Detecting obstructions in enteral/parenteral feeding tubes and automatic removal of clogs therefrom

A method of automatically clearing a tube in a pumped fluid system in response to detection of an obstruction, comprising the steps of:

• pumping a fluid through the tube during a normal pumping cycle;
• providing an obstruction signal upon detection of an obstruction in the tube;
• and
• in response to said obstruction signal, modifying the normal pumping cycle to urge a clog which is causing the obstruction to move and thereby to expel the clog from the tube.

A method of automatically clearing a tube in a pumped fluid system in response to detection of an obstruction, comprising the steps of:

• pumping a fluid through the tube under pressure;
• providing an obstruction signal upon detection of an obstruction in the tube;
• and
• in response to said obstruction signal, modifying the pressure applied to the fluid in the tube to urge a clog which is causing the obstruction to move and thereby to expel the clog from the tube.

Apparatus for automatically clearing a tube in a pumped fluid system in response to detection of an obstruction, comprising:

• means for pumping a fluid through the tube under pressure control;
• means for providing an obstruction signal upon detection of an obstruction in the tube;
• and
• means for applying a modified pressure control to the fluid in the tube, in response to said obstruction signal, to urge a clog which is causing the obstruction to move and thereby to expel the clog from the tube.

Apparatus for automatically clearing a tube in a pumped fluid system in response to detection of an obstruction, comprising:

• means for pumping a fluid through the tube during a normal pumping cycle;
• means for providing an obstruction signal upon detection of an obstruction in the tube;
• and
• means for modifying the normal pumping cycle, in response to said obstruction signal, to urge a clog which is causing the obstruction to move and thereby to expel the clog from the tube.

Apparatus for automatically clearing a tube in a pumped fluid system in response to detection of an obstruction, comprising:

• means for pumping a fluid through the tube under pressure;
• means for providing an obstruction signal upon detection of an obstruction in the tube;
• and
• means for modifying the pressure applied to the fluid in the tube, in response to said obstruction signal, to urge a clog which is causing the obstruction to move and thereby to expel the clog from the tube.

A method for detecting an obstruction in a tube of a pumped fluid system, comprising the steps of:

• pumping fluid through the tube with a pumping cycle in one portion of which compliant components of the pumped fluid system are elastically expanded into an enlarged state due to raised fluid pressure therein;
• obtaining a measurement related to pressure in another portion of the pumping cycle in which, in the absence of an obstruction, the compliant components return toward a normal state from said enlarged state;
• and
• determining that an obstruction exists in the tube if said measurement exceeds a threshold level.

A method of detecting an obstruction in a tube of a pumped fluid system, comprising the steps of:

• pumping fluid through a tube with a pumping cycle having one portion which forces more fluid into the tube than is expelled therefrom, and another portion in which a net outflow of fluid from the tube occurs, in the absence of an obstruction;
• obtaining a measurement related to pressure during said other portion of the pumping cycle;
• and
• determining that an obstruction exists in the tube if said measurement exceeds a threshold level.

A method of detecting obstructions in a pumped system, comprising the step of:

• providing a pump having a pumping cycle that forces fluid from a pumping chamber into a tube during a compression stroke and at least partly refills the pumping chamber during a retraction stroke;
• controlling the pump to pause for a selected period of time before the retraction stroke;
• obtaining a measurement related to pressure in the tube resulting from the pause;
• and
• determining that an obstruction is present if the measurement exceeds a threshold level;
• wherein the period of time for said pause is selected to be long enough for the pressure in the tube to dissipate in a no-obstruction condition, even for a high viscosity fluid.

A method of detecting obstructions in a pumped system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a pump having a pumping cycle that forces fluid from a pumping chamber into a tube during a compression stroke and at least partly refills the pumping chamber during a retraction stroke;
• controlling the pump to pause for a selected period of time before the retraction stroke;
• obtaining a measurement related to pressure in the tube resulting from the pause;
• and
• determining that an obstruction is present if the measurement exceeds a threshold level;
• wherein the period of time for said pause is selected to enable a substantial amount of the fluid to be expelled from the tube in the absence of an obstruction, even for a high viscosity fluid.

Apparatus for detecting an obstruction in a tube of a pumped fluid system, comprising:

• means for pumping fluid through the tube with a pumping cycle in one portion of which the tube is elastically expanded into an enlarged state due to raised fluid pressure therein;
• means for obtaining a measurement related to pressure in another portion of the pumping cycle in which, in the absence of an obstruction, the tube returns toward a normal state from said enlarged state;
• and
• means for determining that an obstruction exists in the tube if said measurement exceeds a threshold level.

Apparatus for detecting an obstruction in a tube of a pumped fluid system, comprising:

• means for pumping fluid through a tube with a pumping cycle having one portion which forces more fluid into the tube than is expelled therefrom, and another portion in which a net outflow of fluid from the tube occurs, in the absence of an obstruction;
• means for obtaining a measurement related to pressure during said other portion of the pumping cycle;
• and
• means for determining that an obstruction exists in the tube if said measurement exceeds a threshold level.

Apparatus for detecting obstructions in a pumped system, comprising:

• means for providing a pump having a pumping cycle that forces fluid from a pumping chamber into a tube during a compression stroke and at least partly refills the pumping chamber during a retraction stroke;
• means for controlling the pump to pause for a selected period of time before the retraction stroke;
• means for obtaining a measurement related to pressure in the tube resulting from the pause;
• and
• means for determining that an obstruction is present if the measurement exceeds a threshold level;
• wherein the selected period of time for said pause is long enough for the pressure in the tube to dissipate in a no-obstruction condition, even for a high viscosity fluid.

Apparatus for detecting obstructions in a pumped system, comprising:

• means for providing a pump having a pumping cycle that forces fluid from a pumping chamber into a tube during a compression stroke and at least partly refills the pumping chamber during a retraction stroke;
• means for controlling the pump to pause for a selected period of time before the retraction stroke;
• means for obtaining a measurement related to pressure in the tube resulting from the pause;
• and
• means for determining that an obstruction is present if the measurement exceeds a threshold level;
• wherein the selected period of time for said pause enables a substantial amount of the fluid to be expelled from the tube in the absence of an obstruction, even for a high viscosity fluid.