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AssigneeCrospon Limited
InventorsAdrian MCHUGH, Richard KIELY
Estimating the term…
A pressure monitoring apparatus (1) for monitoring pressure of a liquid (4) in a vessel (2) comprises a housing (3) within which an airtight gas chamber (6) is formed. A pressure sensor (8) is located in the housing (3) monitors the pressure of a gas in the gas chamber (6). A conduit (12) having a communicating bore (16) of total length Lt communicates the gas chamber (6) with the vessel (2). As the pressure of the liquid in the vessel (2) increases, a liquid/gas interface meniscus (20) travels along a working length Lw of the communicating bore (16) from the second end (15) thus increasing the pressure in the gas chamber (6) to the pressure of the liquid, which is monitored by the pressure sensor (8). The total length Lt of the conduit (12) is greater than the working length Lw of the conduit (12) to avoid the liquid/gas interface meniscus (20) reaching the first end (14) of the communicating bore (16). The pressure monitoring apparatus (1) may also be mounted at the distal end (33) of a balloon catheter (30) for monitoring the pressure of a liquid inflating medium inflating the balloon (35) of the balloon catheter (30), which may be an electrically conductive liquid, with the gas isolating the pressure sensor (8) from the liquid inflating medium.
A pressure monitoring apparatus for monitoring pressure in a liquid, the pressure monitoring apparatus comprising a pressure sensor having a pressure sensing interface communicating directly with a gas in a gas chamber, an elongated communicating bore communicating the gas chamber with the liquid, the pressure of which is to be monitored, the communicating bore having a working length along which a liquid/gas interface meniscus travels in response to pressure variation in the liquid, the working length of the communicating bore being of length to contain the travel of the liquid/gas interface meniscus within the working range of pressures being monitored, the transverse cross-sectional area of the communicating bore along the working length thereof being such as to prevent the passage of liquid past or through the liquid/gas interface meniscus, and to prevent the passage of gas past or through the liquid/gas interface meniscus.
2-24. (canceled)
28-31. (canceled)
An apparatus as claimed in which the communicating bore extends from the gas chamber through the housing.
37-62. (canceled)
A catheter extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and comprising a pressure monitoring apparatus for monitoring pressure in a liquid, the pressure monitoring apparatus comprising a pressure sensor having a pressure sensing interface communicating directly with a gas in a gas chamber, an elongated communicating bore extending from the gas chamber to communicate the gas chamber with the liquid, the pressure of which is to be monitored, the communicating bore having a working length along which a liquid/gas interface meniscus travels in response to pressure variation in the liquid, the working length of the communicating bore being of length to contain the travel of the liquid/gas interface meniscus within the working range of pressures being monitored, the transverse cross-sectional area of the communicating bore along the working length thereof being such as to prevent the passage of liquid past or through the liquid/gas interface meniscus, and to prevent the passage of gas past or through the liquid/gas interface meniscus.
64-86. (canceled)
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93-95. (canceled)
98-101. (canceled)
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108-113. (canceled)
115-158. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.