Fluid detection in an enteral feeding set
First Claim
1. A system for detecting fluid in a feeding tube, said system comprising:
- a light source transmitting an infrared light through the feeding tube and any fluid therein;
an infrared intensity sensor sensing an intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube and through any fluid therein and generating an output signal having a variable frequency, wherein the frequency of the output signal is a function of the sensed intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube; and
a processor receiving the generated output signal and determining the frequency of the generated output signal, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether fluid is in the feeding tube by comparing the determined frequency of the generated output signal to one or more threshold frequency ranges stored in a memory, and wherein said processor is configured to determine whether the feeding tube has no fluid, a clear fluid, or a non-clear fluid as a function of the determined frequency as compared to the threshold frequency ranges.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Detection of fluid conditions in an administration set. A light source is positioned to transmit an infrared light through administration set tubing and any fluid therein. A light sensor senses the infrared light transmitted through the tubing and generates an output signal. A frequency of the output signal is a function of an intensity of the light transmitted through the tubing. A processor receives and determines the frequency of the output signal, and compares the determined frequency to threshold frequency values to determine whether fluid is in the tubing. The processor also monitors the generated output signal to determine if the frequency of the output signal changes over time, and determines whether fluid is flowing in the tubing as a function of the determined change in frequency.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for detecting fluid in a feeding tube, said system comprising:
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a light source transmitting an infrared light through the feeding tube and any fluid therein; an infrared intensity sensor sensing an intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube and through any fluid therein and generating an output signal having a variable frequency, wherein the frequency of the output signal is a function of the sensed intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube; and a processor receiving the generated output signal and determining the frequency of the generated output signal, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether fluid is in the feeding tube by comparing the determined frequency of the generated output signal to one or more threshold frequency ranges stored in a memory, and wherein said processor is configured to determine whether the feeding tube has no fluid, a clear fluid, or a non-clear fluid as a function of the determined frequency as compared to the threshold frequency ranges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for detecting fluid flow in a section of tubing of an administration set, said system comprising:
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a pump having a motor for pumping the fluid through the tubing; a light source positioned adjacent the tubing for transmitting an infrared light through the tubing and any fluid therein; an infrared sensor positioned adjacent to the tubing for sensing an intensity of the transmitted infrared light and for generating an output signal having a variable frequency, wherein said frequency of the output signal is a function of the sensed intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the tubing; and a processor receiving the generated output signal and determining a change in the frequency of the generated output signal over a predetermined period of time, and wherein said processor is configured to determine whether fluid is flowing in the tubing as a function of the determined change in frequency, wherein the processor determines whether the tubing has no fluid, a clear fluid, or a non-clear fluid by comparing the determined change in frequency of the output signal to a predefined frequency range stored in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method for detecting fluid in a feeding tube, said method comprising:
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transmitting an infrared light through the feeding tube and any fluid therein; sensing an intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube and through any fluid therein; generating an output signal having a variable frequency, wherein said frequency of the output signal is a function of the sensed intensity of the infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube; determining the frequency of the generated output signal; determining whether fluid is in the feeding tube by comparing the determined frequency of the generated output signal to one or more threshold frequency ranges stored in a memory; and when fluid is determined to be in the feeding tube, determining whether the fluid in the feeding tube is a clear fluid or a non-clear fluid by comparing the determined frequency of the output signal to the stored one or more threshold frequency ranges. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A pumping apparatus for administering a fluid to a patient via a pump set loaded in the pumping apparatus, said pump set comprising tubing in fluid connection with a fluid source, said pumping apparatus comprising:
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a pump for controlling fluid flow in the pump set, said pump being adapted for delivering fluid from the fluid source to the patient via the tubing of the pump set; a light source for transmitting an infrared light through a portion of the tubing and any fluid therein when the pump set is loaded in the pumping apparatus; an infrared intensity sensor responsive to the infrared light transmitted through the tubing and through any fluid therein for generating a variable frequency output signal, said frequency of the output signal being a function of an intensity of the sensed infrared light transmitted through the feeding tube and any fluid therein; and a processor, receiving and responsive to the output signal, is configured for comparing the frequency of the output signal to one or more threshold frequency ranges stored in a memory and for determining a fluid condition in the tubing as a function of the comparison, wherein the determined fluid condition is one of the following;
no fluid, a clear fluid, and a non-clear fluid. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification