FR2860160A1 - Automatic warning and detection unit for a continuous drip infusion unit, comprises a clamping stand, detection and warning units, and a swivelable carrying surface - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic warning and detection unit for a continuous drip infusion unit, comprises a clamping stand (10) with the detection unit (20) inside it, a warning unit (30) and a swivelable carrying surface (40). The stand holds a drip infusion unit (50) flow display cylinder (52), which does not deform when pressed together. The detection unit has a transmitter and a receiver located on the stand. An automatic warning and detection unit for a continuous drip infusion unit, comprises a clamping stand (10) with the detection unit (20) inside it, a warning unit (30) and a swivelable carrying surface (40). The stand holds a drip infusion unit (50) flow display cylinder (52), which does not deform when pressed together. The detection unit has a transmitter and a receiver located on the stand. A warning unit is connected to the detection unit via a cable, so signals can be received. The swivelable carrier is located under the liquid supply line.

Description

Advanced detection and warning system

  Field of the Invention The present invention consists of an automatic advanced detection and warning system for a drug solution instillator, in which a drop carrier is pivotally connected to a lever to be located in a medical device. flow meter below the vial of drug solution of the instillator. The drops of drug solution fall from the drug solution vial at a predetermined rate or flow rate and then strike and rotate the wearer of drops, thereby interrupting the sensing device of the system, acting as a control signal for the patient. alarm device. When a rate or rate of abnormal instillation continues for a preset time, the alarm is automatically triggered to issue a warning.

  Origins of the invention Instillation of drug solution is often used in medical treatments.

  Traditionally, the administered drug solution is visually inspected by the nursing staff to verify the rate of instillation and the amount remaining. Currently, there are also electronic instruments developed to control the dosage, duration and flow rate of the drug solution administered. However, these electronic instruments are bulky and expensive, and are therefore normally used by medical organizations only for drug solutions that need to pay particular attention to the duration and rate of administration.

  A detection needle connected to a detection circuit with an alarm device has also been developed for piercing directly into the bag or bottle containing the drug solution to be instilled. Since the sensing needle must be in contact with the drug solution in order to function, it is not disposable to meet sanitary conditions.

  A patent application for an invention entitled "Method and apparatus for controlling the level of contents in a container" was made public by the European Patent Office on May 30, 1990, under publication number EP370604A1. However, the controller presented and the method of controlling the level of the contents of a container are not very practical.

  US Patent No. 6,337,631 B1 granted to the applicant of the present invention has an alarm system that is activated automatically to issue a warning when the level of a drug solution instilled is at its lowest. However, further improvements can be made to this patented invention.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide an advanced detection and warning system automatically for a drug solution instillator. The system includes a clip that must easily grip the cylindrical flow meter of the drug solution instillator, a sensing device with a type of electronic sensor mounted on the clip, an alarm device connected to the sensing device via a driver and a sensor. drop holder pivotally connected to a lever to be located in a flow meter below the drug solution vial. Once a fixed number of drops or a flow rate per minute have been set for the drug solution instillator and returned to the alarm device, the drops of drug solution fall one by one from the drug solution vial and then hit. rotate the wearer of drops, and therefore interrupt the detection device of the system, acting as a control signal for the alarm device. When a rate or rate of abnormal instillation continues for a predefined period of time, possibly caused by twisting or compressing the tube of the instillator, or by empty drug solution container, etc., the alarm is triggered, he automatically to issue a warning.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic detection and warning system for a drug solution instillator, whereby a number of drops or a fixed rate per minute of the drug solution instillator can be detected and calculated. to enter the alarm system, so that the moment when the instilled drug solution is practically exhausted can be determined in advance with the help of electronic control methods currently available. This feature allows caregivers to control multiple drug solution instillers at once for effective control and management of common hospital wards and more efficient care.

Brief description of the drawings

  The structure and the technical devices used by the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned and other objects are more easily understood by consulting the detailed descriptions below of the preferred implementations and the related drawings, where FIG. a perspective view showing an implementation of the automatic advanced detection and warning system of the present invention and a drug solution instillator to which the present invention is related.

  Figure 2 is an enlarged partial view of Figure 1 showing the cylindrical flow meter included in the drug solution instillator.

  Figure 3 is an exploded and enlarged perspective view of the drop holder included in the system of the present invention.

