Ivac Corporation

Recordati Corporation

C Russell Horres, Jr

Adib G Daoud

Rolf A Faste

Amulya L Athayde

Howard R Everhart

Thomas P Low

A portable osmotic pump, having two pouches (4,3) in pressure-transmitting relationship, the first (4) containing a pumped fluid, such as infusate (5), and the second (3), a driving fluid (36). The driving fluid is created and pressurized by activation of an osmotic pump, and the rate of infusion is controlled by a semipermeable membrane (10). Activation can be by rupturing a seal (11) or by opening a closed tube (58) to permit permeant (2) to contact the semipermeable membrane. Pulses of the pumped fluid can be achieved by delivery pulses of the permeant to the second pouch. The pouches can be designed to resist collapse of the first pouch by external forces on the pumped liquid, such as gravity, movement of the first pouch and negative pressures applied to the pumped liquid. The infusate pouch is manufactured separately and can be stored apart from the rest of the system.

Controlled release osmotic pump

An apparatus and method for detecting pressure and occlusion in a fluid line is for use with a fluid line being operated upon by a positive displacement, peristaltic pump having several cam follower fingers pressing against the fluid line fluid through the line peristaltically. A sensor follower finger is mounted to the cam shaft of the pump among the other peristaltic fingers in order to cyclicly press against the fluid line and displace the fluid line by a predetermined amount as the cam shaft rotates. The sensor follower finger includes a strain gauge mounted on the sensor finger to generate a signal indicating the degree of force being applied by the sensor finger against the tubing, and a signal processor which receives this force signal and determines the pressure within the fluid line based upon the signal. The signal processor determines the existence of an occlusion based on the signal and provides an alarm if an occlusion is determined.

Apparatus for detecting fluid line occlusion

The negative pressure monitor is intended for use in combination with an IV administration set, for monitoring venous, arterial and other physiological pressure signals. The system provides a coupling mechanism with a sealed vacuum chamber between a fluid chamber in communication with the fluid in line, and the pressure transducer. The vacuum in the coupling mechanism serves not only to communicate pressure changes within the fluid chamber to the pressure transducer, but also functions to maintain the fluid chamber in pressure communication with the pressure transducer.

Growing community of inventors

Del Mar, CA, United States of America

C Russell Horres, Jr