Devices, systems, and methods for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240959-B2
Application number	US-201615343865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2016
Priority date	May 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid are disclosed. In one aspect, a device for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid includes a reference plate, a flange adapter base attached at a first end of the reference plate for receiving a flange of a syringe, a plunger adapter disposed adjacent to a housing for receiving a plunger of the syringe, the plunger adapter being configured to slidingly move along a length of the reference plate, a displacement sensor disposed in the housing and configured to measure a displacement of the plunger adapter in relation to the flange adapter base as the plunger adapter is slid along the length of the reference plate, and a displacement conversion mechanism disposed in the housing and configured to convert the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to a volumetric measurement in order to determine a volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid, the device comprising: a reference plate; a flange adapter base attached at a first end of the reference plate for receiving a flange of a syringe; a plunger adapter attached to a housing for receiving a plunger of the syringe, the plunger adapter and the housing being configured to slidingly move along a length of the reference plate; a displacement sensor disposed in the housing and configured to measure a displacement of the plunger adapter in relation to the flange adapter base as the plunger adapter along with the housing are slid along the length of the reference plate; and a displacement conversion mechanism disposed in the housing and configured to convert the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to a volumetric measurement in order to determine a volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to determine the volumetric measurement of the volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in to at least approximately ±0.3% accuracy.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement sensor comprises at least one of a capacitive sensor; a laser sensor, a drop line sensor, an inductive sensor, a rod capacitive sensor, a sonic sensor, a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) with distance measurement points attached to the plunger adapter and the flange adapter base, or any combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to transmit volumetric measurement to at least one of a display on the device, a storage database, and a server.

5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface disposed on a top surface of the housing of the device, the user interface comprising functionality including at least one of selecting a size of the syringe, zeroing the device, activating and deactivating a measurement repetition mode, mechanically locking motion of the device and saving the displacement measurement, and/or transmitting the displacement measurement.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the measurement repetition mode is configured to automatically repeat volume measurements by storing the volumetric measurement, disengaging a clamping mechanism disposed in the housing, the clamping mechanism for preventing sliding movement of the plunger adapter along the length of the reference plate, zeroing the device, and automatically reengaging the clamping mechanism when at least one subsequent volumetric measurement is equal to the previously stored volumetric measurement.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement conversion mechanism is configured to apply a calibration function or coefficient corresponding to a size of the syringe to convert the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to the volumetric measurement.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the flange adapter base and/or the plunger adapter are configured to resiliently receive syringes sized from 1 mL to 60 mL.

9. A system for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid, the system comprising: a device comprising: a reference plate, a flange adapter base attached at a first end of the reference plate for receiving a flange of a syringe, a plunger adapter attached to a housing for receiving a plunger of the syringe, the plunger adapter and the housing being configured to slidingly move along a length of the reference plate, a displacement sensor disposed in the housing and configured to measure a displacement of the plunger adapter in relation to the flange adapter base as the plunger adapter along with the housing are slid along the length of the reference plate, and a displacement conversion mechanism disposed in the housing and configured to convert the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to a volumetric measurement in order to determine a volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in; and a server connected with the device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the device is configured to determine the volumetric measurement of the volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in to at least approximately ±0.3% accuracy.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the displacement sensor comprises at least one of: a capacitive sensor; a laser sensor, a drop line sensor, an inductive sensor, a rod capacitive sensor, a sonic sensor, a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) with distance measurement points attached to the plunger adapter and the flange adapter base, or any combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the device is configured to transmit the volumetric measurement to at least one of a display on the device, a storage database, and the server.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a user interface disposed on a surface of the housing of the device, the user interface comprising functionality including at least one of selecting a size of the syringe, zeroing the device, activating and deactivating a measurement repetition mode, mechanically locking motion of the device and saving the displacement measurement, and/or transmitting the displacement measurement.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the measurement repetition mode is configured to automatically repeat volume measurements by storing the volumetric measurement, disengaging a clamping mechanism disposed in the housing, the clamping mechanism for preventing sliding movement of the plunger adapter along the length of the reference plate, zeroing the device, and automatically reengaging the clamping mechanism when at least one subsequent volumetric measurement is equal to the previously stored volumetric measurement.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the displacement conversion mechanism is configured to apply a calibration function or coefficient corresponding to a size of the syringe to convert the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to the volumetric measurement.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the flange adapter base and/or the plunger adapter are configured to resiliently receive syringes sized from 1 mL to 60 mL.

17. A method for volumetrically measuring syringe fluid, the method comprising: providing a device comprising a reference plate, a flange adapter base attached at a first end of the reference plate for receiving a flange of a syringe, a plunger adapter attached to a housing for receiving a plunger of the syringe, the plunger adapter and the housing being configured to slidingly move along a length of the reference plate, a displacement sensor disposed in the housing, and a displacement conversion mechanism disposed in the housing; securing the flange of the syringe to the flange adapter base and the plunger of the syringe to the plunger adapter; measuring, by the displacement sensor, a displacement of the plunger adapter in relation to the flange adapter base, as the plunger adapter along with the housing are slidingly moved along the length of the reference plate; and converting, by the displacement conversion mechanism, the displacement measurement of the plunger adapter to a volumetric measurement in order to determine a volume of fluid the syringe has drawn in.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising interfacing with a user interface disposed on a top surface of the housing of the device, the interface comprising functionality including at least one of selecting a size of the syringe, zeroing the device, activating and deactivating a measurement repetition mode, mechanically locking motion of the device and saving the displacement measurement, and transmitting the displacement measurement.

Assignees

• Univ North Carolina Chapel Hill

Inventors

• Eckel Stephen
• Roberts Christopher
• Dubois Chase
• Martínez-Blat Jorge
• Pamplin John C

Classifications

• A61M2205/3584

  using modem, internet or Bluetooth® · CPC title

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title

• G01F11/029

  provided with electric controlling means (G01F11/022 and G01F11/024 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2205/52

  with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient · CPC title

• A61J1/2096

  Combination of a vial and a syringe for transferring or mixing their contents · CPC title