Monitoring and Detecting Empty Fluid Containers in A Blood Processing System
OwnerTimothy A. Johnson, David L. Bonnett +3inventors
InventorsTimothy A. Johnson, David L. Bonnett, Robert J. Cantu, Russell D. Stinaff, Carole Lynn Stinaff
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Abstract
Systems and methods for determining when a fluid supply container of a blood processing apparatus becomes empty. The system uses a scale to monitor and detect when a fluid supply container is empty based on the rate of change of the container weight, and a controller receives a signal from the scale and controls the operation of a pump to stop pumping when the fluid supply container is empty.
Claims20
A system for determining when a fluid supply container of a blood processing apparatus becomes empty, the system comprising:
- a first fluid supply container;
- a first scale for measuring the weight of the first fluid supply container and providing a first output signal indicative of the measured weight of the first fluid supply container;
- a pump for pumping fluid from the first fluid supply container;
- a controller for receiving the first output signal from the first scale, the controller determining the rate of change in weight of the first fluid supply container, the controller determining that the first fluid supply container is empty when the rate of change becomes substantially zero.
A system for determining when a fluid supply container of a blood processing apparatus becomes empty, the system comprising:
- a first fluid supply container;
- a first scale for measuring the weight of the first fluid supply container and providing a first output signal indicative of the measured weight of the first fluid supply container;
- a pump for pumping fluid from the first fluid supply container;
- a controller for receiving the first output signal from the first scale, the controller determining the rate of change in weight of the first fluid supply container, means for determining the rate of fluid flow from the pump;
- the controller determining that the first fluid supply container is empty when the ratio of the rate of change in weight of the first fluid supply container to the rate of fluid flow from the pump is less than about 0.5.
A method of determining when a fluid supply container of a blood processing system becomes empty, the method comprising:
- providing a first fluid supply container adapted to be in communication with a patient when a first valve is in an open condition;
- measuring the weight of the first fluid supply container while it is being emptied by a pump that is pumping fluid from the first fluid supply container into the patient;
- determining a rate of change of the weight of the first fluid supply container;
- determining when the rate of change of the weight of the first fluid supply container becomes substantially zero;
- and
- stopping the operation of the pump when the rate of change of the weight of the first fluid supply container is determined to be substantially zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.