Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Alan G Bettisch

Keita Hara

Joseph B Matthews

Thomas Callaghan

A peristaltic pumping apparatus has a misloaded-tube detector. The detector is constituted of a pair of pressure sensors and a CPU. The pressure sensors are located on both sides of a fluid propelling portion onto which an IV tube containing a solution is loaded. The detector detects a tube misloading by making use of pressure which is applied to one pressure sensor when the tube is displaced onto the pressure sensor and is forced against it by the closing of a door. Each sensor consists of first and second electrodes spaced from each other, a pressure-resistive conductive element attached to the first electrode and spaced from the second electrode and capable of connecting thereto, and a resistor connected to the first and second electrodes. The CPU judges from a resistance value of the pressure sensor as to whether the tube is properly loaded or misloaded or whether the pressure sensor is in an operative state.

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Buffalo Grove, IL, United States of America

Alan G Bettisch