  Figure 4 is a partial side view of the system of the present invention showing the drop carrier in an empty and horizontal state, and Figure 5 is another partial side view of the system of the present invention showing the drop carrier in a slanted condition caused by a drop of drug solution fallen on it.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3 where an automatic advanced detection and warning system for a drug solution instillator is shown according to the preferred practice of the present invention. A drug solution instillator (50) generally comprises a drug solution container (51) containing a certain amount of drug solution, a transparent cylindrical flow meter (52), a tube (53), a flow controller (54) and a syringe (55). The system of the present invention mainly comprises a clamp (10), a detection device (20) mounted on the clamp (10), an alarm device (30) connected to the detection device (20) and a carrier oscillating device drops (40). The clip (10) is adapted to clamp the cylindrical flowmeter (52) to a predetermined position without compressing or deforming the same.

  The clip (10) may be of a different design as long as it can easily tighten the cylindrical flowmeter (52) and be removed for repeated use. In the practice of the present invention illustrated in Figure 1, the clip (10) is a suitably sized elastic clip having two jaws (11). The two jaws (11) each have an outwardly curved portion (12) so that they can be opened and firmly grip the outer surface of the cylindrical flowmeter (52) with the curved portions (12). Two horizontal markings (13) may also be provided at the free ends of the two jaws (12) to facilitate placement of the clamp (10) on the cylindrical flow meter (52) without disturbing the caregiver in its visual inspection of the condition internal flow of the cylindrical flow meter (52).

  The detection device (20) is mounted on the two jaws (11) of the clamp (10) and is designed according to the general principle of transmitting and receiving infrared signals. In addition to infrared, magnetic wave, laser, etc. technologies may also be employed for the detection device (20). The detection device (20) comprises a transmitter (21) and a receiver (22) which are located separately but correspondingly on the inside of the curved portion (12) of the jaws (11) of the clamp (10). When the clamp (10) is clamped to the transparent cylindrical flow meter (52), the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22) are opposite each other, separated by the transparent cylinder (52), as shown in FIG. 4. With the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22) in their positions described above, the detection device (20) performs its detection function with a light or a direct wave transmitted from the transmitter (21) to the receiver (22). The markers (13) described above provided at the free ends of the jaws (11) of the clamp (10) correspond to the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22).

  The alarm device (30) internally comprises corresponding electronic control circuits, which can be controlled by switches (31) existing on the outer face of the alarm device (30). An external display (32) is provided to provide corresponding data to the caregiver when using or controlling the advanced warning detection system of the present invention.

  See Figure 2 which is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the internal structure of the cylindrical flow meter (52). The cylindrical flow meter (52) has a drug solution droplet (521) and an upper lid (522), from the center of which the drug solution droplet (521) passes into the cylinder (52). ). The droplet oscillating device (40) is located in the cylindrical flow meter (52) below the drug solution droplet (521) in a suitable manner so as to be at a defined height in the cylinder (52).

  See Figure 3 which is an exploded and enlarged perspective view of the oscillating device carrying drops (40). As indicated, the oscillating device carrying drops mainly comprises a drop carrier (41) and a lever structure (42) allowing the wearer of drop (41) to oscillate. The drop carrier (41) and the lever structure (42) may both be of a different design to provide an equivalent function.

  According to the droplet oscillating device (40) illustrated in FIG. 3, the lever structure 42 comprises an inverted T-shaped support (421) with a vertical support descending from the bottom of the top cover (522) of the cylindrical flow meter (52). ) and a vertical axis (422) connected to the lower end of the vertical support; and the drop carrier (41) is a disk of predefined dimensions suitable for being located in the cylinder (52). The drop carrier (41) has on its upper face near the edge two symmetrical axis holes (411) in which the horizontal axis (422) can easily be introduced to serve as a lever axis around which the wearer drops (41) oscillates. Note that the vertical support of the inverted T-shaped support (421) is offset from the center of the top cover (522) so that the horizontal lever axis (422) is also offset from the center line of the cylindrical flow meter (52). ). The pin holes (411) are located near the edge of the drop holder (41) corresponding to the offset of the lever structure (42) so as to center the drop holder (41) in the cylinder (52). . That is, the parts of the drop holder (41) located on either side of the horizontal lever axis (422) of the lever structure (42) are not of the same radial width. In order to maintain the drop carrier (41) in a balanced position with respect to the inverted T-shaped support (421) without oscillating about the horizontal lever axis (422), a weighted surface (412) is located on the drop carrier (41) on the side outside the pin holes (411).

  The drop carrier (41) also has at its center a recess (413) just large enough to hold the contents of a drop of drug solution falling from the drug solution droplet (521), and, to a certain place, for example between the two pin holes (411), a stop plate (414) extending upwards. The drop of drug solution falling from the drip of drug solution (521) strikes the central depression (413) located in the portion of the drip carrier (41) having a greater radial width, causing oscillation of the wearer of drops. (41) around the horizontal lever axis (422), the result of the lever action. At this time, the portion of the drop holder (41) with the greatest radial width is inclined downwards and blocks the path between the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22) of the detection device (20). . The stop plate is adapted to abut against the vertical support of the inverted T-shaped support (421) when the drop carrier (41) oscillates and tilts around the horizontal lever axis (422) so as to preventing the wearer of drops (41) from tipping excessively to a vertical position.

  In the illustrated structure of the lever (42), the horizontal axis (422) serves as a lever around which the drop holder (41) can pivot. However, other constructions can also be adopted for the lever structure (42). For example, two inwardly projecting rotational axes may be located on opposing points facing each other on the inner wall of the cylindrical flow meter (52) and the drop holder (41) may have at two points sleeves corresponding to the two axes of rotation of the cylinder (52).

  See Figure 4. When the system of the present invention is in use and no drop of drug solution has dropped from the drug droplet (521) onto the droplet carrier (41) the drop carrier (1 1) is designed to remain in equilibrium in a horizontal position in the cylindrical flow meter (52). At this time, the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22) of the detection device (20) are not isolated from each other and the electronic control circuits in the alarm device (30) are in a disabled state.

  It is known that the drug solution instillator is used to control the injection rate of the drug solution into the vessels of a patient and the injection rate of the drug solution can be controlled by the flow controller (54). ). In most cases, the injection rate is defined as the number of drops per minute, such as six drops per minute or eight drops per minute. When an injection with instillation of drug solution begins after the number of drops per minute has been set by the flow controller (54), the drug solution drops one drop at a time from the drug solution droplet (521). ). That is, the drug solution falls intermittently from the drug solution container (51) into the cylindrical flow meter (52). The intermittent drops of drug solution strikes the portion of the drop holder (41) with the greatest radial width and the amount of movement of each drop of drug solution causes the drop carrier (41) to oscillate around the lever structure ( 42) and tilts most of it down once, as shown in Fig. 5. The inclined portion of the drop holder (41) with the greatest radial width is now located between the emitter (21) and the receiver (22) of the detection device (20) and isolates the two elements from each other, thereby cutting off the detection device (20). That is, the inclined drop carrier (41) prevents the infrared ray, for example, emitted by the transmitter (21) from reaching the receiver (22).

  Since injection by instillation is set to a stable drip rate of 6-8 drops per minute, the interval between two successive drops is sufficient for the first drop of drug solution to fall on the droplet carrier (41). ) The face oscillates and tilts and then flows along this slope, allowing the wearer of drops (41) to return to balanced horizontal position before a second drop of drug solution falls. That is, the drop carrier (41) intermittently tilts and is inclined, and the transmitter (21) and the receiver (22) are isolated from each other intermittent by the drop carrier (41) inclined, and with a determined frequency. This type of intermittent isolation with a determined frequency cycle forms an open or closed circuit signal of the detection device (20). By constructing the electronic control circuits of the alarm device (30) according to the open or closed circuit signals of the detection device (20), the number of drops falling on the drop carrier (41) per minute can be detected and calculated automatically, or converted to an estimated value of the flow per minute or the droplet velocity of the drug solution (because each drop contains virtually the same dose), and a default value serving as a detection standard can be set t displayed on the display (32) of the alarm device (30).

  When the automatic advanced detection and warning system of the present invention is used for the instillation of a drug solution for which a determined instillation rate or a determined number of drops per minute has been defined, that the detection (20) detects an abnormal situation in the actual number of drops or the flow rate of the falling drug solution, which may be due to a tube (53) twisted or compressed and thus clogged, or to a flow controller (54) badly set, or to a container of drug solution (51) empty, and that the instillation situation does not return to normal after a period, for example a minute, defined in the electronic control circuits for an abnormal situation, the alarm device (30) will then automatically issue a warning. In contrast to the present invention, conventional warning systems for drug solution instillators issue a warning only when the drug solution container (51) becomes empty.

