Aliquot correction for feeding set degradation
First Claim
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1. A pumping apparatus for use with a pump set to deliver fluid through the pump set, the pumping apparatus comprising:
- a pumping device capable of acting on the pump set to produce a fluid flow within the pump set, the pumping device producing said fluid flow in a series of aliquots;
a housing capable of receiving at least a portion of the pump set to be acted upon by the pumping device;
a controller programmed to control an electrical signal to the pumping device, the controller including a pump set degradation compensator for changing the electrical signal thereby altering operation of the pumping device whereby the fluid flow rate delivered by the pumping apparatus is more accurate over the useful life of the pump set, wherein the controller includes a memory and a microprocessor in communication with the memory;
wherein the pump set degradation compensator is a software program stored in the memory of the controller that is executable by the microprocessor and is configured to correct the aliquot volume as a function of feed rate selected and time of use of the pump set;
wherein the software program comprises the following equation;
Hi(x)=Gi(x)+T*Fi(x), where Gi(x) is the established aliquot volume as a function of flow rate selected, T is time of pump set use, Fi(x) is pump set flow compensation of volume as a function of flow rate selected, x is a user selected flow rate, and Hi(x) is the corrected aliquot volume as a function of flow rate selected and time of use of the pump set.
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Abstract
A peristaltic pump is able to deliver accurate volumes over the life of a pump set that is operated on by the pump to drive the flow of fluid. The pump delivers fluid in small volumes or aliquots. In order to deliver fluid at any particular selected flow rate, the pump determines how often the rotor will rotate. The pump is able to calculate aliquot volume based on selected flow rate, but also on a factor that compensates for changes in the dimensions of the pump set over its life.
55 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A pumping apparatus for use with a pump set to deliver fluid through the pump set, the pumping apparatus comprising:
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a pumping device capable of acting on the pump set to produce a fluid flow within the pump set, the pumping device producing said fluid flow in a series of aliquots; a housing capable of receiving at least a portion of the pump set to be acted upon by the pumping device; a controller programmed to control an electrical signal to the pumping device, the controller including a pump set degradation compensator for changing the electrical signal thereby altering operation of the pumping device whereby the fluid flow rate delivered by the pumping apparatus is more accurate over the useful life of the pump set, wherein the controller includes a memory and a microprocessor in communication with the memory; wherein the pump set degradation compensator is a software program stored in the memory of the controller that is executable by the microprocessor and is configured to correct the aliquot volume as a function of feed rate selected and time of use of the pump set; wherein the software program comprises the following equation; Hi(x)=Gi(x)+T*Fi(x), where Gi(x) is the established aliquot volume as a function of flow rate selected, T is time of pump set use, Fi(x) is pump set flow compensation of volume as a function of flow rate selected, x is a user selected flow rate, and Hi(x) is the corrected aliquot volume as a function of flow rate selected and time of use of the pump set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of delivering accurate flow rates of fluid using a pumping apparatus that acts on a pump set attached to the pumping apparatus to produce flow of fluid in aliquots, the method comprising:
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determining the amount of time the pump set has been in use in the pumping apparatus; calculating the volume of fluid in each aliquot delivered by the pumping apparatus including executing instructions that are capable of correcting the aliquot volume based on the amount of time the pump set has been in use in the pumping apparatus, wherein said calculating the volume of the fluid in each aliquot is calculated by a microprocessor executing a software program comprising the following equation;
Hi(x)=Gi(x)+T*Fi(x)where Gi(x) is the established volume as a function of flow rate selected;
T is the amount of time of pump set use;
Fi(x) is pump set flow compensation of volume as a function of flow rate selected;
x is flow rate and Hi(x) is the corrected aliquot volume as a function of flow rate selected and time;
operating the pumping apparatus to deliver a number of aliquots having the aliquot volume determined in the preceding step to maintain a selected flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification