Compact peristaltic medical pump
First Claim
1. A method of determining a fluid path characteristic of a pump set loaded in a medical pumping apparatus, said pump set comprising a tube in fluid communication with a fluid source, wherein a portion of the tube is received in a guide channel of the medical pumping apparatus, said method comprising:
- supplying power to a motor of the medical pumping apparatus, said motor converting the supplied power to generate a motive force and providing the generated motive force to a belt of the medical pumping apparatus, wherein said motor is positioned substantially within an interior space defined by an inner surface of the belt;
receiving the generated motive force at the belt, wherein the belt travels proximate the portion of the tube received in the guide channel in response to receiving the generated motive force provided thereto, said belt having at least one finger on an outer surface thereof, said finger engaging the portion of the tube received by the guide channel as the belt travels such that the tube is squeezed between the finger and an opposing surface of the guide channel to force the fluid through the tube from the fluid source to a patient;
sensing a current of the motor, wherein said current is indicative of the motive force generated by the motor;
comparing the sensed current to a threshold; and
determining the fluid path characteristic as a function of said comparing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A compact medical pump includes a linear peristaltic pumping mechanism driven by a motor located within a periphery of a belt of the pumping mechanism. The motor drives a gear set that drives a driving pulley which engages the belt having the rollers. A battery for the pump is positioned adjacent to the gear set. The pump includes a controller and user interface for operating the pumping mechanism as a function of pumping parameters input via the user interface. The controller may sense motor current and determine fluid path characteristics based on the sensed current.
73 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of determining a fluid path characteristic of a pump set loaded in a medical pumping apparatus, said pump set comprising a tube in fluid communication with a fluid source, wherein a portion of the tube is received in a guide channel of the medical pumping apparatus, said method comprising:
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supplying power to a motor of the medical pumping apparatus, said motor converting the supplied power to generate a motive force and providing the generated motive force to a belt of the medical pumping apparatus, wherein said motor is positioned substantially within an interior space defined by an inner surface of the belt; receiving the generated motive force at the belt, wherein the belt travels proximate the portion of the tube received in the guide channel in response to receiving the generated motive force provided thereto, said belt having at least one finger on an outer surface thereof, said finger engaging the portion of the tube received by the guide channel as the belt travels such that the tube is squeezed between the finger and an opposing surface of the guide channel to force the fluid through the tube from the fluid source to a patient; sensing a current of the motor, wherein said current is indicative of the motive force generated by the motor; comparing the sensed current to a threshold; and determining the fluid path characteristic as a function of said comparing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10)
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7. A method of pumping a fluid through a pumping set to a patient, said pumping set comprising a fluid source and a tube, said method comprising:
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positioning a portion of the tube on a platen of a medical pumping apparatus; and selectively providing power to a motor of the medical pumping apparatus as a function of pumping parameters of the medical pumping apparatus, wherein; the motor generates a motive force to a belt in response to the provided power; the motor is positioned substantially within an interior space defined by an inner surface of the belt for providing the motive force to the belt; the belt has at least one finger on an exterior surface thereof; the belt travels proximate the portion of the tube positioned on the platen in response to the provided motive force; and the finger engages the portion of the tube positioned on the platen as the belt travels such that the tube is squeezed between the finger and an opposing surface of the platen to force fluid through the tube from the fluid source to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 11)
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12. A method of facilitating pumping a fluid through a pump set loadable on a medical pumping apparatus, said pump set comprising a tube fluidly connectable to a fluid source, wherein a portion of the tube is receivable in a guide channel of the medical pumping apparatus, said method comprising:
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installing a belt in the medical pumping apparatus; installing a motor in the medical pumping apparatus substantially within an interior space defined by an inner surface of the belt, said motor operatively coupled to generate a motive force to the belt, wherein the belt is configured to travel proximate the portion of the tube received in the guide channel in response to the generated motive force; coupling a sensor to the motor, the sensor configured to sense a sensed current of the motor while generating the motive force, wherein said sensed current is based on the motive force provided by the motor; and coupling a controller to the sensor, the controller configured to compare the sensed current to a threshold, and further configured to determine a fluid path characteristic of the pump set as a function of the comparison of the sensed current and the threshold. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification