Lighted fluid flow indication apparatus

• US 7,298,280 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ameriflo2, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ameriflo, Inc.
• Inventors: Voege, James A., Ferrer, David A., Thie, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/862,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 340/606, 340/612, 340/626, 200/81.9 R, 200/83.R, 128/200.14, 128/200.24, 128/200.11, 738/615.6, 737/00, 737/15, 737/23
• US Class Current: 340/606
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0841 for sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/02 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• 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 2205/15 Detection of leaks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/0013 by using a solid body which is shifted by the action of the fluid

Abstract

A fluid flow indication apparatus is provided for monitoring and giving an indication of fluid flow.

Claims

1. A gas flow monitor comprising:

a housing having a fluid passage, an inlet and an outlet, the fluid passage configured to pass a gas introduced at the inlet to the outlet;

a controller contained within the housing;

a first indicator contained within the housing;

a pressure sensitive switch in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the pressure sensitive switch having a first position indicating that the fluid passage contains at least a threshold pressure of a gas introduced through the inlet and a second position indicating the absence of a threshold pressure of a gas in the fluid passage, wherein the controller is configured to provide a first indication with the first indicator in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the first position, wherein the housing includes a body member including the fluid passage, a first removable housing member configured to be coupled to the body member, and a second removable housing member configured to be coupled to the body member, the first removable housing member configured to receive the controller and the first indicator, the second removable housing configured to receive a portable power supply, the portable power supply being electrically coupled to the controller and the first indicator.

2. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is a visual indicator and the housing is configured to permit observation of the visual indicator from an exterior of the housing.

3. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, further comprising a second indicator and wherein the controller is configured to provide a second indication with the second indicator in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the second position.

4. The gas flow monitor of claim 3, wherein the second indicator is an audio indicator and the second indication is at least a first sound emitting from the audio indicator.

5. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter and wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm signal to be emitted by the wireless transmitter in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the second position.

6. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a first signal to a monitoring network capable of alerting appropriate individuals, the first signal corresponding to one of the pressure sensitive switch being in the first position and in the second position.

8. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, wherein the first indicator is a visual indicator.

9. The gas flow monitor of claim 8, wherein the visual indicator is a light emitting diode.

10. The gas flow monitor of claim 9, wherein the light emitting diode is positioned within the housing so as to pass light down a portion of a fluid conduit coupled to the housing.

11. The gas flow monitor of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive switch includes a diaphragm and an electrically conductive portion, the electrically conductive portion being positioned to a first side of the diaphragm and spaced apart from the fluid passage which is positioned to a second side of the diaphragm.

7. The gas flow monitor of clam 1, wherein the body member includes a first opening and a second opening, each of the first and second openings configured to receive a respective one of a first coupler and a second coupler, each of the first coupler and the second coupler being configured to couple the first removable housing and the second removable housing to the body member, the first and second couplers further being configured to electrically couple the portable power supply and the controller.

12. A gas flow monitor configured to be coupled in-line to a gas delivery system configured to convey a regulated amount of gas from a gas source to a patient, the gas delivery system including a first portion coupled to the gas source and a second portion coupled to a fluid dispensing device, the gas flow monitor comprising:

a housing having a fluid passage, an inlet and an outlet, the fluid passage configured to pass a gas introduced at the inlet to the outlet, the inlet configured to be coupled to the first portion of the gas delivery system and the outlet configured to be coupled to the second portion of the gas delivery system;

an indicator contained within the housing, the indicator configured to provide a first indication to indicate that the gas is being passed from the inlet to the outlet of the housing, the first indication being visible from an exterior of the housing; and

a lens coupled to the housing and a pressure sensitive element in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the pressure sensitive element including a colored portion positioned in a first position indicating that the fluid passage contains at least a threshold pressure of the gas introduced through the inlet and a second position indicating the absence of a threshold pressure of the gas in the fluid passage, the first position corresponds to the colored portion being positioned generally at a focus of the lens and the second position corresponds to the colored portion being spaced apart from the focus of the lens.

13. A gas flow monitor comprising:

a housing having a fluid passage, an inlet and an outlet, the fluid passage configured to pass a gas introduced at the inlet to the outlet, the housing including a body member including the fluid passage and a first engagement member and a removable housing member removably coupled to the body member, the removable housing member including a second engagement member, the first engagement member and the second engagement member cooperating to couple the removable housing member to the body member;

a controller contained within the housing;

a portable power supply contained within the housing;

a first indicator;

a pressure sensitive switch in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the pressure sensitive switch having a first position indicating that the fluid passage contains at least a threshold pressure of a gas introduced through the inlet and a second position indicating the absence of a threshold pressure of a gas in the fluid passage, wherein the controller is configured to provide a first indication with the first indicator in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the first position, wherein the body member and the removable housing member are configured to capture the controller, the portable power supply, and the indicator within an exterior of the housing when the removable housing member is coupled to the body member through the first engagement member and the second engagement member.

14. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensitive switch includes a diaphragm in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the diaphragm including a conductive portion which is configured to electrically complete a circuit being monitored by the controller when the pressure sensitive switch is in the first position.

15. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensitive switch includes a diaphragm in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the diaphragm including a conductive portion which is configured to electrically complete a circuit being monitored by the controller when the pressure sensitive switch is in the second position.

16. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the fluid passage is isolated from the controller such that the gas in the passage is insulated from a plurality of electrical components of the controller.

17. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, further comprising a flow meter that displays at least one of a flow volume in the fluid passage and a flow velocity in the fluid passage, the flow meter being coupled to the controller which determines at least one of the flow volume in the fluid passage and the flow velocity in the fluid passage.

18. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the first engagement member and the second engagement member are threadably coupled.

19. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the pressure sensitive switch includes a diaphragm and an electrically conductive portion, the electrically conductive portion being positioned to a first side of the diaphragm and spaced apart from the fluid passage which is positioned to a second side of the diaphragm.

20. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the first indicator is a visual indicator and the housing is configured to permit observation of the visual indicator from an exterior of the housing.

21. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, further comprising a second indicator and wherein the controller is configured to provide a second indication with the second indicator in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the second position.

22. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the second indicator is an audio indicator and the second indication is at least a first sound emitting from the audio indicator.

23. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, further comprising a wireless transmitter and wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm signal to be emitted by the wireless transmitter in response to the pressure sensitive switch being in the second position.

24. The gas flow monitor of claim 13, wherein the first indicator is a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a first signal to a monitoring network capable of alerting appropriate individuals, the first signal corresponding to one of the pressure sensitive switch being in the first position and in the second position.