Anesthetic metering system

• US 7,066,913 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Drager Medical AG & Co KG (Dragerwerk AG)
• Inventors: Koch, Jochim, Kullik, Götz
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SNYDER, MELISSA A
• Application Number:
  US10/102,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20020157670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 604/131, 604/132, 604/133, 604/251, 604/252, 604/253, 604/254, 604/246, 604/186, 604/207, 604/23, 128/200.11, 128/200.24
• US Class Current: 604/246
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/18 Vaporising devices for anaesthetic preparations

Abstract

An anesthetic metering system includes an anesthetic reservoir (1) having an anesthetic reserve (2), which is limited by a flexible material wall and to which pressure is admitted by means of a propellant (3) acting thereon via the wall material. The anesthetic reservoir (1) has a first valve (4), which is in flow connection with the liquid anesthetic reserve (2) and can be inserted into a mounting element (6) of an anesthesia apparatus. The metered release of anesthetic to the anesthesia apparatus takes place via a volumetric nozzle (8). The present invention provides an anesthetic metering device which avoids, on the one hand, the drawbacks of the anesthetic evaporators used previously, which are to be refilled with anesthetics at the workplace, and makes possible the refilling of the anesthetic reservoir (1) at the anesthetic manufacturer, on the other hand.

Claims

1. An anesthetic metering system comprising:

an anesthesia apparatus with a mounting element a metering line having a connection to a respiration system with a breathing gas flow, having breathing gas flowing therein, the metering line being connected to the breathing gas flow passage for metering anesthetic thereto;

an anesthetic reservoir with a liquid anesthetic reserve limited by a flexible material wall;

a propellant applying pressure acting on the liquid anesthetic reserve via the flexible material wall material;

a first valve element connected to the anesthetic reservoir and in flow connection with the liquid anesthetic reserve, the first valve element being insertable into said anesthesia apparatus mounting element; and

a volumetric nozzle connected to the metering line for the metered release of the liquid anesthetic to the anesthesia apparatus breathing gas flow passage.

2. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a measuring and control unit and at least one of a pressure pickup and a temperature sensor wherein the anesthesia apparatus has a second valve in flow connection with the mounting element and actuated via the measuring and control unit as a function of the anesthetic currently being used and as a function of one or both of the pressure measured by means of the pressure pickup in front of the second valve and as a function of the temperature of the liquid anesthetic being used for metering the anesthetic, which is measured by means of the temperature sensor.

3. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the propellant is heptafluoropropane or nitrogen.

4. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the flexible material wall limiting the liquid anesthetic reserve consists of aluminum, polyethylene or a metal-coated flexible plastic laminate.

5. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first valve is a valve that is opened mechanically or electromagnetically during insertion into the anesthesia apparatus.

6. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the anesthetic reservoir is provided with a code in the form of a transponder or an electronic memory element, which can be read by the anesthesia apparatus and is specific of the anesthetic and/or the anesthetic reservoir.

7. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the anesthetic reservoir is equipped with a filling level sensor for the remaining anesthetic reserve, filling level sensor providing a signal that is processed and/or displayed in the anesthesia apparatus.

8. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the pressure pickup is a piezo crystal pickup.

9. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a heating means for heating the anesthetic, said heating means being arranged at the anesthesia apparatus.

14. An anesthetic metering device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a heater arranged at the anesthesia apparatus.

20. An anesthetic metering system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a measuring and control unit and at least one of a pressure pickup and a temperature sensor wherein the anesthesia apparatus has a second valve in flow connection with the mounting element and actuated via the measuring and control unit as a function of the anesthetic currently being used and as a function of one or both of the pressure measured by means of the pressure pickup in front of the second valve and as a function of the temperature of the liquid anesthetic being used for metering the anesthetic, which is measured by means of the temperature sensor and wherein the first valve is a valve that is opened mechanically or electromagnetically during insertion of the anesthetic reservoir into the anesthesia apparatus.

10. An anesthetic metering device comprising:

an anesthesia apparatus with a mounting element and a metering line having a connection to a respiration system with a breathing gas flow;

an anesthetic reservoir container with a propellant space and a liquid anesthetic reserve containing a liquid inhalation anesthetic and delimited by a flexible material wall, the flexible material wall separating the liquid anesthetic reserve from the propellant space, the anesthetic reservoir being connectable to and disconnectable from the anesthesia apparatus via mounting in said mounting element;

a propellant disposed in the propellant space applying pressure acting on the liquid anesthetic reserve via the wall material;

a first valve element connected to the anesthetic reservoir and in flow connection with the liquid anesthetic reserve, the first valve element being actuatable upon the anesthetic reservoir being connected into said anesthesia apparatus mounting element; and

a volumetric nozzle connected to the metering line for the release of liquid anesthetic to the anesthesia apparatus and into the breathing gas flow of the respiration system.

11. An anesthetic metering device in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a measuring and control unit and at least one of a pressure pickup and a temperature sensor wherein the anesthesia apparatus has a second valve in flow connection with the mounting element and actuated via the measuring and control unit as a function of the anesthetic currently being used and as function of one or both of the pressure measured by means of the pressure pickup in front of the second valve and as a function of the temperature of the liquid anesthetic being used for metering the anesthetic, which is measured by means of the temperature sensor.

12. An anesthetic metering device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the flexible material wall limiting the liquid anesthetic reserve consists of aluminum, polyethylene or a metal-coated flexible plastic laminate.

13. An anesthetic metering device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the first valve is a valve that is opened mechanically or electromagnetically during insertion into the anesthesia apparatus.

15. A method of metering an inhalation anesthetic, comprising the steps of:

providing an anesthesia apparatus with a mounting element, a metering line, a closed respiration system with a breathing gas flow, and a volumetric nozzle connected to the metering line for the release of anesthetic to the breathing gas flow of said closed respiration system;

providing an anesthetic reservoir container with a propellant space and a liquid anesthetic reserve delimited by a flexible material wall, the flexible material wall separating the liquid anesthetic reserve from the propellant space and with a propellant disposed in the propellant space applying pressure acting on the liquid anesthetic reserve via the wall material;

providing the reservoir container with a valve element connected to the anesthetic reservoir and in flow connection with the liquid anesthetic reserve, the valve element being actuated, allowing flow of the liquid anesthetic out of the liquid anesthetic reserve, upon the mounting of the reservoir container on the mounting element; and

mounting the anesthetic reservoir container to the mounting element to allow liquid anesthetic to flow into said metering line for the release of anesthetic to the breathing gas flow.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

providing the anesthesia apparatus with a liquid anesthetic metering valve in flow connection with the metering line;

providing a measuring and control unit and at least one of a pressure pickup and a temperature sensor;

actuating the liquid anesthetic metering valve via the measuring and control unit as a function of the anesthetic currently being used and as a function of one or both of the pressure measured by means of the pressure pickup in front of the liquid anesthetic metering valve and as a function of the temperature of the liquid anesthetic being used for metering the anesthetic, which is measured by means of the temperature sensor.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the flexible material wall limiting the liquid anesthetic reserve is formed of aluminum, polyethylene or a metal-coated flexible plastic laminate.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the valve element is a valve that is opened mechanically or electromagnetically during insertion into the anesthesia apparatus.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising heating the liquid anesthetic after or as the liquid anesthetic is being allowed to flow into said metering line.