FR2524320A1 - APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE INFUSION OF LIQUIDS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO AN APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE ADMINISTRATION OF A LIQUID BY INFUSION. THIS APPLIANCE INCLUDES A DRIP DEVICE TO WHICH A MODULE 1, CONTAINING VARIOUS ELECTRONIC COMMAND AND CONTROL CIRCUITS, IS SUSPENDED. MODULE 1 ALLOWS TO PRE-SET THE VOLUME OF LIQUID ADMINISTERED AND THE RATE OF INFUSION. FIELD OF APPLICATION: ADMINISTRATION OF FOODS, MEDICINES, BLOOD, AND OTHER LIQUIDS BY INFUSION.

Description

Intravenous fluid infusion means for administering to

patients

  foods, blood, medicines and others are used.

  in many medical applications

  Positive infusion monitoring

  a reservoir suitable for the solution to be

  tren, connected to a drip device and from which a feeding tube leads to an injection needle at the point of venipuncture of the patient A tube clamp is normally placed along the tube

  supply to regulate the flow of the liquid

  The proper and reliable control of the flow rate and infusion volume of these fluids is essential for the treatment and cure of the patient. Appropriate flow rates and volumes of infusion may vary from a few cubic centimeters per hour to several cubic centimeters per minute. therefore extremely important that the infusion rate and volume be monitored and

  ordered accurately and continuously.

  So far, the processes used to

  monitor and control the flow and volume of

  merger took a long time and were accurate

  In general, a supervisor settles the flow of

  The flow is thus determined slowly, with difficulty and with little precision.

  the busy time of the supervisor, there is no general intervention

  little or no change in the flow rate of

  or to eliminate clogging of the needle due to coagulation, etc. Such fillings can be dangerous for the patient if they are not quickly detected and the repositioning of the needle to restore the flow is long and painful Similar difficulties arise in the case where a bottle arrives in a totally empty state without

this is detected.

  There is also in the prior art perfusion monitoring devices which monitor the quantities of liquid administered by the use of electro-optical detection means. However, in such systems, the cartridge and the detection devices are very complex and are connected to the supply device by complex clamping means This

  requires the establishment of complex alignments of the

  optical detection system and the implementation of

  even more complex surveillance

  The invention eliminates the difficulties mentioned above and relates to an improved perfusion monitoring device which automatically monitors

  and continuously and adjusts the desired flow rate.

  The subject of the invention is also an improved perfusion monitoring device, which is lightweight and simple, so that it can be directly suspended

to the drop-to-taste tube.

  Another object of the invention is an improved perfusion monitoring device which indicates

  continuously the amount of fluids administered to the patient.

  The invention also relates to an improved perfusion monitoring device which can be pre-set to stop flow when the volume

desired was administered.

  Another object of the invention is an improved perfusion monitoring device which is equipped with

  warning elements emitting signals in the vicinity of

  the patient and / or the Nursing Office so that the supervisor is alerted of any variation or

  stop pre-set infusion rate.

  According to the present invention, the apparatus comprises an electro-optical device which detects the frequency of the drops and counts the number of drops administered. By pre-adjusting the device to a predetermined number of drops per cubic centimeter, the number

  of drops counted by the optical device is trans-

  This volume is continuously displayed on the instrument. A plastic feeding tube leads from the drip device to the infusion needle and is connected to a pressure mechanism actuated by a motor placed in the machine. the apparatus and for automatically compressing or releasing the feed tube. By pre-adjusting the desired frequency of

  drop, the pressure device compresses or releases

  the tube to adjust the latter in order to

  put an infusion only at the desired frequency

  drip The device can also be pre-

  set the amount of liquid to be administered so that when the desired volume is reached, the device acts on the pressure device to completely compress the tube and stops the flow Alarms fast and slow, both bright and sound, can be provided and a continuous alarm can also be provided

  to constantly warn the supervisor when the

  the bag is empty or an electrical failure has occurred. The same information may be transmitted to the supervisor's office or to any other

alert device.

