Pacesetter Infusion, Ltd.

Ivac Corporation

Ivac Medical Systems, Inc.

Paul A Koenig

Clifford W Hague

James L Henke

John B Slate

Fredric C Colman

O Rey Rule, Iii

An infusion system with an air-in-line sensor is provided with improved apparatus and method for quickly and easily clearing small quantities of undissolved gas such as air from the sensor detection field. The infusion system includes an infusion pump having control components responsive to the air-in-line sensor to activate an alarm and/or to cease pump operation when undissolved gas is detected. A 'clear air' key or switch is provided on the pump for actuation by medical personnel to operate the pump in a manner delivering a small pulse of the infusion liquid to move a small detected quantity of gas past the air-in-line sensor. The system can be adapted for actuation of the 'clear air' key up to a selected number of times, while monitoring and accumulating the total fluid quantity delivered to a patient.

Infusion system with air-in-line clear function

An ultrasonic air-in-line detection system for use in detecting entrained air bubbles in the fluid line of a disposable cassette mounted on a main pump unit is disclosed which can accurately detect entrained air bubbles in any type of fluid, whether clear or opaque. The system uses multiple windowing and air volume number weighting to determine when a threshold count of entrained air in a predetermined number of windows of material pumped occurs, with the alarm being sounded only when this threshold count of air bubbles is present in the multiple window volume. The system of the present invention thus will detect entrained air while avoiding so-called nuisance alarms.

Ultrasonic air-in-line detector for detecting entrained air in a

An ultrasonic air-in-line detection system for use in detecting air bubbles in the fluid line of a disposable cassette mounted on a main pump unit is disclosed which can accurately detect air bubbles in any type of fluid, whether clear or opaque. The system uses a windowing technique to determine when a threshold amount of air bubbles in a predetermined volume of material pumped occurs, with the alarm being sounded only when this threshold amount of air bubbles is present in the window volume. The system of the present invention thus avoids so-called nuisance alarms due to the presence of small isolated air bubbles in the fluid due to the fluid pumped not having been degassed.

Ultrasonic air-in-line detector for a medication infusion system

A medication infusion system may be selectively configured to perform an emulation of any one of a plurality of Device Types corresponding to the environment of use. The particular parameters which relate to a given Device Type are set into the system either at the factory or by biomedical engineers at the hospital or other medical institution by resort to an intercoupled computer driven by appropriate software. With the system set up in this fashion, a clinical user can select a given Device Type and can view but cannot change the critical operating parameters thereof. Substantial economies and improvement of device operation are realized by the provision of one switchable system in place of the plurality of different types of devices now required in a given institution.

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Valencia, CA, United States of America

Paul A Koenig