Intravenous-line air-elimination system

An air-elimination system, for a fluid delivery system for injection of intravenous fluid into a patient comprising:

• separation means for permitting the separation of air from the intravenous fluid;
• an intravenous line in fluid communication with the separation means;
• air-detection means, disposed in the intravenous line, for detecting air in the fluid and emitting a fault-condition signal, the intravenous line having a first portion between the separation means and the air-detection means, and a second portion between the air-detection means and the patient;
• valve means, disposed in the intravenous line's second portion, for permitting or preventing flow to a patient;
• pump means for urging fluid towards the separation means upon activation;
• and
• control means, in communication with the air-detection means, for (i) setting the valve means to prevent flow to the patient and activating the pump means, so as to move the fluid containing air from the air-detection means to the separation means, in response to a fault-condition signal, and otherwise (ii) setting the valve means to permit flow to the patient;
• wherein the pump means includes a supply of liquid for forcing the fluid containing air up the first portion of the intravenous line to the separation means.

A method, for eliminating air from an intravenous fluid delivery system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a separation chamber where air may separate from the fluid;
• providing an intravenous line downstream of the separation chamber;
• providing an air detector in the intravenous line;
• providing a pump in the intravenous line;
• providing a valve in the intravenous line downstream of the pump and the air detector;
• using the air detector to detect the air in the fluid;
• generating a signal when a specified amount of air is detected in the fluid;
• closing the valve in response to the signal;
• and
• using the pump to urge fluid upstream through the intravenous line to the separation chamber in response to the signal;
• wherein the intravenous line has a volume capacity of fluid between the pump and the separation chamber, the pump has a volume capacity of fluid, and the pump's volume capacity is greater than the volume capacity of the intravenous line between the pump and the separation chamber.

An air-elimination system, for an intravenous fluid delivery system for intravenous injection of fluid into a patient, comprising:

• a separation chamber where air may separate from the fluid;
• an intravenous-fluid conduit in fluid communication with the separation chamber and the patient;
• a pressure-conduction chamber disposed in the conduit, the intravenous conduit having a first portion between the separation chamber and the pressure-conduction chamber, and a second portion between the pressure-conduction chamber and the patient;
• a detector of air in the intravenous-fluid conduit in the pressure-conduction chamber, wherein the detector emits a fault-condition signal upon the detection of air in the pressure-conduction chamber;
• a valve disposed in the intravenous conduit's second portion;
• pressure-generation means for urging fluid out of the pressure-conduction chamber upon activation;
• and
• a controller, in communication with the air detector, for controlling the valve and activating the pressure-generation means.