  The cartridge according to the invention is light enough to be able to be suspended, with the entire circuit and the batteries it contains, directly to the drip tube. Therefore, the drops coming out of the tube can be detected by the Electro-optical detection device according to the invention This can be achieved without it being necessary to use

  complex clamping and detection devices.

  The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of non-limiting example and in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the infusion monitoring apparatus according to the invention in use for the purpose of feeding a patient;

  FIG. 2 is a front view of the car-

  key of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention in working position; Figure 4 is a partial plan view showing the automatic compression mechanism of the tube; Figure 5 is a simplified diagram of the circuit used in the apparatus according to the invention; FIGS. 6A and 6B are detailed diagrams of the circuit of the apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 7 is another diagram showing

the circuit in more detail.

  As shown in the drawings and more particularly

  1 to 4, the perfusion monitoring apparatus according to the invention comprises an outer cartridge 1 within which are

  housed the circuit and the batteries or the battery of

  The liquid to be administered is usually stored in a transparent container 20 which can be rigid

  or flexible and made of glass or plastic.

  The container 20 has a hooking orifice 21 at its upper part, through which it can be suspended from a hook 22 of an intravenous infusion support and this container also comprises an outlet tube 23 located at its bottom. visual measurement may also be carried by the container 20 to give the supervisor a visual indication of the

  amount of fluid remaining in this container.

  A drip device 15 is connected to the outlet tube 23 The drip device comprises at its top an upper flange 14 and a feed tube 27 is intended to be connected to its bottom. The device Drop-ea Outte 15 is in the form of a hollow structure, preferably made of transparent plastic material or glass,

  as is customary for such products.

  The intravenous guille 28 is attached to the lower end of the supply tube 27 and is intended to be inserted into the body of the patient for the supply of the latter. When the patient is to receive a liquid by infusion, the supervisor sets the cartridge. 1 at the rate or frequency, volume and type of drops desired (as described in more detail below) and the perfusion process begins.

  on the cartridge 1 in order to indi-

  the quantities administered as well as the state of charge of the cells or the battery and whether the rate of infusion is slow, fast or normal, as described in more detail below. The cartridge is also equipped with several switches 3, 4 and 5 which can be used to preset the desired volume, desired rate and desired type of drip The number of drops per cubic centimeter is pre-set as indicated on the drip device so that the number of

  counted drops be converted into an administered volume.

  An output 6 for receiving a charger jack and a nurse call instrument may also be provided. The rear side of the cartridge 1 comprises a clamping device in the form of a

  lever 9 with two arms which is articulated on a pivot 11.

  The clamping device 9 comprises a clamp 10 located

  at the end of his upper arm and a symmetrical handle

  12 which is used to open and close the

  clamp 10, at the end of its lower arm

  13 comprises a bent section 17 which is intended to rest on the upper flange 14 of the

  drip device 15 The drop-to-drop tube

  drop is intended to be applied in a concave bearing surface 16 located on the rear side of the cartridge 1 and is held in position by the clamp 10 compressed by a spring It appears that in this structure, the cooperation of the hinge 13 and the clamp 10 with the bearing surface 16 allows the cartridge 1 to be mounted quickly and easily on the device 15 drip The flange 14 of the device 15 extends

  above the upper edge of cartridge 1 and the

  13 when the clamp 10 applies pressure to the drip device 15, it is held tightly in and against the bearing surface 16 of the cartridge 1. last can be mounted

  very quickly and easily on the drop device

  drop and it can be removed easily.

  The concave support 16 has two openings

  26, aligned and oriented vertically

  This detection beam detects droplets of liquid when it is lowered into the drip tube 15 and can therefore count the number of drops and determine the number of drops. Flow rate of the infusion A flexible supply tube 27 starts from the device 15 drip and is intended to be compressed so that its inner lumen is reduced so that the amount of fluid administered can be decreased, or for that the fluid can be stopped, the compression of the tube 27 can also be released 6 so that the inner lumen of the tube is open and a larger amount of liquid can

to be administered.

