System and method for syringe fluid fill verification and image recognition of power injector system features
AssigneeBayer HealthCare LLC
InventorsKevin COWAN, Michael SPOHN, Michael McDermott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid injection system and a fluid verification system for determining the operating status of the fluid injection system, for example by confirming that a fluid reservoir, containing a fluid for injection, is fully filled with fluid and has free space (i.e., air) near the distal end thereof when the syringe is provided in an upright position nor contains air bubbles. Imaging processing techniques, methods, and systems are also provided to determine various injection parameters and to verify the type and certain properties of fluid that is present within the fluid reservoir.
Claims20
A fluid injector system, the system comprising:
- a plunger configured for being slidably disposed in a barrel of a syringe, wherein the plunger comprises a distal plunger cover at least partially formed from a transparent or translucent material configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- a piston configured for engaging the plunger and slidably moving the plunger in a proximal or distal direction within the barrel of the syringe;
- and
- at least one electromagnetic radiation source disposed below the plunger cover and configured to emit the electromagnetic radiation through the transparent or translucent material of the distal plunger cover toward a distal end of the barrel of the syringe,
- wherein the electromagnetic radiation passing through the transparent or translucent material of the distal plunger cover forms an illuminated identification pattern in the form of a halo at a predetermined portion of a conical surface of a distal end of the syringe.
A method for detecting the presence of air in a syringe, the method comprising:
- placing the syringe in a vertical position such that a nozzle of the syringe is higher than the proximal end of the syringe;
- shining electromagnetic radiation from at least one electromagnetic radiation source in a piston head of a fluid injector through at least a portion of a transparent or translucent plunger cover of a plunger slidably disposed withing a syringe;
- transmitting the electromagnetic radiation through the contents of the syringe from a distal surface of the plunger cover to a conical surface of a distal end of the syringe;
- observing the conical surface of the distal end of the syringe for the appearance or nonappearance of an illuminated identification pattern in the form of a halo at a predetermined portion of a conical surface, wherein the appearance of the illuminated identification pattern indicates that the syringe is completely filled with a liquid fluid and wherein the nonappearance of the illuminated identification pattern indicates that the syringe contains a volume of air;
- and
- stopping a fluid injection procedure when the observing step indicates that the syringe contains a volume of air when the illuminated identification pattern is not observed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.