Air detection and measurement system for fluid injector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024133911-A1
Application number	US-202218546806-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2022
Priority date	Feb 26, 2021
Publication date	Apr 25, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid injector system includes at least one injector for pressurizing and delivering at least one fluid from at least one fluid reservoir, at least one fluid path section in fluid communication with the at least one injector and having a predetermined index of refraction, and a first proximal sensor and a first distal sensor arranged along the at least one fluid path section. Each of the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor includes an emitter configured to emit light through the at least one fluid path section, and a detector configured to receive the light emitted through the at least one fluid path section and generate an electrical signal based on the received light. The fluid injector system further includes at least one processor programmed or configured to determine, based on a difference in the electrical signals generated by the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor, at least one property of a content of the at least one fluid path section.

First claim

1 . A fluid injector system, comprising:
at least one injector for pressurizing and delivering at least one fluid from at least one fluid reservoir; at least one fluid path section in fluid communication with the at least one injector and having a predetermined index of refraction; a first proximal sensor and a first distal sensor arranged along the at least one fluid path section, each of the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor comprising: an emitter configured to emit light through the at least one fluid path section; a detector configured to receive the light emitted through the at least one fluid path section and generate an electrical signal based on the received light; and at least one processor programmed or configured to determine, based on a difference in the electrical signals generated by the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor, at least one property of a content of the at least one fluid path section.

2 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one property of the content is selected from at least one of an identity of the fluid in the fluid path section, the presence of one or more air bubbles in the fluid path section, a volume of one or more air bubbles in the fluid path section, a velocity of one or more air bubbles in the fluid path section, a priming status of the fluid path section, and combinations of any thereof.

3 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed or configured to:
determine a velocity of an air bubble passing through the at least one fluid path section based on a time offset between detection of the air bubble by the first proximal sensor and detection of the air bubble by the first distal sensor.

4 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the emitter of the first proximal sensor is arranged on a first side of the fluid path section,
wherein the emitter of the first distal sensor is arranged on a second side of the fluid path section, and wherein the second side of the fluid path section is approximately 180° opposite the first side of the fluid path section.

5 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to actuate the emitter of the first proximal sensor and the emitter of the first distal sensor in alternating pulses.

6 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid injector system comprises a first fluid reservoir and a second fluid reservoir for delivering a first fluid and a second fluid, respectively;
a first fluid path section in fluid communication with the first fluid reservoir and a second fluid path section in fluid communication with the second fluid reservoir; and first and second proximal sensors and first and second distal sensors, wherein the first fluid path section is associated with the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor and the second fluid path section is associated with the second proximal sensor and the second distal sensor.

7 . The fluid injector system of claim 6 , wherein the fluid injector system further comprises a manifold comprising the first fluid path section and the second fluid path section, wherein the manifold positions the first fluid path section and the second fluid path section to interface with the first and second proximal sensors and the first and second distal sensors, respectively.

8 . The fluid injector system of claim 7 , further comprising a manifold housing module for removably receiving the manifold, wherein the manifold housing module comprises the first and second proximal sensors and the first and second distal sensors.

9 . The fluid injector system of claim 8 , wherein the manifold comprises at least one rib for indexing the manifold within the manifold housing module.

10 . The fluid injector system of claim 9 , wherein the emitter and the detector of each of the first and second proximal sensors and the first and second distal sensors are located behind associated optical surfaces of the manifold housing module, and wherein the at least one rib prevents the manifold from contacting the associated optical surfaces of the manifold housing module.

11 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . The fluid injector system claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed or configured to halt actuation of the at least one injector in response to determining that the at least one fluid path section contains one or more air bubbles having a total air volume above a predetermined volume.

19 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed or configured to determine, based on the electrical signal, that the at least one fluid path section is present between the emitter and the detector of each of the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor.

20 . The fluid injector system of claim 1 , wherein the emitter of at least one of the first proximal sensor and the first distal sensor is configured to emit light within at least one of the ultraviolet spectrum, the infrared spectrum, and the visible spectrum.

21 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . A fluid manifold for a fluid path component, the fluid manifold comprising:
at least one inlet port configured for fluid communication to at least one fluid reservoir; at least one outlet port configured for fluid communication to at least one administration line; at least one fill port configured for fluid communication to at least one bulk fluid source; and at least one fluid path section in fluid communication with the at least one inlet port, the at least one outlet port, and the at least one fill port, the at least one fluid path section having a sidewall having a predetermined index of refraction such that light passes through the fluid path section at a known refraction.

25 . The fluid manifold of claim 24 , wherein the index of refraction of the sidewall of the at least one fluid path section is closer to an index of refraction of water than to an index of refraction of air.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The fluid manifold of claim 24 , wherein the at least one fluid path section comprises at least one rib extending radially outward and configured to engage a manifold housing module to index the fluid path section in the manifold housing module.

28 . The fluid manifold of claim 24 , wherein the at least one fluid path section has a surface finish configured to concentrate or disperse light passing through the fluid path section.

29 - 31 . (canceled)

32 . The fluid manifold of claim 24 , further comprising:
a first manifold section defining a first fluid path for a first medical fluid; a second manifold section defining a second fluid path for a second medical fluid; and at least one connecting beam connecting the first manifold section to the second manifold section, wherein the first fluid path is isolated from the second fluid path, and wherein the at least one connecting beam orients the first manifold section and the second manifold section in a position to fit within the manifold housing module and correctly interface the first fluid path with a first proximal sensor and a first distal sensor and interface the second fluid path within a second proximal sensor and a second distal sensor.

33 . A method for determining one or more fluid properties of a fluid flowing in at least one fluid path section of a fluid injector system, the method comprising:
emitting light from an emitter of a first proximal sensor through a

Assignees

• Bayer Healthcare Llc

Inventors

• Barone William
• Brown Ronald
• Pastor Curtis
• Swantner Michael
• Capone Christopher
• Wlodarczyk Jaroslaw
• Lang Charles

Classifications

• G01P5/18 Primary

  by measuring the time taken to traverse a fixed distance · CPC title

• A61M5/1452

  pressurised by means of pistons · CPC title

• A61M5/365

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

• A61M5/007 Primary

  for contrast media · CPC title

• A61M2005/1402

  Priming · CPC title