  An automatic compression device 30 is provided in the cartridge 1 and is intended to automatically apply or release the pressure on the supply tube 27 in order to reduce or increase its interior light. The compression device 30 comprises an arm 31 which presents a notch 32 of compression and a notch 33 rest at one end, and a handle 34 at the other end The arm 30 is connected by a spring 35, biased downwardly, to a support 36 which is operatively connected to a motor M and which is intended to raise or lower the compression device When the motor M is controlled to raise the compression device 30, the tube 27 is compressed between the notch 32 of compression and the underside of the cartridge 1 so that the light of this tube 27 supply is reduced When the motor M is controlled to lower the device 30 of compression, the pressure exerted on the t ube 27 is released so that its light widens to allow

  administering a larger amount of fluid.

  As described below, the motor M can be controlled for

  compress the feeding tube 27 in order to stop completely

  the flow of the liquid Before the start of the feeding operation, the feed tube 27

  is set up not only in the notch 31 of food

  ment, but it is also arranged to form a loop around the notch 33 rest so that the tube 27 does not hang freely and that its light is not

  not reduced by its own weight.

  FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B and 7 show in detail the preferred embodiment of the circuit of the apparatus according to the invention. The power source and the various circuits are preferably completely housed in the cartridge 1 so Can be hung on the drip device The detector draws power from a battery (which can be equipped with a charger) and it includes a diode Di and a transistor Qi which are in fact a pair

  comprising a light-emitting diode and a photodiode

  The diode D1 is biased in the forward direction so that the transistor Qi also conducts When a drop falls into the drip device and passes between the diode D1 and the transistor Q1, it is detected through the apertures. 26 At the passage of the drop, the current of the transistor Qi is momentarily stopped so that a negative direction pulse is generated. This negative direction pulse is transmitted by a capacitor C1 to a pin 1 of FIG. an integrated circuit I C1 which is a six-inverter circuit Five of the six inverters of this chip (4069) are used to shape the pulse into one

square wave of negative sense.

  This negative square pulse appears at the pin 8 of the integrated circuit IC 1 and is applied directly to the pin 1 of an integrated circuit IC 3 which is a four-gate Schmidt rocker chip N / A (CD 4093) One stage of this chip, having its output at pin 3, is used as an oscillator which is actuated when the output of pin 8 of IC circuit 1 is high and which is cut off when pin 8 goes low. An interrupted oscillation period is equal to the time between two successive drops. The frequency of the oscillation is controlled by a resistor R 6 which consists of a potentiometer controlled on the front panel. The frequency of the oscillation and its duration determine the number of accounts to be performed by an IC meter 2

(CD 4520).

  The detection device according to the invention consists of the circuits IC 2 and IC 10 as well as a part of the circuit IC 3, and the light-emitting diodes D 4 to D 6 which constitute LEDs on the front panel. The LEDs 6 bear the indications

  "slow", "normal" and "fast" When the drop count

  drop is greater than that requested by the setting of the potentiometer R 6, the "fast" light emitting diode illuminates When the drip count corresponds

  the number requested by the setting of R 6, the electronic diode

  "normal" luminescent lights When the drip count is lower than that required by the R 6 potentiometer, the "slow" light emitting diode lights up. The stage of the circuit IC 3 having an output on the pin 10 is a 1 Kz oscillator which is actuated to control an HP loudspeaker when the requested count is not obtained, the loudspeaker then emitting a signal of alarm When the drip stops, the oscillator turns on and stays on so that the alarm is constant until a monitor restores the situation. The output signal on pin 10 of the circuit C 3 also triggers another oscillator whose output is on pin 4 of circuit IC 3 and which is connected by a capacitor C 9 to the DC power supply line. This oscillator cooperates with a transistor Q 2 and a relay RL 1 of integrated circuit IC 8 to close a switch

  53 to set off an alarm in the office of the nurses.

  miers. The IC circuit 4 is a binary counter which counts the number of drops indicated by the pulses coming from the pin 8 of the circuit IC 1. The output of the circuit IC 4 is connected to a circuit IC 5 which comprises two "AND" gates with four inputs and to a group of three diodes D 7 to D 9 These diodes are connected to an integrated circuit IC 6 via a switch 52 at four positions <indicated at S in FIG. 2), only one of these diodes being able to be turned on at once A position of 52, which is not connected to

  diodes, is used to trigger the audible alarm.

