Vital Metrics, Inc.

Baxter International Inc.

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Larry K Blankenship

Robert L Anderson

Warren Paul Heim

Bradley J Denny

Daniel C Colesworthy, Iii

Joseph J Manno

Stephen J Kreinick

Scott A Miller

Brad H Sherman

Joel Tune

Daniel J Conley

Bard B Betz

Stephen J Krienick

Charles T Bovey

Donald R Widrig

Jeffrey P Castleberry

A medical infusion pump (10) for delivering liquids to a patient includes an elastomeric pump chamber (140) contractable between a refill position and a discharge position. An inlet valve (122) is operatively associated with an elastomeric inlet (142) supplying liquid to the pump chamber (140). The inlet valve (122) is selectively positionable in an open position permitting and a closed position preventing flow of liquid between the inlet (142) and the pump chamber (142). An outlet valve (124) is operatively associated with an elastomeric outlet (144) which conveys liquid from the pump chamber (140). The outlet valve (124) is selectively positionable in an open position permitting and a closed position preventing flow of liquid between the outlet (144) and pump chamber (140). A pump motor (256) and associated plunger (120) contracts and expands the pump chamber (140) between the refill position and the discharge position. An electronic control (542) operatively associated with the pump motor (256) and plunger (120) and the inlet and outlet (122, 124) valves actuates the pump motor (256) and the inlet and outlet valves (122, 124) to drive liquid through the pump chamber (140) in a predetermined pumping cycle. The electronic control (542) includes a routine for dissipating ballooning in the pump chamber (140), the inlet (142) or the outlet (144) by delaying movement of the pump motor (256) with the pump chamber (140) in the contracted position and the outlet valve (124) in the open position a select amount of time.

Pump chamber back pressure dissipation apparatus and method

A remotely programmable infusion system for administering liquid to a patient includes an infusion pump unit having a pump for infusing liquids operated by means of a control including a programmed processing unit and a memory chip. The processing unit operates in accordance with delivery program data stored in the memory circuit for executing an infusion delivery sequence. An output circuit is operatively disposed between the processing unit and the pump unit to control operation of the pump unit in accordance with the infusion delivery sequence. A wireless data communication circuit is operatively connected to the control for transmitting and receiving data. A programmer remote from the pump unit includes a programmed processing unit, a memory circuit, a user interface operatively associated with the processing unit for entering program commands and configuring delivery program data for storage in the memory circuit and a modem circuit operatively connected to the processing unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from the infusion pump unit. A remote communication interface unit includes a pump interface operatively communicating, in use, with the pump wireless data communication circuit, a programmer interface, including a modem circuit operatively communicating, in use, via a telephone line with the programmer modem circuit and a control circuit operatively connected to the pump interface and the programmer interface for channeling data between the pump interface and the modem circuit.

Ambulatory infusion pump

A method and apparatus for continually measuring the specific gravity of a flow liquid. The liquid is caused to flow across a flat measurement surface defined by a light transmissive shelf member. The measurement surface, i.e. the interface between the shelf member and liquid sample thereon, is illuminated by rays incident at angles greater than and less than a critical angle to reflect a boundary line whose position is dependent on the critical angle and thus the specific gravity of the liquid sample. The reflected boundary line is projected onto a photovoltaic surface which, together with detector electronics, determines the position of the boundary line with respect to a boundary line position associated with a reference liquid. The difference in boundary line position is used by the detector electronics to determine the specific gravity of the sample by a table lookup procedure.

Method and apparatus for measuring specific gravity of a flowing liquid

A surgical instrument and support unit for enabling a user using one hand to probe an incision and illuminate, irrigate, and aspirate the incision. The surgical instrument has a probe with illumination, irrigation, and aspiration ports on the end. The probe is coupled to a handle having controls for the irrigation and aspiration functions. Light from a high intensity lamp in the handle is transmitted through an optical fiber to the illumination port. A heat sink enclosing the lamp draws heat away from the lamp and transfers the heat to the aspirated fluid passing through the heat sink. The support unit is controlled by a microcomputer and provides an electrical supply for the lamp and a pressurized fluid supply for irrigation. The sources of the irrigation fluid is a standard hospital flexible bag. A bladder inflated by an air pump pressurizes the flexible bag. The pump is also utilized to deflate the bladder to allow rapid changing of the flexible bag during a surgical procedure.

Surgical instrument having a heat sink for irrigation, aspiration, and

A medical apparatus for automatically measuring and displaying the quantity of a liquid discharged by a patient during a defined real time interval. The apparatus is comprised of a reusable housing and a disposable plastic container adapted to be removably received in a cavity in the housing. A transducer is mounted in the floor of the cavity to engage the container and transmit sonic pulses through the container wall into a liquid pool in the container. A molded silicon rubber cap is fitted over the transducer to assure good acoustic coupling between the transducer and the container without requiring the use of an intermediate gel substance. The container is configured such that when it is received in the housing cavity, it is oriented to cause liquid entering an inlet port in the top portion to pool over the flat section of the container bottom wall. The apparatus includes an electronic measurement subsystem for measuring both the volume of liquid in the container and the passage of real time and for digitally displaying the volume of liquid accumulated within a defined real time interval. The measurement subsystem periodically samples the liquid level in the container by energizing the transducer to transmit an ultrasonic pulse. The pulse travels through the container wall and the liquid pool and is reflected off the surface of the pool. The reflected pulse then again passes through the liquid pool and is received by the transducer. The measurement unit determines the travel or 'flight' time duration between pulse transmission and pulse receipt.

Medical apparatus for monitoring body liquid discharge

Electronic urine monitor

Disposable urine collection container

Growing community of inventors

Ramona, CA, United States of America

Larry K Blankenship