Canister status determination for negative pressure wound therapy devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025205413-A1
Application number	US-202318851618-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 19, 2023
Priority date	Apr 20, 2022
Publication date	Jun 26, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A negative pressure wound therapy device can include one or more fluid detection systems. A canister fluid level detection system can incorporate various fluid detection devices to communicate data relating to the fluid level of the canister. In some cases, a negative pressure wound therapy device can include a device housing, a negative pressure source, and a canister configured to be in fluid communication with the negative pressure source. The canister can include a canister housing configured to store fluid aspirated from a wound, a cap connected to the canister housing, and a fluid level sensor supported by the cap. The fluid level sensor can be configured to detect a completed electrical circuit when the fluid aspirated from the wound comes into contact with the sensor. An electronic circuitry can be configured to detect a state of the sensor and provide an indication of a status of the canister.

First claim

1 . A negative pressure wound therapy device comprising:
a device housing; a negative pressure source supported by the device housing, the negative pressure source configured to provide negative pressure to a wound covered by a wound dressing; a canister configured to be in fluid communication with the negative pressure source and the wound dressing, the canister comprising:
a canister housing configured to store fluid aspirated from the wound;
a cap connected to the canister housing and configured to be connected to the device housing when the canister is removably attached to the device housing; and
a fluid level sensor supported by the cap, the fluid level sensor comprising a first and second arm extending into an interior of the canister housing and configured to be in fluid communication with fluid aspirated from the wound, wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect a completed electrical circuit when the fluid aspirated from the wound comes into contact with the first and second arm of the fluid level sensor, and wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect a canister full condition when the electrical circuit is completed; and
an electronic circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with the fluid level, detect a state of the fluid level sensor, and provide an indication of the canister full condition; wherein a length of the first arm is different from a length of the second arm or the first arm is positioned in a non-parallel arrangement with respect to the second arm.

2 . The negative pressure wound therapy device of claim 1 , wherein the length of the first arm is longer than the length of the second arm.

3 . The negative pressure wound therapy device of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and the second arm have the same length.

4 . The negative pressure wound therapy device of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm are parallel to each other.

5 . The negative pressure wound therapy device of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm are angular to each other.

6 . The negative pressure wound therapy deice of claim 1 , wherein the fluid level sensor comprises one or more sets of arms.

7 . The negative pressure wound therapy deice of claim 1 , wherein the fluid level sensor comprises an NFC tag.

8 . A negative pressure wound therapy device comprising:
a device housing; a negative pressure source supported by the device housing, the negative pressure source configured to provide negative pressure to a wound covered by a wound dressing; a canister configured to be in fluid communication with the negative pressure source and the wound dressing, the canister comprising:
a canister housing configured to store fluid aspirated from the wound;
a cap connected to the canister housing and configured to be connected to the device housing when the canister is removably attached to the device housing; and
a fluid level sensor supported by the cap, the fluid level sensor comprising arms extending into an interior of the canister housing and configured to be in fluid communication with fluid aspirated from the wound, wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect a completed electrical circuit when the fluid aspirated from the wound comes into contact with the arms of the fluid level sensor, and wherein the fluid level sensor is configured to detect a canister full condition when the electrical circuit is completed; and
an electronic circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with the fluid level sensor, detect a state of the fluid level sensor, and provide an indication of the canister full condition; and a mechanical shield comprising an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and an interior portion, the mechanical shield positioned inside the canister, wherein the inner surface of the mechanical shield is facing the fluid level sensor and the mechanical shield is configured to protect the fluid level sensor from liquid within the canister.

9 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical shield further comprises a first opening along a top portion of the mechanical shield, and a second opening along a bottom portion of the mechanical shield.

10 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical shield surrounds the fluid level sensor.

11 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical shield comprises a conical shape that surrounds the fluid level sensor or the arms of the fluid level sensors.

12 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical shield comprises a truncated square pyramid shape that surrounds the fluid level sensor or the arms of the fluid level sensors.

13 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical shield comprises a truncated rectangular pyramid shape that surrounds the fluid level sensor or the arms of the fluid level sensors.

14 . The mechanical shield of claim 9 , further comprising one or more guards extending from at least one portion of the interior surface of the of the mechanical shield and positioned along at least one of the first opening and second opening of the mechanical shield, the one or more guards configured to reduce the possibility of liquid accessing the interior portion of the mechanical shield.

15 . The mechanical shield of claim 14 , wherein the one or more guards form a fluid pathway from an exterior of the mechanical shield to the interior portion of the mechanical shield, thereby allowing fluid aspirated from the wound to access the interior portion of the mechanical shield as the fluid level within the canister reaches a threshold fluid level.

16 . The negative pressure source wound therapy device of claim 8 , wherein the fluid level sensor comprises an NFC tag.

17 . A negative pressure wound therapy device comprising:
a device housing; a negative pressure source supported by the device housing, the negative pressure source configured to provide negative pressure to a wound covered by a wound dressing; a canister configured to be in fluid communication with the negative pressure source and the wound dressing, the canister comprising:
a canister housing configured to store fluid aspirated from the wound;
a cap connected to the canister housing and configured to be connected to the device housing when the canister is removably attached to the device housing;
a first fluid level sensor and a second fluid level sensor, the first fluid level sensor configured to detect a first completed electrical circuit when the fluid aspirated from the wound comes into contact with the first fluid level sensor and the second fluid level sensor configured to detect a second completed electrical circuit when the fluid aspirated from the wound comes into contact with the second fluid level sensor;
a first mechanical shield and a second mechanical shield each comprising a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the first mechanical shield surrounds the first fluid level sensor, and the second mechanical shield surrounds the second fluid level sensor; and
an electronic circuitry configured to detect a state of the first fluid level sensor and the second fluid level sensor and provide an indication of a status of the fluid in the canister.

18 . The negative pressure wound therapy device of claim 17 , wherein the first fluid level sensor and the second fluid level sensor are positioned at different elevations relative to a base o

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew

Inventors

• Askem Ben Alan
• Brearley David Joseph
• Gregory Robert
• Hunt Allan Kenneth Frazer Grugeon
• Milner Christopher James
• Quintanar Felix Clarence
• Strachan Kirsty Margaret

Classifications

• A61M2205/3592

  using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission · CPC title

• A61M2205/3382

  Upper level detectors · CPC title

• A61M2205/3317

  Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means · CPC title

• A61M2205/18

  with alarm · CPC title

• A61M2205/3584

  using modem, internet or Bluetooth® · CPC title