  The other three positions are used to select the output to be connected to the input of IC 6 The outputs of both "AND" and

  direct output of the integrated circuit IC 4 are weighted.

  Each part corresponds to a given number of drops per cubic centimeter. In this way, the switch 52 can be set so that the value displayed on the integrated circuit IC 8 indicates the total cumulation of cubic centimeters administered and the desired ratio of the drops to the volume in each case. In the same way, the switches 3 and 4 are made up of several groups of diodes and transistors, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7 and they can be used to pre-regulate the volume and to pre-regulate the rate of the drops. The number of drops per cubic centimeter is pre-set as indicated on the drip device so that the number of drops counted corresponds to the volume delivered. The DC power supply and charging assembly comprises the transformer T1, T 2 and an integrated circuit IC 9, as well as a filter capacitor C 12. Resistors R 12, R 13 and R 21 constitute the control circuit which maintains at 6.2 volts the voltage applied at the junction of the Zener diode Zl and at the diode D. This latter prevents any reversal of the current from the battery and it also causes an additional fall of 0.7 volts. charging current is limited by the resistors R 12 and R 13. The motor control circuit "M" comprises transistors Q 3 to Q 6 and diodes D 15 to D 18 and their associated circuits. The motor "M" is connected. to the "fast" and "slow" circuit of the IC element 10 so that following an order from the "fast" or "slow" circuit, the "M" motor is started This "M" motor is controlled by the transistors Q 3 -Q 5 or the transistors Q 4 -Q 6 When the "fast" or "slow" circuit of the elem nt

  IC 10 indicates that the cadence is not normal, that is,

  to say that it is too fast or too slow compared

  at the pre-set rate, the transistors sets Q 3-

  QS or Q4-Q6 are operated to rotate the motor in either direction to compress the feed tube 28 to reduce flow, or

  to release the feed tube 27 in order to

  This is so until the quantity administered is normal. At this point, no pulse is no longer coming from the "fast" - "slow" circuit and the motor is stopping. the normal value as pre-set, no pulse is produced and the motor "M" remains at rest On receipt of an order from the volume measurement circuit in cubic centimeters, the motor goes into its compression state maximum so that when a predetermined number of cubic centimeters has been administered

  to the patient, the flow is completely stopped.

  All integrated circuits are of the oxide-metal semiconductor type with complementary symmetry; all the diodes are of the IN 4148 type and all the resistors and capacitors have a tolerance of% The motor can notably be a motor product

  by the company Escap, of the type "M 915 L 6 I-208 GM 2863".

  In FIG. 5, the alarm detector is

  indicated in DA, the counters in CPT, the circuit configu-

  pulsator in CONF, the control of the monitoring device in CDE, the battery backup in NICAD and a flasher in CLI. It therefore appears that the improved monitoring apparatus according to the invention can be easily suspended

  to the drip device and that it makes it possible

  automatically and continuously monitor and set the desired flow rate, continuously indicate the amount of fluid dispensed to the patient, can be set to control the flow dispensed or to stop this flow when the desired volume has been

  administered, and that it is equipped with warning

  emitting signals in the vicinity of the patient and / or the nursing office so that the supervisor is alerted of any variation or

pre-set infusion.

  Although the invention has been described in its application to an infusion monitoring device for the delivery of liquids to patients for medical purposes, it is obvious that this apparatus can be used for administration monitoring.

  liquids for purposes other than medical.

