System and method for measuring pressure of fluid flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11802802-B2
Application number	US-202117513322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring pressure within a fluid path includes a housing defining the structure of the apparatus. The housing includes a fluid path that extends through the housing and allows a fluid to pass through the housing. The apparatus also includes a first volume chamber that is in fluid communication with the fluid path and has a first volume chamber opening, and a second volume chamber with a second volume chamber opening that is less than the first volume chamber opening. A diaphragm separates the first volume chamber from the second volume chamber and fluidly disconnects the second volume chamber from the fluid path. The diaphragm deforms based upon the pressure within the fluid path. The apparatus also includes an interface that is connectable to a pressure sensor, and the second volume chamber is in fluid communication with the interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for measuring pressure within a fluid path, the apparatus comprising:
a housing defining a structure of the apparatus and having a fluid path at least partially extending through the housing, the fluid path configured to allow a fluid to pass through the housing;
a first portion having a first volume chamber in fluid communication with the fluid path, the first portion having a first planar face in which has been formed a first volume chamber opening, wherein the fluid path at least partially extends through the first portion of the housing;
a second portion having a second volume chamber, the second portion having a second planar face in which has been formed a second volume chamber opening, the second planar face opposing the first planar face, and the second volume chamber opening being smaller than the first volume chamber opening;
a diaphragm spanning the first volume chamber opening and the second volume chamber opening, thereby separating the first volume chamber from the second volume chamber and fluidly disconnecting the second volume chamber from the first volume chamber and from the fluid path, the diaphragm configured to deform based upon the pressure within the fluid path, wherein the diaphragm is configured to deform into the first volume chamber if the pressure within the fluid path is negative, the diaphragm having a first area of deformation into the first volume chamber corresponding to the first volume chamber opening, and wherein the diaphragm is configured to deform into the second volume chamber if the pressure within the fluid path is positive, the diaphragm having a second area of deformation into the second volume chamber corresponding to the second volume chamber opening, such that the second area of deformation is less than the first area of deformation; and
an interface connectable to a pressure sensor, the second volume chamber in fluid communication with the interface.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion is an air manifold.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion is disposable and configured to be disconnected from the second portion.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a gasket extending between the first and second portion, the gasket configured to prevent air leakage when the first and second portions are coupled, wherein the gasket includes an opening therethrough, the opening defining at least a portion of the second volume chamber.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is ultrasonically welded to the first portion, thereby sealing the first volume chamber.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a vent port in fluid communication with the second volume chamber via a vent channel, the vent port and vent channel configured to allow the second volume chamber to vent as the diaphragm deforms.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a vent valve located on the vent port.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second volume chamber opening is smaller than the first volume chamber opening such that a ratio of the size of the second volume chamber opening to the first volume chamber opening is between 1.4:1 and 100:1.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the ratio of the size of the second volume chamber opening to the first volume chamber opening is between 2.5:1 and 25:1.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the size of the second volume chamber opening to the first volume chamber opening is between 4:1 and 9:1.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a wall of the second volume chamber has a curved surface, the diaphragm configured to deform to the curved surface at a maximum pressure within the fluid path.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an air path between the second volume chamber and the interface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the second volume chamber includes a recess located within a wall of the second volume chamber, the recess configured to prevent the diaphragm from occluding the air path.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a wall between the first volume chamber and the fluid path, the wall including one or more holes extending through the wall to fluidly connect the first volume chamber and the fluid path.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1 , the pressure sensor being configured to measure the pressure within the fluid path.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first volume chamber includes a first volume and the second volume chamber includes a second volume, the second volume being less than the first volume.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first volume chamber is a liquid chamber, the first volume configured to fill with at least a portion of the fluid passing through the fluid path.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second volume chamber is an air chamber.

Assignees

• Haemonetics Corp

Inventors

• Lei Ming
• Murphy Matthew

Classifications

• G01L7/082 Primary

  construction or mounting of diaphragms (of semiconductive diaphragms G01L9/0042) · CPC title

• A61B5/6866 Primary

  Extracorporeal blood circuits, e.g. dialysis circuits · CPC title

• A61M1/367

  Circuit parts not covered by the preceding subgroups of group A61M1/3621 · CPC title

• A61M1/3641

  Pressure isolators · CPC title

• G01L19/003

  using a detachable interface or adapter between the process medium and the pressure gauge · CPC title