Flow monitoring system for a flow control apparatus
First Claim
1. A flow control apparatus adapted to be loaded with an administration feeding set having an upstream side and a downstream side, said flow control apparatus comprising:
- a) a single ultrasonic sensor comprising a receiver assembly and an ultrasonic transmitter assembly, wherein the transmitter assembly transmits, to the receiver assembly, an ultrasonic signal through a portion of the administration feeding set,b) a microprocessor in operative association with the single ultrasonic sensor for receiving the ultrasonic signal from the receiver assembly, and further in operative association with a software subsystem executed on the microprocessor for detecting the presence or absence of fluid in the upstream side of said administration feeding set, andc) wherein the software subsystem is in operative association with the single ultrasonic sensor and configured to identify between an upstream flow occlusion and a downstream flow occlusion present within the administration feeding set, as a function of the received ultrasonic signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flow control apparatus having a flow monitoring system capable of detecting and identifying flow present within the administration feeding set loaded to the flow control apparatus is disclosed. The flow control apparatus comprises a single sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of fluid in the administration feeding set. A software subsystem may be operatively associated with the single sensor that is capable of identifying between upstream and downstream flow conditions present within the administration feeding set loaded to the flow control apparatus.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A flow control apparatus adapted to be loaded with an administration feeding set having an upstream side and a downstream side, said flow control apparatus comprising:
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a) a single ultrasonic sensor comprising a receiver assembly and an ultrasonic transmitter assembly, wherein the transmitter assembly transmits, to the receiver assembly, an ultrasonic signal through a portion of the administration feeding set, b) a microprocessor in operative association with the single ultrasonic sensor for receiving the ultrasonic signal from the receiver assembly, and further in operative association with a software subsystem executed on the microprocessor for detecting the presence or absence of fluid in the upstream side of said administration feeding set, and c) wherein the software subsystem is in operative association with the single ultrasonic sensor and configured to identify between an upstream flow occlusion and a downstream flow occlusion present within the administration feeding set, as a function of the received ultrasonic signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of monitoring fluid flow comprising:
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a) engaging one end of an administration feeding set to at least one fluid source; b) loading said administration feeding set having tubing, a valve mechanism, and a mounting member, wherein said valve mechanism and mounting member are engaged to a flow control apparatus; c) stretching said tubing between said valve mechanism and said mounting member; and d) generating an ultrasonic signal by a single sensor a positioned adjacent a portion of the tubing, said ultrasonic signal being representative of a presence or absence of fluid in the portion of tubing; and e) executing a software subsystem on a microprocessor to identify between an upstream occlusion and a downstream occlusion present within said administration feeding set, wherein the microprocessor is operatively connected to the single sensor for receiving the ultrasonic signal and detecting the presence or absence of fluid in the upstream side of the feeding set as a function of the ultrasonic signal, and further wherein the software subsystem uses the ultrasonic signal to determine the upstream and downstream occlusion. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification