurements including a sensor assembly and a housing. The sensor assembly includes a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet, an outlet, a flow restricting element in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, an upstream fluid pressure sensor, a downstream fluid pressure sensor, an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor. The housing has an upstream portion defining an upstream port, a downstream portion defining a downstream port, and a probe access port configured to provide access of a probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact. The housing can also define a second fluid flow passage in parallel with the first fluid flow passage. The device can be disposable.

Claims

1. A flow sensor device to obtain flow characteristics of a fluid flow system, the device comprising;

a sensor assembly including;

a body defining a first fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet,

a flow restricting element located along the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet,

an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element,

a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the first fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet,

an upstream signal contact connected to the upstream fluid pressure sensor, and

a downstream signal contact connected to the downstream fluid pressure sensor; and

a housing including an unstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion defining an upstream port in fluid communication with the inlet of the sensor assembly, the downstream portion defining a downstream port in fluid communication with the outlet of the sensor assembly, the housing further defining a probe access port configured to provide access of a probe to at least one of the upstream signal contact and downstream signal contact;

wherein the housing defines a second fluid flow passage there through arranged for fluid communication in parallel with the first fluid flow passage between the upstream port and the downstream port, and further comprising a valve for selective flow through the second fluid flow passage, the valve including at least a portion of the second fluid flow passage and being defined by a compressible wall member formed from an elastomeric material, wherein the second fluid flow passage has an ellipsoidal shape whose longer dimension is aligned with the wall member.