Systems and methods for intelligent gas source management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090454-B2
Application number	US-202016825848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	May 9, 2014
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Therapy gas delivery systems that provide run-time-to-empty information to a user of the system and methods for administering therapeutic gas to a patient. The therapeutic gas delivery system may include a gas pressure sensor attachable to a therapeutic gas source that communicates therapeutic gas pressure data to a therapeutic gas delivery system controller, a gas temperature sensor positioned to measure gas temperature in the therapeutic gas source that communicates therapeutic gas temperature data to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller, at least one flow controller that communicates therapeutic gas flow rate data to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller, at least one flow sensor that communicates flow rate data to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller, and at least one display that communicates run-time-to-empty to a user of the therapeutic gas delivery system. The therapeutic gas delivery system controller of the system includes a processor that executes an algorithm to calculate the run-time-to-empty from the data received from the gas pressure sensor, temperature sensor, flow controller and flow sensor, and directs the result to the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A therapeutic gas delivery system, comprising:
a therapeutic gas source comprising:
a compressed gas cylinder of therapeutic gas; and
at least one gas source identifier containing gas source identifier information, the at least one gas source identifier attached to the compressed gas cylinder and operable to be read by a gas source identifier reader to communicate the gas source identifier information to a therapeutic gas delivery system controller, wherein the gas source identifier information comprises at least one of gas source volume, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas expiration date, and therapeutic gas concentration supplied by the therapeutic gas source; and

at least one gas supply subsystem comprising:
the therapeutic gas delivery system controller comprising a CPU; and
a gas source bay for engagement of the therapeutic gas source in the gas supply subsystem, the gas source bay comprising:
a gas source coupling operable to receive the therapeutic gas source;
a therapeutic gas source detector operatively associated with the gas source coupling, the therapeutic gas source detector operable to detect when the therapeutic gas source is received by the gas source coupling; and
the gas source identifier reader in communication over a communication path with the therapeutic gas delivery system controller, wherein the gas source identifier reader is configured to obtain the gas source identifier information from the gas source identifier when the therapeutic gas source detector detects the therapeutic gas source is properly received by the gas source coupling, and to communicate the gas source identifier information to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller,

wherein the gas source identifier information further includes at least one of, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas expiration date, and therapeutic gas concentration.

2. The therapeutic gas cylinder of claim 1 , wherein the compressed gas cylinder comprises an initial gas pressure of about 2000 psi to about 5000 psi having a therapeutic gas concentration of about 2000 ppm to about 10000 ppm.

3. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the gas source identifier is affixed to an outer surface of the compressed gas cylinder.

4. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is configured to compare at least one of the gas source volume, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas concentration, and/or therapeutic gas expiration date to expected values stored in a memory of the therapeutic gas delivery system controller to determine the presence of a correct or incorrect therapeutic gas source.

5. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is configured to communicate a signal to a gas source valve on the therapeutic gas source to transition to an open state when the therapeutic gas source is correct.

6. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is configured to prompt a user to install a new therapeutic gas source if an incorrect therapeutic gas source is received.

7. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a shutoff valve down stream from the therapeutic gas source, wherein the shutoff valve is operable to be in a closed state until at least one of the gas source volume, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas concentration, and/or therapeutic gas expiration date is verified by the therapeutic gas delivery system controller.

8. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one gas supply subsystem further comprises a purge valve, and after properly receiving the therapeutic gas source, the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is configured to initiate a purge sequence of a conduit between the gas source valve and a closed shutoff valve, wherein the purged gas exits the conduit via the opened purge valve.

9. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a gas pressure sensor operable to measure gas pressure of the therapeutic gas source and communicate the gas pressure to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller.

10. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is operable to provide an alarm when the pressure sensor measures a pressure below a minimum threshold.

11. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 9 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller is configured to prompt a user to install a therapeutic gas source if the received therapeutic gas source is determined to be empty and/or the pressure is below the minimum threshold.

12. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the gas source volume is a wetted volume of the gas source.

13. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic gas source detector is a micro-switch, a limit switch, or a proximity detector.

14. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller further comprises memory and the gas source identifier information is communicated to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller and is stored in the memory.

15. The therapeutic gas delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising a display operable to display the gas source identifier information.

16. A method to ensure proper functioning of a therapeutic gas delivery system, the method comprising:
receiving a therapeutic gas source within at least one gas supply subsystem;
reading, via a gas source identifier reader in the at least one gas supply subsystem, gas source identifier information from a gas source identifier attached to the therapeutic gas source, the gas source identifier information providing at least one of gas source volume, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas expiration date, and therapeutic gas concentration;
verifying, via a therapeutic gas delivery system controller in the at least one gas supply subsystem, the gas source identifier information corresponds to an expected therapeutic gas volume, therapeutic gas identity, therapeutic gas concentration, and/or therapeutic gas expiration date;
measuring, via a gas pressure sensor, a gas pressure of the therapeutic gas source;
communicating the gas pressure to the therapeutic gas delivery system controller; and
providing an alarm when the pressure sensor measures below a minimum threshold,
wherein the therapeutic gas delivery system controller prompts a user to install a therapeutic gas source if the received therapeutic gas source is determined to be empty and/or the pressure is below the minimum threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the therapeutic gas source is a compressed gas cylinder of therapeutic gas.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the gas source identifier is affixed to an outer surface of the compressed gas cylinder.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein compressed gas cylinder comprises an initial gas pressure of about 2000 psi to about 5000 psi having a therapeutic gas concentration of about 2000 ppm to about 10000 ppm.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein a shutoff valve down stream from the therapeutic gas source is operable to be in a closed state until a correct identity, concentration, and/or expiration date is verified.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the gas source volume is a wetted volume of the gas source.

Assignees

• Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Ireland Ltd

Inventors

• Acker Jaron M
• Tolmie Craig R
• Roehl Robin
• Schmidt Jeffrey
• Milsap Jeff

Classifications

• A61M2205/3334

  Measuring or controlling the flow rate · CPC title

• A61M2205/50

  with microprocessors or computers · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61M16/122

  with dilution · CPC title

• A61M2016/102

  Measuring a parameter of the content of the delivered gas · CPC title