  It goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the apparatus described and shown

  without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (14)

  1 Perfusion monitoring apparatus   of a liquid, characterized in that it comprises a   key (1), means (3) arranged inside the cartridge and intended to pre-set the quantity of liquid administered, means (4) arranged inside the cartridge and intended to pre-adjust the number of drops per cubic centimeter, means (7) arranged inside the cartridge and intended to monitor the quantity of liquid administered, means arranged inside   of the cartridge and intended to increase or decrease   the quantity of liquid administered to make it conform to the pre-set quantity, two openings   (26) of detection in the cartridge and by   which detection beams are emitted in order to detect the drops of liquid administered, means located on the cartridge and allowing its removable mounting on an infusion line (27), the pre-setting circuit elements, monitoring and means automatic machines being mounted entirely within the cartridge.   2 Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mounting means comprises a hinge (13) of wire placed on the cartridge, this   last having a bearing surface (16) of a   sieve (15), and a clamping device (10) cooperating with the hinge to maintain   the cartridge in its surveillance position.   3 Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the clamping device comprises a lever (9) with two arms having a member (10) clamping located   at a first end and intended to apply a pressure   on the drip device and to maintain it against said bearing surface.   Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that a handle (12) is symmetrically disposed at the other end of the two-arm lever to allow the clamp to be moved away from the   drip so that it is released from the monitoring infusion.   Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the bearing surface is a concave surface in which said openings are formed.   Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized   in that the beam drop detecting means comprises a light emitting diode (D1) and a phototransistor (Qi).   7 A device for monitoring the infusion of a liquid, characterized in that it comprises a reservoir (20) of liquid, an infusion tube (27) functionally associated with the reservoir, means (3) intended to pre-regulate the quantity of liquid administered, means (7) for controlling the amount of liquid dispensed and means for automatically increasing or decreasing the amount of liquid dispensed to match said preset amount, the apparatus having two openings (26). ) detection by which detection beams are directed   to detect the drops of liquid administered.   Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said automatic means comprise elements intended to increase or decrease the quantity of   liquid passing through the infusion tube.   Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the automatic means comprise a compression assembly (30) and in that members (34, 35, M) are provided for moving the compression assembly in a first direction so as to apply some pressure to the infusion tube to compress it, and to move the compression set in the opposite direction to release   the pressure exerted on the infusion tube.   Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the compression assembly has a notch   (32) compression for receiving the tube of   fusion, the movement in a first direction having the effect of releasing the pressure exerted on the infusion tube   and a movement in the opposite direction which has the effect of   press the infusion tube to compress it.   Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized   in that the compression assembly has a recess (33) in which the infusion tube is placed.   12 Apparatus for monitoring the infusion of a liquid, characterized in that it comprises a reservoir   (20) to a liquid, an infusion tube (27) operably connected   reservoir (7) for monitoring the amount of liquid dispensed and means for automatically increasing or decreasing   the amount of liquid administered so that it corresponds   at said predetermined amount, a drip device (15) being interposed between the reservoir and the infusion tube and the monitoring apparatus being removably mounted on the drip device.   Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized   in that it has two detection apertures (26) by which detection beams are directed to the drip device in order to detect the drops of liquid passing through it. device.   14 Liquid infusion monitoring apparatus for monitoring the amount of liquid   administered by means of an infusion tube (27),   in that it comprises means (4) intended to pre-   set the number of drops per cubic centimeter, means (3) for pre-adjusting the amount of liquid   administered (7) to control the quantity of   the amount of liquid administered and means for automatically increasing or decreasing the amount of liquid administered to correspond to said   pre-set quantities, the pre-set monitoring device   sensing two detection apertures (26) by which detecting beams are emitted to detect administered liquid drops, the detecting means including a light emitting diode (D1) and a transistor (Q1).   Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized   in that a drip device (15) is   mounted between the reservoir and the infusion tube, the   surveillance wire being removably mounted   on this device drip.   Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized   rised in that the passage of a drop of liquid through   to the drip device is detected by said diode and said transistor so that the latter is momentarily blocked to produce a pulse of negative sense.   Apparatus according to any one of the   1, 7, 12 and 14, characterized in that it comprises   means for triggering an alarm signal when   that the pre-set quantity is not administered, the alarm signal being able in particular to be produced by a   oscillator for triggering an audible alarm.