Parenteral administration fluid flow control system

Claim 2

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: infusion pump means; stepping motor means for incrementally driving said pump means, said motor means having an output member capable of rotational movement; rotation sensing means for monitoring rotational movements of said motor means; flow monitoring means for monitoring flow induced by said pump means; and means responsive to both said rotation sensing means and said flow monitoring means for indicating a lack of flow in a predetermined quantity of rotational movement.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further including a rotation counter, and wherein: said rotation sensing means includes a rotation sensor coupled to said stepping motor means and driving said rotation counter; and said flow monitoring means includes a drop sensor and pulse generation means, said drop sensor activating said pulse generation means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said means responsive to both said rotation sensing means and said flow monitoring means includes means for de-energizing said stepping motor means upon indication of a lack of flow in a predetermined quantity of rotational movement.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said means responsive to both said rotation sensing means and said flow monitoring means includes means for alarming upon indication of a lack of flow in a predetermined quantity of rotational movement.

Claim 6

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; pulse sensing means for monitoring said pulses driving said motor means; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system; and means responsive to both said pulse sensing means and said flow monitoring means for indicating a lack of flow within a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses driving said motor means.

Claim 7

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; pulse sensing means for monitoring said pulses driving said motor means; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system; and means responsive to both said pulse sensing means and said flow monitoring means for indicating a lack of flow within a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses driving said motor means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said means responsive to both said pulse sensing means and said flow monitoring means includes means for de-energizing said motor means upon indication of a lack of flow in a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses driving said motor means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said means responsive to both said pulse sensing means and said flow monitoring means includes means for alarming upon indication of a lack of flow in a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses driving said motor means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein: said flow monitoring means includes a drop sensing means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to drop flow.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein: said motor means is a stepping motor; and said means responsive to both said pulse sensing means and said flow monitoring means includes means for alarming and de-energizing said motor upon indication of a lack of drop flow in a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses driving said motor means.

Claim 12

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: positive pressure infusion pump means; electrical motor means for driving said pump means; and a closed loop control means including means for digitally regulating the frequency of electrical energization of said motor means in response to the difference between measured and desired output from said pump means.

Claim 13

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: positive pressure infusion pump means; electrical motor means for driving said pump means; and a closed loop control means including means for digitally regulating the frequency of electrical energization of said motor means in response to the difference between measured and desired output from said pump means.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said motor means is an electrical stepping motor for incrementally driving said pump means.

Claim 15

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: positive pressure infusion pump means; electrical motor means for incrementally driving said pump means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal at a frequency proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow induced by said pump means; and means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the frequency at which said motor means drives said pump means.

Claim 16

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: positive pressure infusion pump means; electrical motor means for incrementally driving said pump means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal at a frequency proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow induced by said pump means; and means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the frequency at which said motor means drives said pump means.

Claim 17

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to inCrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal having a frequency proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal having a frequency proportional to measured liquid flow rate; and means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 18

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to inCrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal having a frequency proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal having a frequency proportional to measured liquid flow rate; and means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein: said means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means includes rate memory means for comparing said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for generating a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, and further including: electrical discriminator means for monitoring said control signal to indicate out-of-limit conditions.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein: said flow monitoring means includes a drop sensing means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to drop flow.

Claim 22

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal proportional to measure liquid flow rate; control means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means, said control means including rate memory means for comparing and obtaining the difference between said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for generating a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; said rate memory means including integration means to integrate the difference between said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and vary said control signal in accordance with the integrated difference between said signals.

Claim 23

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal proportional to measure liquid flow rate; control means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means, said control means including rate memory means for comparing and obtaining the difference between said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for generating a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; said rate memory means including integration means to integrate the difference between said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and vary said control signal in accordance with the integrated difference between said signals.

Claim 24

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal proportional to measured liquid flow rate; control means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means, said control means including rate memory means for comparing said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for generating a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; and nonlinear electrical circuit means for establishing a nonlinear relationship between the magnitude of said control signal and the frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 25

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: electrical motor means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to incrementally drive said motor means; rate setting means for generating an electrical signal proportional to desired liquid flow rate; flow monitoring means for monitoring liquid flow in the administration system and generating an electrical signal proportional to measured liquid flow rate; control means responsive to both said rate setting means and said flow monitoring means for regulating the pulse frequency of said pulsing means, said control means including rate memory means for comparing said signals proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for generating a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; and nonlinear electrical circuit means for establishing a nonlinear relationship between the magnitude of said control signal and the frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 26

Apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein: said nonlinear means enables lower regulation sensitivity at low flow rates and higher regulation sensitivity at higher flow rates.

Claim 27

Apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein: said nonlinear means establishes a substantially exponential relationship between said control signal and the frequency of said pulsing means.

Claim 28

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: infusion puMp means; stepping motor means for incrementally driving said pump means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to energize said stepping motor means; rate setting means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to desired drop flow rate; flow monitoring means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to measured drop flow rate; means for comparing said pulse trains proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for integrating the electrical difference resulting from such comparison to generate a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; and nonlinear electrical circuit means for establishing a nonlinear relationship between said control signal and the frequency of said pulsing means, said nonlinear means enabling lower regulation sensitivity at low flow rates and higher regulation sensitivity at higher flow rates.

Claim 29

In a system for parenteral administration of liquids via a feeding tube from a liquid source to a patient, apparatus comprising: infusion puMp means; stepping motor means for incrementally driving said pump means; electrical pulsing means for generating pulses to energize said stepping motor means; rate setting means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to desired drop flow rate; flow monitoring means for generating a pulse train at a frequency proportional to measured drop flow rate; means for comparing said pulse trains proportional to desired flow rate and measured flow rate, respectively, and for integrating the electrical difference resulting from such comparison to generate a control signal for establishing the frequency of said pulsing means; and nonlinear electrical circuit means for establishing a nonlinear relationship between said control signal and the frequency of said pulsing means, said nonlinear means enabling lower regulation sensitivity at low flow rates and higher regulation sensitivity at higher flow rates.

Claim 30

Apparatus as set forth in claim 21, and further including: pulse sensing means for monitoring said pulses energizing said motor means; and means responsive to both said flow monitoring means and said pulse sensing means for indicating a lack of flow within a time period determined by a specified number of said pulses energizing said motor means.

Claim 31

Apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said motor means has an output member capable of rotational movement, and further including: rotation sensing means for monitoring rotational movements of said motor means; and means responsive to both said rotation sensing means and said flow monitoring means for indicating a lack of flow in a predetermined quantity of rotational movements.

Claim 32

Apparatus as set forth in claim 23, further including a rotation counter, and wherein: said rotation sensing means includes a rotation sensor coupled to said stepping motor means and driving said rotation counter.

Claim 33

Apparatus as set forth in claim 21, and further including: electrical discriminator means for monitoring said control signal to indicate out-of-limit conditions.