Device for the intravenous or enteric infusion of liquids into the human body at a predetermined constant rate
First Claim
1. A device for the intravenous and enteric infusion of a liquid into a human body at a predetermined average rate comprising:
- storage means for holding the entire amount of said liquid to be infused, said storage means including an exit port through which said liquid is expelled;
gaseous pressurizing means for pressurizing said liquid in said storage means and for maintaining and expelling said liquid at a substantially constant predetermined pressure;
discharge means adapted for expelling said liquid into the body, said discharge means being passive; and
active metering means connected between said exit port and said discharge means, said metering means being actuated solely by said pressurized liquid and being operative to deliver a predetermined average amount of said liquid per unit time to said discharge means.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable device for accurately metering a liquid for intravenous or enteric infusion into a patient'"'"'s body in which the pressure from a pressure source is utilized to pressurize the liquid and the pressurized liquid becomes the sole driving force to meter and to infuse the liquid into the body. The pressurized liquid is applied alternately to one of a pair of flexible liquid bladders the other one being connected to a discharge device, such as a tube, so that, as one liquid bladder is filled with pressurized liquid, the other bladder is emptied into the patient. The expanding liquid bladder and the contracting liquid bladder cooperate with a teeter totter type control which applies pressure to the contracting liquid bladder and is damped to control the rate of expansion and contraction. The position of the teeter totter controls the valving for applying pressurized fluid from one side to the opposite by alternatively selecting channels of fluid flow to each liquid bladder. The angular motion of the teeter totter is controlled by a pair of flexible damping bladders connected through an adjustable constant flow valve which is disposed on the side of the teeter totter opposite the liquid bladders.
76 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A device for the intravenous and enteric infusion of a liquid into a human body at a predetermined average rate comprising:
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storage means for holding the entire amount of said liquid to be infused, said storage means including an exit port through which said liquid is expelled; gaseous pressurizing means for pressurizing said liquid in said storage means and for maintaining and expelling said liquid at a substantially constant predetermined pressure; discharge means adapted for expelling said liquid into the body, said discharge means being passive; and active metering means connected between said exit port and said discharge means, said metering means being actuated solely by said pressurized liquid and being operative to deliver a predetermined average amount of said liquid per unit time to said discharge means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for the intravenous and enteric infusion of a liquid into a human body at a predetermined average rate comprising:
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(a) storage means for holding said liquid, said storage means including, an exit port through which said liquid is expelled and means for forcing said liquid through said exit port at a substantially constant predetermined pressure; (b) discharge means adapted for expelling said liquid into the human body, said discharge means being passive; and (c) metering means connecting between said exit port and said discharge means, said metering means being actuated solely by said forced liquid and being operative to deliver a predetermined average amount of said liquid per unit time to said discharge means, said metering means including; (1) a pair of flexible liquid bladders, each bladder having an opening, (2) liquid distribution means connected between said openings in said liquid bladders and said exit port and said discharge means, (3) valve means disposed in operative relationship with said liquid distribution means, (4) valve control means operatively associated with said valve means for alternating said valve means between a first switching state in which one liquid bladder is connected to said exit port and the other liquid bladder is connected to said discharge means, and a second switching state in which said one liquid bladder is connected to said discharge means and said other liquid bladder is connected to said exit port, and (5) volume sensing means including a teeter totter means pivoted for rotation about an axis between said liquid bladders, said teeter totter means having end portions which are cooperatively disposed adjacent said bladders so that the end portion adjacent the expanding liquid bladder rotates said teeter totter means to cause the other end portion to pressurize and contract the other liquid bladder, said valve control means being responsive to said volume sensing means and operative to change from one to the other of said switching state when a liquid bladder reaches a predetermined volume. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification