Apparatus for infusing fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017266378-A1
Application number	US-201715584376-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 2, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	Sep 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pump for pumping fluid includes a tube platen, a plunger, a bias member, inlet and outlet valves, an actuator mechanism, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger is configured for actuation toward and away from the infusion-tube when the tube platen is disposed opposite to the plunger. The tube platen can hold an intravenous infusion tube. The bias member is configured to urge the plunger toward the tube platen.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A pump for pumping fluid, the pump comprising:
a tube platen; a plunger configured for actuation toward and away from the tube platen when the tube platen is disposed opposite to the plunger; a bias member configured to urge the plunger toward the tube platen; an inlet valve upstream of the plunger configured for actuation between an occluding position and a non-occluding position; an outlet valve downstream of the plunger configured for actuation between an occluding position and a non-occluding position; an actuator mechanism configured to control the actuation of the plunger, the inlet valve and the outlet valve, wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to mechanically engage and disengage from the plunger, wherein when the actuator mechanism is disengaged from the plunger, the actuator mechanism is configured to mechanically discharge the bias member such that the plunger is a sole force driving the plunger toward the tube platen, wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to engage the plunger to lift the plunger away from the tube platen to thereby mechanically charge the bias member; a pressure sensor disposed adjacent to at least one of the inlet valve, the outlet valve, and the plunger; a position sensor configured to estimate a position of the plunger; and a processor coupled to the position sensor to receive the estimated position of the plunger therefrom, wherein the processor is configured to detect an anomaly based in part on the estimated plunger position when:
the inlet valve is in the occluding position,
the outlet valve is in the occluding position,
the actuator mechanism is mechanically disengaged from the plunger thereby making the bias member the sole source of actuation force of the plunger toward the tube platen, and
the bias member urges the plunger toward the tube platen,
wherein the processor is further coupled to the pressure sensor to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor, the processor is configured to, using the pressure signal, to determine a downstream occlusion exists if a subtraction of a filtered value of a sequential series of sequential trough-to-trough pressure values of a plurality of cycles from a trough-to-trough value is greater than a predetermined threshold.

2 . The pump according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to detect a leak based on a rate of change of the estimated position of the plunger.

3 . The pump according to claim 1 , the pump further comprising an ultrasonic sensor sensitive to gas in an infusion tube, the ultrasonic sensor located downstream of the plunger and configured communicate with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to distinguish between an upstream occlusion and a presence of air in the fluid using the ultrasonic sensor.

4 . The pump according to claim 1 , the pump further comprising an ultrasonic sensor sensitive to gas in an infusion tube, the ultrasonic sensor located downstream of the plunger and configured communicate with the processor, wherein the processor is configured to determine a volume of air pumped downstream based on the plunger position when both the inlet and outlet valves occlude the infusion tube and on the sensed gas.

5 . The pump according to claim 1 , wherein the tube platen is configured to hold an intravenous infusion tube.

6 . The pump according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing; and a door pivotally coupled to the housing, the door configured to pivot to an open position and to a closed position, wherein the tube platen is disposed on the door.

7 . The pump according to claim 6 , wherein the tube platen, the door, and the plunger are configured such that the plunger is configured for actuation toward and away from the infusion-tube when the door is in the closed position.

8 . The pump according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a lever pivotally coupled to the door, the lever having first and second positions; and a latch coupled to the door, wherein the lever is configured to latch the door onto the housing when in the first position.

9 . The pump according to claim 8 , wherein the first position is defined as a position in which the lever is pivoted toward to the door.

10 . The pump according to claim 8 , further comprising a carrier having first and second portions pivotally coupled together, wherein:
the door and the carrier co-pivot together, the housing includes a first slot in which the first portion of the carrier is at least partially disposed when the door is in the open position, the door includes a second slot in which the second portion of the carrier is disposed within when the door is in the open position, and the lever is operatively coupled to the second portion of the carrier such that when the door is in the closed position, lever actuation toward the first position pushes the first and second portions of the carrier into the first slot of the housing.

11 . The pump according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism comprises:
a cam shaft; an inlet-valve cam coupled to the cam shaft configured to actuate the inlet valve; an outlet-valve cam coupled to the cam shaft configured to actuate the outlet valve; and a plunger cam coupled to the cam shaft configured to actuate the plunger.

12 . The pump according to claim 11 , wherein the plunger cam is configured to lift the plunger away from the tube platen.

13 . The pump according to claim 11 , wherein the processor detects the anomaly when only a force of the bias member forces the plunger toward the tube platen.

14 . The pump according to claim 1 , wherein the processor detects the anomaly when only a force of the bias member forces the plunger toward the tube platen.

15 . The pump according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to communicate data to a monitoring client.

16 . The pump according to claim 15 , wherein the data includes an indication of the anomaly.

17 . A pump for pumping fluid, the pump comprising:
a tube platen; a plunger configured for actuation toward and away from the tube platen when the tube platen is disposed opposite to the plunger; a bias member configured to urge the plunger toward the tube platen; an inlet valve upstream of the plunger configured for actuation between an occluding position and a non-occluding position; an outlet valve downstream of the plunger configured for actuation between an occluding position and a non-occluding position; an actuator mechanism configured to control the actuation of the plunger, the inlet valve and the outlet valve, wherein:
the actuator mechanism is configured to mechanically engage and disengage from the plunger,
when the actuator mechanism is disengaged from the plunger, the actuator mechanism is configured to mechanically discharge the bias member such that the plunger is a sole force driving the plunger toward the tube platen, and
the actuator mechanism is configured to engage the plunger to lift the plunger away from the tube platen to thereby mechanically charge the bias member;
a pressure sensor disposed adjacent to at least one of the inlet valve, the outlet valve, and the plunger; a position sensor to estimate the position of the plunger; and a processor coupled to the position sensor and configured to estimate fluid flow in accordance with the estimated position of the plunger, the processor is further coupled to the pressure sensor to receive a pressure signal from the pressure sensor, wherein:
the inlet valve, the outlet valve, and the plunger are configured to pu

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Kamen Dean
• Kerwin John M
• Murphy Colin H
• Parker Jonathan
• Pawlowski Daniel F
• Van Der Merwe Dirk A
• Gray Larry B
• Langenfeld Christopher C
• Place Michael S
• Slate Michael J

Classifications

• A61M5/16831

  Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies (low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066) · CPC title

• F04B43/08

  having tubular flexible members (F04B43/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M5/1452

  pressurised by means of pistons · CPC title

• A61M2205/3375

  Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means · CPC title

• A61M5/1415

  Stands, brackets or the like for supporting infusion accessories · CPC title