Anesthesia vaporizer system

• US 8,867,031 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jones, Michael Eric, Kuehl, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, HOA Q
• Application Number:
  US13/162,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 356/440, 356/244, 356/246, 128/203.12, 128/203.14, 128/203.15, 128/203.22, 128/204.16, 141/95, 141/198, 141/2, 141/18
• US Class Current: 356/249
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1075 by influencing the temperature A61M16/1045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/109 the humidifying liquid or the beneficial agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/147 the respiratory gas not passing through the liquid container
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/18 Vaporising devices for anaesthetic preparations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0283 Nitrous oxide (N2O)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers

Abstract

An anesthetic vaporizer system is disclosed herein. The anesthetic vaporizer system may include a sump adapted to retain an anesthetic agent. The anesthetic vaporizer system may also include a level sensor disposed at least partially within the sump. The level sensor is configured to generate an optical beam, and to estimate the amount of anesthetic agent within the sump based on a measured characteristic of the optical beam.

Claims

1. An anesthetic vaporizer system comprising:

a sump adapted to retain an anesthetic agent; and

a level sensor disposed at least partially within the sump, said level sensor comprising a transparent polyphenylsulfone housing, the level sensor configured to generate an optical beam and to estimate the amount of anesthetic agent within the sump based on a measured characteristic of the optical beam.

2. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 1, wherein the level sensor is an optoelectronic level sensor.

3. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 2, wherein the optoelectronic level sensor comprises a reflector.

4. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 3, wherein the reflector comprises a prism.

5. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 3, wherein the optoelectronic level sensor is configured to direct the optical beam toward the reflector.

6. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 5, wherein the optoelectronic level sensor comprises a receiver configured to receive at least a portion of the optical beam from the reflector.

7. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 6, wherein the receiver is adapted to measure the intensity of said at least a portion of the optical beam.

8. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 2, wherein the optoelectronic level sensor is configured to estimate the amount of the anesthetic agent within the sump based on a measured intensity of the optical beam.

9. An anesthetic vaporizer system comprising:

a sump adapted to retain an anesthetic agent;

a level sensor disposed at least partially within the sump, said level sensor comprising;

a transparent polyphenylsulfone housing;

an emitter adapted to emit an optical beam;

a receiver; and

a reflector configured to redirect at least a portion of the optical beam toward the receiver; and

a controller operatively connected to the level sensor, said controller configured to estimate the amount of the anesthetic agent within the sump based on a measured characteristic of the optical beam.

10. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 9, wherein the receiver is adapted to measure the intensity of the optical beam.

11. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the amount of the anesthetic agent within the sump based on the intensity of the optical beam measured by the receiver.

12. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the amount of the anesthetic agent within the sump based on a comparison of the intensity of the emitted optical beam with the intensity of the optical beam measured by the receiver.

13. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 9, wherein the emitter comprises a plurality of emitters collectively adapted to emit a plurality of optical beams, the receiver comprises a plurality of receivers, and the reflector comprises a plurality of reflectors.

14. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to estimate the amount of the anesthetic agent within the sump based on a measured characteristic of each of the plurality of optical beams.

15. The anesthetic vaporizer system of claim 9, wherein the reflector comprises a prism.