Apparatus for and method of administering intravenous fluid

Claim 2

Apparatus for monitoring the administering of an intravenous fluid or the like to a patient from a flexible wall container and for generating a signal upon the fluid in the container reaching a predetermined level, said container having an outlet for the fluid and flexible sidewalls which are spaced apart when said container is full and which move toward one another as said fluid is discharged, said apparatus comprising a frame having at least one resiliently movable portion adapted to be removably applied to the exterior of said container at any preselected location thereon, said frame being movable with said sidewalls, means carried by said frame for generating a signal in response to the fluid remaining in the container reaching said predetermined level, said signal generating means being movable with said at least one frame portion as the fluid is discharged from said container and as the container sidewalls move toward one another from an open position in which said signal generating means is de-energized to a closed position in which said signal generating means is actuated thereby to generate said signal indicating that the fluid remaining in the container has been reduced to said predetermined level.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal generating means includes a switch, the latter including an actuator carried by a first portion of said frame on one side of said container and a sensing element carried by another portion of said frame on the other side of said container, one of the last-said frame portions constituting said at least one movable frame portion, said switch energizing said signal generating means upon said sensing element and said actuator moving toward one another beyond a predetermined spacing therebetween as occasioned by said sidewalls of said container moving toward one another upon said fluid being discharged from said container.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sensing element is a magnetic reed switch and wherein said actuator is a magnet.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said signal generator comprises a power supply and warning means operable by said power supply upon actuation of said switch.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said power supply is a battery carried by said frame.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said warning means is an aural alarm.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said warning means is a light.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said signal generating means further comprises means for transmitting said signal to a remote monitoring station.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said container comprises a collapsible bag made of pliable sheet material, said bag including graduation markings thereon indicating the approximate volume of fluid remaining in the bag when the latter is held in its normal discharging position, said frame including means thereon for permitting positioning of said frame relative to a selected said graduation markings on said bag so that said signal will be generated upon the level of the fluid in the bag being lowered approximately to the level of said selected graduation marking.

Claim 11

Apparatus for monitoring the administering of an intravenous fluid or the like to a patient from a flexible wall container and for generating a signal upon the fluid in the container reaching a predetermined level, said container having an outlet for the fluid and flexible sidewalls which are spaced apart when said container is full and which move toward one another as said fluid is discharged, said apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be removably applied to the exterior of said container at a preselected location thereon, said frame being movable with said sidewalls, means carried by said frame for generating a signal in response to the fluid remaining in the container reaching said predetermined level, said signal generating means being movable with the frame as the fluid is discharged from said container and as the container sidewalls move toward one another from an open position in which said signal generating means is de-energized to a closed position in which said signal generating means is actuated thereby to generate said signal indicating that the fluid remaining in the container has been reduced to said predetermined level, said frame including spring means for resiliently maintaining said frame in its desired position on said container as said fluid is discharged therefrom and as said container sidewalls move toward one another.

Claim 12

Apparatus for monitoring the administering of an intravenous fluid or the like to a patient from a flexible wall container and for generating a signal upon the fluid in the container reaching a predetermined level, said container having an outlet for the fluid and flexible sidewalls which are spaced apart when said container is full and which move toward one another as said fluid is discharged, said apparatus comprising a frame adapted to be removably applied to the exterior of said container at a preselected location thereon, said frame being movable with said sidewalls, means carried by said frame for generating a signal in response to the fluid remaining in the container reaching said predetermined level, said signal generating means being movable with the frame as the fluid is discharged from said container and as the container sidewalls move toward one another from an open position in which said signal generating means is de-energized to a closed position in which said signal generating means is actuated thereby to generate said signal indicating that the fluid remaining in the container has been reduced to said predetermined level, said frame including spring means for resiliently maintaining said frame in its desired position on said container as said fluid is discharged therefrom and as said container sidewalls move toward one another.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including means on said frame for enhancing gripping of the frame on said container.

Claim 14

A portable device removably appliable to a flexible wall bag containing a supply of liquid for intravenous administration to a patient, said device being capable of generating a signal in response to the level of the liquid inside said bag being lowered below a predetermined level, said bag having sidewalls of pliable sheet material and being adapted to be supported in a generally vertical position while dispensing the liquid therefrom with the sidewalls being generally vertical, said bag having an outlet at its lower end, said sidewalls being spaced apart when said bag is full of liquid and, as said liquid is dispensed via said outlet, the level of the liquid within the bag falling within the bag thus permitting the walls of the bag above the liquid level to move toward one another, said walls above the liquid level within the bag being in close proximity to one another and said walls below the liquid level being spaced relatively far apart, said device further comprising a resilient frame including a pair of arms, said arms being movable toward and away from one another between an open position and a closed position, said arms, being resiliently biased toward their closed position and, when in their open position, being capable of being applied to said bag full of said liquid with one arm on the outside of one sidewall of the bag and with the other arm on the outside of the other sidewall of the bag, said frame including signal generating means actuable upon said frame arms being movable from their open toward their closed positions as said side arms move with said bag walls thereby to indicate that the level of the liquid within the bag has fallen to approximately the location of said arms relative to the bag.

Claim 15

A portable device removably appliable to a flexible wall bag containing a supply of liquid for intravenous administration to a patient, said device being capable of generating a signal in response to the level of the liquid inside said bag being lowered below a predetermined level, said bag having sidewalls of pliable sheet material and being adapted to be supported in a generally vertical position while dispensing the liquid therefrom with the sidewalls being generally vertical, said bag having an outlet at its lower end, said sidewalls being spaced apart when said bag is full of liquid and, as said liquid is dispensed via said outlet, the level of the liquid within the bag falling within the bag thus permitting the walls of the bag above the liquid level to move toward one another, said walls above the liquid level within the bag being in close proximity to one another and said walls below the liquid level being spaced relatively far apart, said device further comprising a resilient frame including a pair of arms, said arms being movable toward and away from one another between an open position and a closed position, said arms, being resiliently biased toward their closed position and, when in their open position, being capable of being applied to said bag full of said liquid with one arm on the outside of one sidewall of the bag and with the other arm on the outside of the other sidewall of the bag, said frame including signal generating means actuable upon said frame arms being movable from their open toward their closed positions as said side arms move with said bag walls thereby to indicate that the level of the liquid within the bag has fallen to approximately the location of said arms relative to the bag.