Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for monitoring a volume of fluid in a flexible fluid bag
First Claim
1. A flexible fluid bag formed of pliable material, the fluid bag comprising:
- a first side wall;
a second side wall opposing the first side wall;
an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated;
a signaling tag carried by the first side wall; and
an inducer carried by the second side wall;
wherein the signaling tag and inducer are positioned such that when a volume of fluid in the fluid bag is less than a predefined threshold, the signaling tag and inducer come into a sufficient proximity due to flexation of at least a portion of one or more of the first or second sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated from the fluid bag to trigger a state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag to change.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for monitoring a volume of fluid in a flexible fluid bag. A flexible fluid bag according to the invention may include a first and second side wall opposing each other, an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated, a signaling tag carried by the first side wall, and an inducer carried by the second side wall. The signaling tag and inducer may be positioned such that when a volume of fluid in the fluid bag is less than a predefined threshold, the signaling tag and inducer come into sufficient proximity due to flexation of at least a portion of the sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated from the fluid bag to trigger a state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag to change.
133 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A flexible fluid bag formed of pliable material, the fluid bag comprising:
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a first side wall; a second side wall opposing the first side wall; an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated; a signaling tag carried by the first side wall; and an inducer carried by the second side wall; wherein the signaling tag and inducer are positioned such that when a volume of fluid in the fluid bag is less than a predefined threshold, the signaling tag and inducer come into a sufficient proximity due to flexation of at least a portion of one or more of the first or second sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated from the fluid bag to trigger a state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag to change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for monitoring a volume of fluid in a flexible fluid bag, the method comprising:
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administering the fluid from the fluid bag to a recipient, wherein the fluid bag comprises a first side wall, a second side wall opposing the first side wall, an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated for administration to a recipient, a signaling tag carried by the first side wall, and an inducer carried by the second side wall; and detecting a change in state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag as a result of the signaling tag and inducer coming into a sufficient proximity of one another due to flexation of at least a portion of one or more of the first or second sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated therefrom, wherein the change in state of the signal is indicative of the volume of fluid in the fluid bag being below a predefined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for monitoring a volume of fluid in a flexible fluid bag, the fluid bag comprising a first side wall, a second side wall opposing the first side wall, an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated for administration to a recipient, a signaling tag carried by the first side wall, and an inducer carried by the second side wall;
- wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising;
a program instruction for monitoring a state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag while fluid from the fluid bag is administered to a recipient; and a program instruction for detecting a change in state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag as a result of the signaling tag and inducer coming into a sufficient proximity of one another due to flexation of at least a portion of one or more of the first or second sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated therefrom, wherein the change in state of the signal is indicative of the volume of fluid in the fluid bag being below a predefined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising;
Specification