Medical fluid air bubble detection apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A medical fluid air detection apparatus comprising:
- an emitter;
a receiver;
a housing configured to hold at least a portion of a medical fluid conduit between the emitter and the receiver; and
wherein the medical fluid conduit includes a narrowed inner diameter at the medical fluid conduit portion that forces flow of medical fluid through the narrowed diameter, the narrowed diameter configured to enhance the ability of the emitter and the receiver to detect air bubbles having a diameter of less than one millimeter, the conduit at the portion including an obstruction that increases a wall thickness of the conduit to produce the narrowed inner diameter.
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Abstract
A medical fluid air detection apparatus includes an emitter, a receiver, a housing configured to hold at least a portion of a medical fluid conduit between the emitter and the receiver, where the medical fluid conduit includes a narrowed inner diameter at the medical fluid conduit portion that forces flow of medical fluid through the narrowed diameter, and where the narrowed diameter is configured to enhance operation of the emitter and the receiver.
87 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A medical fluid air detection apparatus comprising:
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an emitter; a receiver; a housing configured to hold at least a portion of a medical fluid conduit between the emitter and the receiver; and wherein the medical fluid conduit includes a narrowed inner diameter at the medical fluid conduit portion that forces flow of medical fluid through the narrowed diameter, the narrowed diameter configured to enhance the ability of the emitter and the receiver to detect air bubbles having a diameter of less than one millimeter, the conduit at the portion including an obstruction that increases a wall thickness of the conduit to produce the narrowed inner diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A medical fluid air detection apparatus comprising:
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an air detection sensor; a medical fluid conduit including a narrowed inner diameter configured to (i) force medical fluid to flow through the narrowed inner diameter at a portion of the conduit operating with the sensor, and (ii) enhance the ability of the sensor to detect air bubbles having a diameter of less than one millimeter; an internal obstruction located at the portion of the narrowed diameter, and increasing a wall thickness of the conduit to produce the narrowed inner diameter, the obstruction including an inner diameter that is at least 50 percent less than an inner diameter of the medical fluid conduit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A medical fluid air separation method comprising:
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forcing a medical fluid to flow within a narrowed portion of a medical fluid conduit; detecting air bubbles within the medical fluid flowing through the narrowed portion, the narrowed portion enhancing the ability of the sensor to detect air bubbles having a diameter of less than one millimeter within the medical fluid flowing through the narrowed portion; and contacting an internal surface of the medical fluid conduit with a smaller diameter conduit to increase a wall thickness of the medical fluid conduit and to create the narrowed portion, the smaller diameter conduit being at least 50 percent less than an inner diameter of the medical fluid conduit. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A medical fluid air detection apparatus comprising:
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an emitter; a receiver; a housing configured to hold at least a portion of a medical fluid conduit between the emitter and the receiver, the portion of the medical fluid conduit is a medical fluid conduit residing within a medical fluid pumping cassette, the housing a housing of a dialysis instrument configured to accept the cassette; and wherein the medical fluid conduit includes a narrowed inner diameter at the medical fluid conduit portion that forces flow of medical fluid through the narrowed diameter, the narrowed inner diameter configured to enhance operation of the emitter and the receiver, the conduit at the portion including an internal obstruction press-fit or interference fit into the conduit that increases a wall thickness of the conduit to produce the narrowed inner diameter.
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Specification