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US 12,590,856 B2Granted
Optical pressure measurement devices, methods, and systems
AssigneeNxStage Medical, Inc.
InventorsMark T. Wyeth, James M. Brugger, Adam G. McDermott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pressure measurement system includes a pressure pod with two chambers separated by a diaphragm such that a deformation/movement of the diaphragm is indicative of a difference between the pressures of the two chambers. Such deformation/movement is detected by a device that has no physical contact with the diaphragm, for example, by an optical detector that detects a change in the shape of the diaphragm or a movement of a protrusion on the diaphragm.
Claims16
A pressure measurement apparatus, comprising:
- a pressure pod having a fluid channel defined in part by a diaphragm;
- the diaphragm being flat and being positioned in a base of a well that fits snugly over a pressure transducer plug, the pressure transducer plug having a force input plate that lies adjacent the diaphragm when the well is fitted snugly over the pressure transducer plug;
- the pressure transducer plug having a bore connectable to a vacuum pump, the bore opening between the diaphragm and the force input plate such that air can be evacuated from a space between the force input plate and the diaphragm;
- a resilient seal around the pressure transducer plug positioned and shaped to form a seal with the well;
- the pressure transducer plug having a rigid ring portion that is seated at a perimeter of the diaphragm when air is evacuated from a space between the force input plate and the diaphragm;
- and
- a surface of the rigid ring portion being coplanar with a surface of the force input plate and a surface of the diaphragm.
4 more elements
A pressure measurement apparatus, comprising:
- a pressure pod having a fluid channel defined in part by a diaphragm;
- the diaphragm being flat and being positioned over a pressure transducer plug and held in place by a vacuum, the pressure transducer plug having a force input plate that lies adjacent the diaphragm;
- the pressure transducer plug having a bore connectable to a vacuum pump, the bore opening between the diaphragm and the force input plate such that air can be evacuated from a space between the force input plate and the diaphragm;
- a resilient seal around the pressure transducer plug positioned and shaped to form a seal with the diaphragm;
- the pressure transducer plug having a rigid ring portion that is seated at a perimeter of the diaphragm when air is evacuated from a space between the force input plate and the diaphragm;
- and
- a surface of the rigid ring portion being coplanar with a surface of the force input plate and a surface of the diaphragm.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.