LIQUID INFUSION APPARATUS

• US 20130281966A1
• Filed: 06/20/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iradimed Corporation
• Original Assignee: Iradimed Corporation
• Inventors: Susi, Roger E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/26 Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof check valves A61M39/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14228 with linear peristaltic action, i.e. comprising at least three pressurising members or a helical member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/082 the tubular flexible member being pressed against a wall by a number of elements, each having an alternating movement in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubular member and each having its own driving mechanism

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling infusion of liquid into a patient using a peristaltic pump. The liquid infusion apparatus includes a liquid conduit having a proximal segment, a distal segment and an intermediate segment. The liquid infusion apparatus also includes a flow valve in fluid communication with the intermediate and distal segments. The flow valve includes a shuttle member slidably disposed within a housing about the distal segment, the shuttle member being configured for lateral movement relative to an elongated axis of the distal segment. The shuttle member is configured to operate in a first configuration to impede fluid flow through the liquid conduit and in a second configuration for which fluid flow through the liquid conduit is unimpeded. The shuttle member includes a resilient grasper for selectively engaging and disengaging a mating actuator resiliently received by the grasper.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A liquid infusion apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a liquid conduit having a flow controller,

a housing supporting a linear peristaltic pumping apparatus therein;

an access door supported on the housing for movement between open and closed configurations and supporting therein an actuator disposed to operate the flow controller of the liquid conduit;

a platen supported on the access door in alignment with the peristaltic pumping apparatus for operatively engaging a liquid conduit therebetween in the closed configuration of the access door; and

mounts disposed in spaced relationship on the housing for supporting a liquid conduit in tension between the mounts in alignment with the peristaltic pumping apparatus and the platen and with the flow controller of the liquid conduit aligned with the actuator for selectively precluding liquid flow through the liquid conduit in the open configuration of the access door, and for enabling liquid flow through the liquid conduit in the closed configuration of the access door,

wherein the housing and the access door are formed of non-magnetic, electrically-conductive material for shielding radio-frequency interference.

22. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 21, wherein the flow controller of the liquid conduit includes a valve member.

23. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 22, wherein one of the mounts includes a receptacle for receiving therein the valve member of the flow controller.

24. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 22, wherein the actuator is disposed on the access door in alignment with a resilient grasper associated with the valve member of the liquid conduit for selectively engaging the valve member and the actuator to disable liquid flow through the liquid conduit in response to the access door being in the open configuration, and for actuating the valve member to enable liquid flow through the liquid conduit in response to the access door being in the closed configuration.

25. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a pressure sensor disposed in the housing in alignment with the liquid conduit supported therein to sense liquid pressure within the liquid conduit.

26. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a platen carried on the access door for positioning a liquid conduit in contact with the pressure sensor in the closed configuration of the access door.

27. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a pump driver coupled to the peristaltic pumping apparatus and a controller connected to operate the pump driver and disposed within the housing.

28. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 21, wherein the housing includes a forward segment supporting the access door, a rearward segment, and a resilient gasket of electrically conductive material disposed intermediate the forward and rearward segments of the housing.

29. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 28, wherein the resilient gasket is formed of a flexible material so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the forward and rearward segments of the housing.

30. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 28, wherein the resilient gasket substantially inhibits internally-generated RF noise signals from radiating out of the housing.

31. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 28, wherein one or more light sources are disposed within the forward segment of the housing.

32. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 31, wherein the one or more light sources comprise light emitting diodes.

33. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 31, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to indicate operational status of the peristaltic pumping apparatus.

34. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 31, wherein the one or more light sources are configured to indicate an alarm condition of the peristaltic pumping apparatus.

35. The liquid infusion apparatus of claim 31, wherein the forward segment of the housing comprises a window in alignment with the one or more light sources.

36. An MRI-compatible liquid infusion pump assembly, comprising:

a housing formed of non-magnetic, RF-shielding material and having an access door;

the access door having an actuator and a platen disposed on an inner surface of the access door;

a peristaltic liquid infusion pump disposed within the housing, the liquid infusion pump being driven by an ultrasonic motor;

a liquid conduit segment disposed within the housing and positioned adjacent the peristaltic liquid infusion pump so as to be substantially aligned with the platen of the access door, the liquid conduit segment comprising a flow valve configured to resiliently engage the actuator of the access door;

wherein, when the access door is in a closed configuration, the actuator engages the flow valve so as to enable fluid flow through the liquid conduit segment and the platen engages the liquid conduit segment so as to exert pressure between the liquid conduit segment and the liquid infusion pump; and

wherein, when the access door is in an open configuration, the actuator is released from the flow valve, thereby occluding fluid flow through the liquid conduit segment.

37. The MRI-compatible liquid infusion pump assembly of claim 36, wherein the flow valve comprises a shuttle element slidably engaged with the liquid conduit segment, the shuttle element configured to slide in a lateral motion with respect to the elongated axis of the liquid conduit segment.

38. The MRI-compatible liquid infusion pump assembly of claim 37, wherein the shuttle element comprises an elongated aperture that tapers in a direction aligned with slidable movement thereof from a narrowest cross-sectional dimension to constrict the liquid conduit segment passing therethrough in the open configuration, to a largest cross-sectional dimension unrestrictive of the liquid conduit segment passing therethrough in the closed configuration.

39. The MRI-compatible liquid infusion pump assembly of claim 36, wherein the liquid conduit is comprised of flexible material.

40. A liquid pumping apparatus, comprising:

a peristaltic pump operated by an ultrasonic motor coupled thereto; and

a controller for applying drive signals to the ultrasonic motor to modulate the operating speed of the motor during a pumping cycle to substantially linearize the volumetric flow of liquid through the pump per increment of the pumping cycle.

41. A method of altering the liquid flow characteristics of a peristaltic pumping apparatus operated by ultrasonic motor, over a pumping cycle thereof, comprising altering the operating speed of the ultrasonic motor during a pumping cycle to substantially linearize volumetric flow of liquid through the pumping apparatus per unit increment of the pumping cycle.