Method and apparatus for pressure infusion and temperature control of infused liquids
First Claim
1. In an apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids as liquid flows from a liquid-filled container through a drip chamber and tube to an entry site on a patient, wherein said drip chamber includes a transparent tube portion and is disposed along said tube subsequent said liquid-filled container, an apparatus for detecting drips within said drip chamber comprising:
- a housing including;
an opening for receiving said drip chamber;
a first housing member including an emitter disposed therein for emitting signals through said transparent tube portion in the form of non-visible light to minimize the effect of ambient visible light in the vicinity of said transparent tube portion; and
a second housing member coupled to said first housing member to form said opening and including a plurality of detectors disposed therein each for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted by said emitter of said first housing member and modified by drips within said transparent tube portion to sense the presence of drips within said drip chamber, wherein each said detector includes an angular detection window providing view of an area within said transparent tube portion and detects said non-visible light signals within said view, and wherein said plurality of detectors are angularly displaced from each other about said transparent tube and are arranged to include overlapping detection windows for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted through said transparent tube portion by said emitter of said first housing member, wherein at least one angular detection window comprises a conical window.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for pressure infusion and temperature control of infused liquids including an infrared sensing device mounted proximate a drip chamber to ascertain drip count. The infrared sensing device having particular features such as emission and detection window shapes, arrangement of emission and detection windows and different numbers of emitters and detectors.
440 Citations
16 Claims
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1. In an apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids as liquid flows from a liquid-filled container through a drip chamber and tube to an entry site on a patient, wherein said drip chamber includes a transparent tube portion and is disposed along said tube subsequent said liquid-filled container, an apparatus for detecting drips within said drip chamber comprising:
a housing including; an opening for receiving said drip chamber; a first housing member including an emitter disposed therein for emitting signals through said transparent tube portion in the form of non-visible light to minimize the effect of ambient visible light in the vicinity of said transparent tube portion; and a second housing member coupled to said first housing member to form said opening and including a plurality of detectors disposed therein each for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted by said emitter of said first housing member and modified by drips within said transparent tube portion to sense the presence of drips within said drip chamber, wherein each said detector includes an angular detection window providing view of an area within said transparent tube portion and detects said non-visible light signals within said view, and wherein said plurality of detectors are angularly displaced from each other about said transparent tube and are arranged to include overlapping detection windows for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted through said transparent tube portion by said emitter of said first housing member, wherein at least one angular detection window comprises a conical window. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In an apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids as liquid flows from a liquid-filled container through a drip chamber and tube to an entry site on a patient, wherein said drip chamber includes a transparent tube portion and is disposed along said tube subsequent said liquid-filled container, an apparatus for detecting drips within said drip chamber comprising:
a housing including; an opening for receiving said drip chamber; a first housing member including an emitter disposed therein for emitting signals through said transparent tube portion in the form of non-visible light to minimize the effect of ambient visible light in the vicinity of said transparent tube portion; and a second housing member coupled to said first housing member to form said opening and including a plurality of detectors disposed therein each for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted by said emitter of said first housing member and modified by drips within said transparent tube portion to sense the presence of drips within said drip chamber, wherein each said detector includes an angular detection window providing view of an area within said transparent tube portion and detects said non-visible light signals within said view, and wherein said plurality of detectors are angularly displaced from each other about said transparent tube and are arranged to include overlapping detection windows for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted through said transparent tube portion by said emitter of said first housing member, wherein the emitter generates a conical signal. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. In an apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids as liquid flows from a liquid-filled container through a drip chamber and tube to an entry site on a patient, wherein said drip chamber includes a transparent tube portion and is disposed along said tube subsequent said liquid-filled container, and said apparatus includes a drip detector having a housing including an opening, a method for detecting drips within said drip chamber comprising:
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(a) receiving said drip chamber through said opening of said housing, wherein said housing includes first and second housing members coupled together to form said opening; (b) emitting signals through said transparent tube portion in the form of non-visible light, via an emitter disposed within said first housing member, to minimize the effect of ambient visible light in the vicinity of said transparent tube portion; and (c) detecting said non-visible light signals emitted by said emitter of said first housing member and modified by drips within said transparent tube portion, via a plurality of detectors disposed within said second housing member, to sense the presence of drips within said drip chamber, wherein each said detector includes an angular detection window providing view of an area within said transparent tube portion and detects said non-visible light signals within said view, and wherein said plurality of detectors are angularly displaced from each other about said transparent tube and arranged to include overlapping detection windows for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted through said transparent tube portion by said emitter of said first housing member, wherein at least one angular detection window comprises a conical window. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In an apparatus for controlling temperature of infused liquids as liquid flows from a liquid-filled container through a drip chamber and tube to an entry site on a patient, wherein said drip chamber includes a transparent tube portion and is disposed along said tube subsequent said liquid-filled container, and said apparatus includes a drip detector having a housing including an opening, a method for detecting drips within said drip chamber comprising:
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(a) receiving said drip chamber through said opening of said housing, wherein said housing includes first and second housing members coupled together to form said opening; (b) emitting signals through said transparent tube portion in the form of non-visible light, via an emitter disposed within said first housing member, to minimize the effect of ambient visible light in the vicinity of said transparent tube portion; and (c) detecting said non-visible light signals emitted by said emitter of said first housing member and modified by drips within said transparent tube portion, via a plurality of detectors disposed within said second housing member, to sense the presence of drips within said drip chamber, wherein each said detector includes an angular detection window providing view of an area within said transparent tube portion and detects said non-visible light signals within said view, and wherein said plurality of detectors are angularly displaced from each other about said transparent tube and arranged to include overlapping detection windows for detecting said non-visible light signals emitted through said transparent tube portion by said emitter of said first housing member, wherein;
the signal is conical; and
(b) comprises (b.1) emitting a conical signal toward the plurality of detectors. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification