Tube measurement technique using linear actuator and pressure sensor
AssigneesBaxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
InventorsPeter M. Bojan, Zhengyan Wang, Surya Rai, Paul Olczak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An infusion pump uses sensors, movable members and a control unit to determine tubing thickness in a tube-loading section of the pump. The infusion pump utilizes sensors, such as a pressure sensor, to record forces imparted by a tube undergoing no pressure, a single pressure, or a pressure sweep, to determine thickness. Using these values, the tubing wall thickness can be determined. The infusion pump can also compress a tube using a movable member of the pump and records the distance traveled by the movable member to compress fully the tube. Using this distance, the tubing wall thickness can be determined.
Claims21
A method of measuring tube wall thickness, the method comprising:
- loading a tube between a stationary member and a movable member;
- compressing the tube between the stationary member and the movable member;
- receiving a signal indicative of an amount of compression of the tube while compressing the tube;
- determining from the signal that the tube is fully compressed and stopping the compressing of the tube once the tube is fully compressed;
- and
- determining a thickness of the tube wall based on the signal received indicating full compression.
A method of measuring tube wall thickness, the method comprising:
- providing a fixture having a loading portion and a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor located on a wall of the loading portion;
- loading a tube into the loading portion such that the tube imparts a force on the pressure sensor that contacts an outside wall of the tube;
- recording the force imparted on the pressure sensor by the outside wall of the tube;
- and determining the thickness of the tube wall based on the force imparted by the tube on the pressure sensor.
A method of measuring tube wall thickness, the method comprising:
- providing a fixture having a loading portion and a sensor, the sensor located on a wall of the loading portion;
- loading a tube into the loading portion, wherein the sensor contacts an outside wall of the tube;
- applying a pressure sweep to the interior of the tube,
- wherein the pressure sweep starts at a minimum value and ends at a maximum value;
- recording a plurality of output values from the sensor, each output value recorded at step-wise increments during the pressure sweep;
- and determining the thickness of the tube wall based on the output values recorded during the pressure sweep.
A method of measuring tube wall thickness, the method comprising:
- loading a tube between a stationary member and a movable member;
- compressing the tube between the stationary member and the movable member;
- receiving a signal indicative of an amount of compression of the tube while compressing the tube;
- determining from the signal that the tube is fully compressed and stopping the compressing of the tube once the tube is fully compressed;
- and determining a thickness of the tube wall based on the signal received indicating full compression, wherein receiving the signal includes receiving a current draw signal and determining that the tubing is fully compressed includes sensing a current rise.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.