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US 12,611,498 B2Granted
Occlusion detection devices, systems, and methods
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorsS. Ray Isaacson, Vincent J. Sullivan, Brendan Tompkins, Charles D. Shermer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monitoring device may include a housing, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a fluid pathway extending through the proximal end and distal end. The distal end may include a connector configured to couple to a catheter assembly. The monitoring device may include one or more sensors disposed within the fluid pathway. The sensors may facilitate identification of an occlusion within the catheter assembly.
Claims16
A monitoring device for detecting when a catheter is partially occluded, comprising:
- a first housing comprising a distal end, a proximal end, a first wall forming a tunnel extending through the proximal end and the distal end, a second wall, and a fluid pathway extending through the tunnel, wherein the second wall is parallel to the first wall and comprises a planar top surface, wherein the first wall comprises a hole extending therethrough, wherein the distal end comprises a connector configured to couple to a catheter assembly, the first housing further comprising:
- a sensor disposed within the fluid pathway, wherein the sensor is disposed within the hole, wherein the sensor encloses the fluid pathway within the tunnel between the distal end and the proximal end of the first housing;
- a first electrical contact that connects to the sensor and is embedded in the planar top surface of the second wall, wherein the first electrical contact provides power to the sensor or data communication from the sensor;
- and
- a groove in the planar top surface of the second wall, the groove extending from a first side of the first housing towards a second side of the first housing opposite the first side of the first housing;
- and
- a second housing comprising a third wall parallel to the second wall and having a planar bottom surface, the second housing further comprising:
- a computing system having a processor that is configured to receive data sensed by the sensor, the processor being configured to detect, from the received data, when the catheter is partially occluded but not yet fully occluded, the computing system further comprising a communication unit by which the processor wirelessly transmits an output signal to a receipt location when the processor detects that the catheter is partially occluded;
- a second electrical contact that connects to the computing system, the second electrical contact being embedded in the planar bottom surface;
- and
- a protrusion that extends downwardly from the planar bottom surface, the protrusion extending from a first side of the second housing towards a second side of the second housing opposite the first side of the second housing, the protrusion being configured to slide laterally into the groove in the planar top surface of the first housing to thereby secure the first housing to the second housing to at least prevent rotation of the first housing relative to the second housing, wherein the protrusion and the groove are configured such that, when the protrusion is fully slid into the groove the planar bottom surface is secured against, in contact with, and aligned with the planar top surface and the second electrical contact aligns with and contacts the first electrical contact.
8 more elements
A method of determining flow conditions in a catheter system, comprising:
- coupling a monitoring device to a catheter assembly, wherein the monitoring device comprises:
- a first housing comprising a distal end, a proximal end, a first wall forming a tunnel extending through the proximal end and the distal end, a second wall, and a fluid pathway extending through the tunnel, wherein the second wall is parallel to the first wall and comprises a planar top surface, wherein the first wall comprises a hole extending therethrough, wherein the distal end comprises a connector configured to couple to the catheter assembly, the first housing further comprising:
- a sensor disposed within the fluid pathway, wherein the sensor is disposed within the hole, wherein the sensor encloses the fluid pathway within the tunnel between the distal end and the proximal end of the first housing;
- a first electrical contact that connects to the sensor and is embedded in the planar top surface of the second wall, wherein the first electrical contact provides power to the sensor or data communication from the sensor;
- and
- a groove in the planar top surface of the second wall, the groove extending from a first side of the first housing towards a second side of the first housing opposite the first side of the first housing;
- and
- a second housing comprising a third wall parallel to the second wall and having a planar bottom surface, the second housing further comprising:
- a computing system having a processor that is configured to receive data sensed by the sensor, the processor being configured to detect, from the received data, when the catheter is partially occluded but not yet fully occluded, the computing system further comprising a communication unit by which the processor wirelessly transmits an output signal to a receipt location when the processor detects that the catheter is partially occluded;
- a second electrical contact that connects to the computing system, the second electrical contact being embedded in the planar bottom surface;
- and
- a protrusion that extends downwardly from the planar bottom surface, the protrusion extending from a first side of the second housing towards a second side of the second housing opposite the first side of the second housing, the protrusion being configured to slide laterally into the groove in the planar top surface of the first housing to thereby secure the first housing to the second housing to at least prevent rotation of the first housing relative to the second housing, wherein the protrusion and the groove are configured such that, when the protrusion is fully slid into the groove the planar bottom surface is secured against, in contact with, and aligned with the planar top surface and the second electrical contact aligns with and contacts the first electrical contact;
- and
- wirelessly transmitting an output signal to the receipt location, wherein the output signal is based on data sensed by the sensor.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.