Differential pressure based flow sensor assembly for medication delivery monitoring and method of using the same
First Claim
1. A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine a flow rate of a fluid system comprising:
- a disposable portion having;
a sealed disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet;
a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the flow restricting element includes an orifice that defines a fluid flow path;
an impermeable fluid pressure membrane comprising;
an upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and
a downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and
a reusable portion including a housing removably coupled to the disposable portion and comprising;
an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned and adapted to interact with the upstream fluid pressure membrane to determine the fluid pressure at the upstream fluid pressure membrane; and
a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned and adapted to interact with the downstream fluid pressure membrane to determine the fluid pressure at the downstream fluid pressure membrane;
wherein the flow restricting element is a separate component secured within the disposable body between the upstream fluid pressure membrane and the downstream fluid pressure membrane.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly and method of using the same to determine the rate of fluid flow in a fluid system. The sensor assembly comprises a disposable portion and a reusable portion. A flow restricting element is positioned along a fluid flow passage between an inlet and an outlet. The disposable portion further has an upstream fluid pressure membrane and a downstream fluid pressure membrane. The reusable portion has an upstream fluid pressure sensor and a downstream fluid pressure sensor. The upstream fluid pressure sensor senses the upstream fluid pressure at a location within the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element. The downstream fluid pressure sensor senses the downstream fluid pressure at a location within the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet. The process utilizes output of the sensors to calculate the flow rate of the fluid.
125 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A differential pressure based flow sensor assembly to determine a flow rate of a fluid system comprising:
-
a disposable portion having; a sealed disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the flow restricting element includes an orifice that defines a fluid flow path; an impermeable fluid pressure membrane comprising; an upstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and a downstream fluid pressure membrane at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; and a reusable portion including a housing removably coupled to the disposable portion and comprising; an upstream fluid pressure sensor to sense an upstream fluid pressure at an upstream location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element, the upstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned and adapted to interact with the upstream fluid pressure membrane to determine the fluid pressure at the upstream fluid pressure membrane; and a downstream fluid pressure sensor to sense a downstream fluid pressure at a downstream location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet, the downstream fluid pressure sensor being positioned and adapted to interact with the downstream fluid pressure membrane to determine the fluid pressure at the downstream fluid pressure membrane; wherein the flow restricting element is a separate component secured within the disposable body between the upstream fluid pressure membrane and the downstream fluid pressure membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
4. A fluid-tight disposable assembly for removably dry coupling to a reusable portion of a differential pressure based fluid flow sensor assembly, the disposable assembly comprising:
-
a sealed disposable body defining a fluid flow passage forming an inlet and an outlet; a flow restricting element positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the flow restricting element includes an orifice that defines a fluid flow path; an impermeable fluid pressure membrane comprising; an impermeable upstream fluid pressure membrane sealing an upstream fluid chamber at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the flow restricting element; and an impermeable downstream fluid pressure membrane sealing a downstream fluid chamber at a location in the fluid flow passage between the flow restricting element and the outlet; wherein the flow restricting element is a separate component secured within the body between the upstream fluid pressure membrane and the downstream fluid pressure membrane.
-
Specification