Detecting occlusion of proximal or distal lines of an IV pump

Apparatus for detecting at least a partial occlusion of either an inlet line or of an outlet line of a pump, comprising:

• a. a first pressure sensor that is mechanically coupled to the inlet line to sense a fluid pressure therein without exposure to the fluid within the inlet line, producing a first signal indicative of that fluid pressure;
• b. a second pressure sensor that is mechanically coupled to the outlet line to sense a fluid pressure therein without exposure to the fluid within the outlet line, producing a second signal indicative of that fluid pressure;
• c. a flexure assembly that supports a first block and a second block and maintains the first and the second blocks in contact with the inlet line and the outlet line, respectively, as the flexure assembly bends, the flexure assembly thus mechanically coupling the first pressure sensor to the inlet line and the second pressure sensor to the outlet line, respectively;
• and
• d. control means, connected to receive the first and the second signals, for monitoring the fluid pressure within the inlet and outlet lines, the control means including detection means for determining whether an occlusion of the inlet line or of the outlet line has occurred, as a function of the first and the second signals.

A method for detecting at least a partial occlusion of either an inlet line or an outlet line of a pump during a pumping cycle, comprising:

• a. at a predefined first time interval during the pumping cycle, mechanically sensing a fluid pressure at the inlet of the pump without directly contacting a fluid within the inlet line, the predefined time interval being selected so as to minimize noise in a signal produced thereby that is indicative of said fluid pressure;
• b. at a predefined second time interval during the pumping cycle, mechanically sensing a fluid pressure at the outlet of the pump without directly contacting a fluid within the outlet line, the predefined time being selected so as to minimize noise in a signal produced thereby that is indicative of said fluid pressure;
• c. rejecting residual noise in the signals indicative of fluid pressure pressure in the inlet line and in the outlet line, respectively;
• and
• d. determining whether an occlusion of the inlet line or of the outlet line has occurred, as a function of the signals indicative of fluid pressure in the inlet line and in the outlet line of the pump, respectively.