  Since the present invention allows the detection of a given number of drops or the flow per minute of the drug solution being administered by the drug solution instillator and setting the normal number of drops or flow per minute of the drug solution. medicament solution in the alarm device (30), and since each drug solution container (51) generally carries a label where its dosage is specified, it is possible to adjust the system of the present invention configured with advanced technologies. electronic control by defining a time in the future when the drug solution administered will probably be completely used. The preset time is entered into the alarm device (30) or displayed on the display (32) before starting to use the system of the present invention. In this way, the nursing staff can monitor several drug solution instillators at the same time without neglecting the time at which each individual container of drug solution (51) may become empty. Care in the common wards of hospitals could thus become more efficient and be performed and controlled more effectively.

  The alarm device (30) is connected to the detection device (20) by a conductor, the length of which can be defined by the actual needs. The alarm device (30) may incorporate a buzzer, a speaker emitting music or a voice or light apparatus, such as a lamp, for emitting light or lightning, or for use with a system infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) transmission to transfer the warning signal to other alarms or infirmaries in remote locations, allowing more efficient care for patients. Given the electronic control technologies currently available, the construction of such circuits and internal wiring for the detection device (20) and the alarm device (30) for the detection and adjustment of the number of drops or the flow rate per minute of the drug solution can be easily accomplished and is therefore not discussed further herein.

Claims (4)

claims   An automatic detection and warning system for drug solution instillator (50), said drug solution instillator (50) generally having a drug solution container (51) containing a certain amount of drug solution, a transparent cylindrical flow meter (52), a tube (53), a flow controller (54) and a syringe (55), comprising a clip (10), a sensing device (20) mounted on said clip (10), a clip alarm (30) connected to said detecting device (20) and a drifting oscillating device (40); The forceps (10) is adapted to clamp the outer surface of said cylindrical flow meter (52) of said drug solution instillator (50) without compressing or deforming said cylindrical flow meter (52), two cavities being correspondingly reserved on both jaws (11). ) opposite said clamp; Said detection device (20) comprises a transmitter (21) and a receiver (22) located separately in said cavities of said clamp (10) so that said transmitter (21) and said receiver (22) are opposite one on the other, separated by said cylindrical flow meter (52) when said clamp (10) is clamped to said cylindrical flow meter (52) at a determined height; Said alarm device (30) is connected to said detection device (20) by a conductor for receiving the signals of said detection device, said alarm device (30) internally having electronic control circuits providing the detection functions and setting; and said droplet oscillating device (40) is located in said cylindrical flow meter (52) below a drug solution droplet (521) centered and extended downwardly from the top cover of said cylindrical flow meter (52). ), and includes a lever structure (42) and a drop carrier (41) pivotally and eccentrically connected to the lower end of said lever structure (42); and said drop carrier (41) being adapted to oscillate about said lever structure (42) and to tilt a portion of wider radius when a droplet falling from said droplet of drug solution strikes said portion of radius plus wide of said drop carrier (41); Whereby said clamp (10) is clamped to said cylindrical flow meter (52) and said drug solution instillator (50) is adjusted by the flow controller (54) to deliver a drug solution to a determined number of drops per minute, said a droplet carrier (41) is intermittently hit by droplets of falling drug solution and oscillates and tilts correspondingly at a determined frequency, intermittently tilting said larger radius portion of said drops (41) in the path between said emitter (21) and said receiver (22), thereby intersecting said detection device (20) on said clamp (10), said electronic control circuits of said alarm device (30) being designed to detect said intermittent breaks in the sensing device (20) and to define a normal number of drops or flow per minute for that specific device. a drug solution instillation operation, and said alarm device (30) being automatically activated when a drop count or abnormal flow rate per minute has continued for a predetermined time.   The automatic advance detection and warning system for drug solution instillator of Claim 1, wherein said detection device (20) is adapted to emit and receive infrared light, magnetic waves or a laser.   The automatic advance detection and warning system for drug solution instillator of Claim 1, wherein said alarm device (30) is selected from a group consisting of vibrators, loudspeakers and light emitting devices. light or lightning, and can be used with an infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) transmission system to transfer the warning signal to other alarms or infirmaries in remote locations.   The automatic advance detection and warning system for drug solution instillator of Claim 1, wherein said alarm device (30) is provided with externally accessible switches and a display operating with said electronic circuitry. within said alarm device.