# US 2019/0376905 A1 · Drip chamber with integrated optics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376905 A1 - Document ID: US20190376905A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/551,448 - Filed: 2019-08-26 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Baxter International Inc.; Baxter Healthcare S.A. - Applicants: Baxter International Inc.; Baxter Healthcare S.A. - Inventors: Peter Hammond; James F. Munro; Luke Postema; Tuan Bui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376905A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - A61M 5/1411: {Drip chambers (A61M5/1689, A61M5/40 take precedence)} - A61M 5/1689: {Drip counters} - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - Y10T 137/0402: Cleaning, repairing, or assembling - Y10T 137/5762: With leakage or drip collecting - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A drip chamber for an infusion tube that includes a first end arranged to receive a drip tube, a second end including an exit port, at least one wall connecting the first and second ends, a space enclosed by the first and second ends and the at least one wall, and first and second lenses each directly fixed to said at least one wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drip chamber for an infusion tube, comprising: a first end arranged to receive a drip tube; a second end including an exit port; at least one wall connecting the first and second ends; a space enclosed by the first and second ends and the at least one wall; at least one lens being directly fixed to said at least one wall and configured for receiving light transmitted through the space and focusing and transmitting the light to another lens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drip chamber of claim 1, further comprising first and second walls, respectively, substantially parallel to each other, wherein said at least one lens is directly fixed to only one of the first or second walls. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drip chamber of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall forms a rectangle enclosing the space in a cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the drip chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drip chamber of claim 1, further comprising a first wall and a second wall, respectively, the first lens is directly fixed to the first wall and the second lens is directly fixed to the second wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drip chamber of claim 1, wherein said at least one lens includes a flat surface and an opposing curved surface. ### Claim 6 An optical imaging system for use with an infusion device, comprising: at least one light source for emitting first light; a drip chamber including first and second walls connecting first and second ends of the drip chamber, a space at least partially enclosed by the first and second walls and the first and second ends, a drip tube including an end that is located in the space, and at least one lens, said at least one lens being fixed to one of said first and second walls, said at least one lens arranged to transmit the first light to the space or receive the first light transmitted through the space; and an optics system including at least one image sensor for receiving the first light from said at least one lens and transmitting data characterizing the first light received from said at least one lens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical imaging system of claim 6, wherein the at least one wall includes an exterior surface and said at least one lens is directly fixed to the exterior surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The optical imaging system of claim 6, wherein said at least one lens includes first and second lenses, the first lens is arranged to transmit the first light to the space and the second lens is arranged to receive the first light transmitted by the first lens through the space and transmit the received first light to the at least one image sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The optical imaging system of claim 6, wherein a meniscus for fluid in the drip chamber is located in the space and at least one specially programmed processor is configured to calculate, from the at least one image, a position of the meniscus within the drip chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The optical imaging system of claim 6, wherein said at least one lens includes a flat surface and an opposing curved surface. ### Claim 11 A drip chamber for an infusion tube, comprising: a first end including a drip tube; a second end including an exit port; first, second, third, and fourth walls connecting the first and second ends, wherein, in a cross-section orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the drip tube, and form a rectangle enclosing a space; a drip tube including an end located in the space; and at least one lens being directly fixed to one of said first, second, third and fourth flat portions of said first, second, third and fourth walls. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drip chamber of claim 11, wherein the at least one lens includes a flat surface and an opposing curved surface. ### Claim 13 A method of forming a drip chamber for an infusion tube, the method comprising: forming a first end arranged to receive a drip tube; forming a second end including an exit port; connecting the first and second ends with at least one wall and enclosing a space with the first and second ends and the at least one wall; providing at least one lens; and directly fixing said at least one lens to the at least one wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising generating at least one image of the space, wherein the at least one image includes an image of a drop pendant from the end of the drip tube. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising calculating a volume of the pendant drop from the image of the drop pendant.