Cassette for differential pressure based medication delivery flow sensor assembly for medication delivery monitoring and method of making the same

• US 8,048,022 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ICU Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hospira Incorporated (Pfizer Inc.)
• Inventors: Hahn, John J., Moy, Yei Feng, Ziegler, John S., Fathallah, Marwan A., Jacobson, James D., Johnson, Thomas D., Lowery, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PRITESH ASHOK
• Application Number:
  US12/469,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 604/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/128 with incorporated valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/363 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/42 Orifices or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A disposable assembly for use with a sensor assembly, the disposable comprising a body, a flow restricting element, and a fluid pressure membrane. The body has a lid portion and a base portion. The body defines a fluid flow passage that forms an inlet and an outlet. The flow restricting element is positioned in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid pressure membrane is disposed along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid pressure membrane is located between the lid portion and the base portion of the body.

Claims

1. A disposable assembly for releasable coupling engagement with a reusable flow sensor assembly, the disposable assembly comprising:

a body having a lid portion and a base portion, the body defining a fluid flow passage and forming an inlet and an outlet, the lid portion having a first opening and a second opening and being secured to the base portion;

a flow restricting element extending completely across the fluid flow passage at a location between the inlet and the outlet and between the first opening and the second opening, the flow restricting element having an orifice formed therethrough and being positioned in the base portion;

a fluid pressure membrane disposed along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, the fluid pressure membrane being captured between the lid portion and the base portion of the body and defining a fluid pressure responsive movable wall having an external surface remote from the fluid flow passage, the external surface being accessible through the first opening and the second opening of the lid portion for releasable coupling engagement with the reusable flow sensor assembly.

2. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid pressure membrane has a first area and a second area adapted to be aligned respectively with the first opening and the second opening of the lid portion.

3. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow restricting element is integrally molded into an upright wall of the base portion.

4. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow restricting element comprises a strip of material having an orifice and the strip of material is provided as a separate component that is subsequently molded into the base portion.

5. The disposable assembly of claim 2, the fluid pressure membrane first area is a first membrane portion and the fluid pressure membrane second area is a second membrane portion, the first membrane portion and the second membrane portion being separate membranes.

6. The disposable assembly of claim 5, wherein first membrane portion has a first protruding lip and the second membrane portion has a second protruding lip, the first protruding lip and the second protruding lip being adapted to interact with a trough in the base portion to form a fluid tight seal between the lid portion and the base portion.

7. The disposable assembly for use with a flow sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein the base portion and the lid portion of the body are ultrasonically welded together.

8. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow restricting element comprises a micromolded orifice chip that is subsequently molded into the base portion to complete a two-shot molding process.

9. The disposable assembly of claim 8, wherein the flow restricting element and the base portion comprise the same material.

14. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the base portion includes a loop-shaped peripheral sealing element formed thereon.

15. The disposable assembly of claim 1, wherein the lid portion includes an opposing loop-shaped peripheral sealing element formed thereon that mates with the loop-shaped peripheral sealing element on the base portion when the lid portion is secured to the base portion.

10. A method of forming a disposable portion for releasable coupling engagement with a reusable fluid flow sensor assembly comprising:

providing a preformed flow restricting element having an orifice formed therethrough;

forming a base portion around the flow restricting element using a mold and an injection molding process, the base portion forming at least a portion of a fluid flow passage having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with an upstream side of the flow restricting element and the outlet being in fluid communication with a downstream side of the flow restricting element;

positioning a fluid pressure membrane along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, the fluid pressure membrane contacting the base portion and defining a fluid pressure responsive movable wall having an external surface remote from the fluid flow passage; and

securing a lid portion to the base portion, the lid portion having a first opening on the upstream side of the flow restricting element and a second opening on the downstream side of the flow restricting element, the fluid pressure membrane being positioned between the lid portion and the base portion following the securing step such that the external surface is accessible through the first opening and the second opening for releasable coupling engagement with the reusable fluid flow sensor assembly.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of providing the flow restricting element includes supplying a strip of material having a plurality of orifices located at predetermined intervals and positioning a single orifice within the mold used in the forming of the base portion.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the act of providing the preformed flow restricting element includes supplying a single molded flow restricting element having an orifice and positioning the preformed flow restricting element within a mold used in forming the base portion.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the securing the lid portion to the base portion includes ultrasonic welding.