Stopcock apparatus for angiography injector fluid paths

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023139275-A1
Application number	US-202117801975-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	May 4, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A valve assembly for a fluid injector system includes a valve housing, a first port configured for fluid communication with a fluid injector, a second port, a third port, and a fourth port configured for fluid communication with a patient line. The valve assembly includes an air detection region associated with the first port, a fluid path length having a proximal end in fluid communication with the second port and a distal end in fluid communication with the third port, and a valve element defining a first fluid path and a second fluid path. The first fluid path provides fluid communication between the first and second ports in a delivery position of the valve housing. The second fluid path provides fluid communication between the third and fourth ports in the delivery position. The third port is isolated from the fourth port in a stop position of the valve housing.

First claim

1 . A valve assembly for a fluid injector system, the valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing; a first port configured for fluid communication with at least one syringe of a fluid injector, a second port, a third port, and a fourth port configured for fluid communication with a patient line; an air detection region associated with the first port; a fluid path length having a proximal end in fluid communication with the second port and a distal end in fluid communication with the third port; and a valve element defining a first valve fluid path and a second valve fluid path, wherein the first valve fluid path provides fluid communication between the first port and the second port when in a delivery position of the valve housing relative to the valve element, wherein the second valve fluid path provides fluid communication between the third port and the fourth port when in the delivery position, and wherein the third port is isolated from the fourth port when in a stop position of the valve housing relative to the valve element.

2 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fifth port configured for fluid communication with a bulk fluid source,
wherein the first fluid path provides fluid communication between the first port and the fifth port when in a fill position of the valve housing relative to the valve element.

3 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing having a length greater than a distance that an air bubble can travel or expand during an actuation time of the valve assembly, and wherein the actuation time of the valve assembly is a time interval between a time at which the air bubble is detected in the air detection region and a time at which the valve assembly reaches the stop position.

4 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing have a length of between approximately 1000 millimeters and approximately 1400 millimeters.

5 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first port, the second port, the third port, and the fourth port are arranged circumferentially about the valve housing and wherein the valve element is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the valve housing between the delivery position and the stop position.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first port is offset relative to the second port along a longitudinal axis of the valve housing.

8 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path length comprises coiled tubing.

13 . A fluid delivery system comprising:
at least one powered injector; at least one syringe; at least one air detector; a valve assembly; at least one controller in electrical communication with the at least one air detector, wherein the at least one controller is configured for controlling fluid flow through the valve assembly; and a patient line, wherein the valve assembly comprises:
a valve housing;
a first port in fluid communication with the at least one powered injector, a second port, a third port, and a fourth port;
a fluid path length having a proximal end in fluid communication with the second port and a distal end in fluid communication with the third port; and
a valve element defining a first valve fluid path and a second valve fluid path,
wherein the patient line is in fluid communication with the fourth port,
wherein the first valve fluid path provides fluid communication between the first port and the second port in a delivery position of the valve housing relative to the valve element,
wherein the second valve fluid path provides fluid communication between the third port and the fourth port in the delivery position, and
wherein the third port is isolated from the fourth port in a stop position of the valve housing relative to the valve element.

14 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , further comprising: an actuator operably associated with the air detector and configured to transition the valve assembly to the stop position upon detection of air bubble by the air detector,
wherein the air detector is upstream of or within the first port and configured to detect an air bubble flowing out of the at least one syringe.

15 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing having a length greater than a distance that the air bubble can travel or expand during an actuation time of the valve assembly, and wherein the actuation time of the valve assembly is a time interval between a time at which the air bubble is detected by the air detector and a time at which the valve assembly reaches the stop position.

16 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , further comprising a bulk fluid source,
wherein the valve assembly further comprises a fifth port in fluid communication with the bulk fluid source, and wherein the first valve fluid path provides fluid communication between the first port and the fifth port when in a fill position of the valve housing relative to the valve element.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing have a length of between approximately 1000 millimeters and approximately 1400 millimeters.

19 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the first port, the second port, the third port, and the fourth port are arranged circumferentially about the valve housing and wherein the valve element is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the valve housing between the delivery position and the stop position.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the first port is offset relative to the second port along a longitudinal axis of the valve housing.

22 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . The fluid delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid path length comprises coiled tubing.

27 . A method of trapping an air bubble in a fluid path length during an injection procedure performed by a fluid delivery system, the method comprising:
detecting an air bubble flowing distally from at least one syringe and into a valve assembly with at least one air detector, the valve assembly comprising a comprising a first port, a second port, a third port, and a fourth port; and actuating the valve assembly to isolate the third port from the fourth port, thereby trapping the air bubble in the fluid path length between the second port and the third port, wherein actuating the valve assembly occurs within 60 and 100 milliseconds after detecting the air bubble with the air detector.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing having a length greater than a distance that the air bubble can travel or expand during an actuation time of the valve assembly, and wherein the actuation time of the valve assembly is a time interval between a time at which the air bubble is detected and a time at which the third port is isolated from the fourth port.

29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein actuating the valve assembly comprises rotating a valve element of the valve assembly relative to a valve housing of the valve assembly.

30 . (canceled)

31 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the fluid path length comprises tubing have a length of between approximately 1000 millimeters and approximately 1400 millimeters.

32 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the valve assembly comprises a valve housing, and whe

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Cowan Kevin
• Dedig James
• Haury John
• Campbell Patrick

Classifications

• A61M2039/229

  Stopcocks · CPC title

• A61M5/16822

  by controlling air intake into infusion reservoir (needle sets with air inlet A61M5/162) · CPC title

• A61M5/14546 Primary

  Front-loading type injectors · CPC title

• A61M39/223

  Multiway valves · CPC title

• A61M5/365

  Air detectors (A61M5/1684 takes precedence; in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3626) · CPC title