System for mounting a drop sensor to a drip chamber

Claim 1

A system for monitoring the flow of parenteral fluid to a patient through a fluid administration set which includes a drip chamber having an elongated, clear plastic body with means to drip parenteral fluid therein and having a pair of opposed lateral extensions at the upper portion thereof, the system comprising: a. a drop sensor having a housing with a first section at one end thereof containing a light source, a second section at the other end thereof containing a light sensor, and a sensor gap provided between the first and the second housing sections which has an optical pathway between the light source and the light sensor and which is adapted to receive the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber; b. a fixed mounting member on one of said housing sections having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces which engage the end of one of the lateral extensions on the drip chamber and slide under the edges of the end of the extension during the mounting of the drop sensor to the drip chamber and having vertically and horizontally oriented means at the end of such guiding surfaces to engage the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith and position the fixed mounting member with respect thereto; c. a laterally movable mounting member on the other housing section having means to urge the movable mounting member toward the fixed mounting member, having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces divergently oriented to the inclined surfaces of the fixed mounting member which engage the end of the other lateral extension of the drip chamber and which slide under the edges of the lateral extension of the drip chamber when the drop sensor is mounted thereto and having means at the ends of the inclined guiding surfaces to engage the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith and position the movable mounting member with respect thereto; d. at least one of the lateral extensions on the upper portion of the drip chamber having a notch or recess on the end thereof; e. at least one of the vertically inclined guide surfaces comprising a projecting rib which interfits into the notch or recess provided in the lateral extension of the drip chamber; and f. a positioning surface on the drop sensor housing facing the sensor gap which contacts the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber to ensure that drops of parenteral fluid dripping into the drip chamber intersect an optical pathway through the drip chamber body between the light source and the light sensor of the drop sensor.

Claim 2

A system for monitoring the flow of parenteral fluid to a patient through a fluid administration set which includes a drip chamber having an elongated, clear plastic body with means to drip parenteral fluid therein and having a pair of opposed lateral extensions at the upper portion thereof, the system comprising: a. a drop sensor having a housing with a first section at one end thereof containing a light source, a second section at the other end thereof containing a light sensor, and a sensor gap provided between the first and the second housing sections which has an optical pathway between the light source and the light sensor and which is adapted to receive the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber; b. a fixed mounting member on one of said housing sections having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces which engage the end of one of the lateral extensions on the drip chamber and slide under the edges of the end of the extension during the mounting of the drop sensor to the drip chamber and having vertically and horizontally oriented means at the end of such guiding surfaces to engage the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith and position the fixed mounting member with respect thereto; c. a laterally movable mounting member on the other housing section having means to urge the movable mounting member toward the fixed mounting member, having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces divergently oriented to the inclined surfaces of the fixed mounting member which engage the end of the other lateral extension of the drip chamber and which slide under the edges of the lateral extension of the drip chamber when the drop sensor is mounted thereto and having means at the ends of the inclined guiding surfaces to engage the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith and position the movable mounting member with respect thereto; d. at least one of the lateral extensions on the upper portion of the drip chamber having a notch or recess on the end thereof; e. at least one of the vertically inclined guide surfaces comprising a projecting rib which interfits into the notch or recess provided in the lateral extension of the drip chamber; and f. a positioning surface on the drop sensor housing facing the sensor gap which contacts the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber to ensure that drops of parenteral fluid dripping into the drip chamber intersect an optical pathway through the drip chamber body between the light source and the light sensor of the drop sensor.

Claim 14

A system for monitoring the flow of fluid to a patient which includes a drip chamber and a drop sensor provided with mating mounting elements to ensure that only matched drip chambers and drop sensors are utilized together, said system comprising: a. the drip chamber having an elongated, clear plastic body and provided with a pair of opposed lateral extensions at the upper portion thereof, at least one of the lateral extensions having one or more notches or recesses at the end thereof; and b. a drop sensor having a housing with a first section at one end thereof containing a light source, a second section at the other end thereof containing a light sensor, and a sensor gap provided between the first and the second housing sections which has an optical pathway between the light source and the light sensor and which is adapted to receive the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber; c. a fixed mounting member on one of said housing sections having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces which engage the end of one of the lateral extensions on the drip chamber and slide under the edges thereof during the mounting of the drop sensor to the drip chamber and having vertically and horizontally oriented means at the end of such guiding surfaces to engage and position the fixed mounting member with respect to the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith; d. the laterally movable mounting member on the other housing section having means to urge the movable mounting member toward the fixed mounting member, having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces divergently oriented to the inclined surfaces of the fixed mounting member which engage the end of the other lateral extension of the drip chamber and which slide under the edges of the lateral extension when the drop sensor is mounted to the drip chamber and having means at the ends of the inclined guiding surfaces to engage and fix the position of the movable mounting member with respect to the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith; e. at least one of the vertically inclined guide surfaces on the mounting members comprising a projecting rib which interfits a recess provided in the lateral extension; and f. a positioning surface on the drop sensor housing facing the sensor gap which contacts the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber to ensure that drops of parenteral fluid dripping into the drip chamber intersect the optical pathway through the drip chamber body between the light source and the light sensor of the drop sensor.

Claim 15

A system for monitoring the flow of fluid to a patient which includes a drip chamber and a drop sensor provided with mating mounting elements to ensure that only matched drip chambers and drop sensors are utilized together, said system comprising: a. the drip chamber having an elongated, clear plastic body and provided with a pair of opposed lateral extensions at the upper portion thereof, at least one of the lateral extensions having one or more notches or recesses at the end thereof; and b. a drop sensor having a housing with a first section at one end thereof containing a light source, a second section at the other end thereof containing a light sensor, and a sensor gap provided between the first and the second housing sections which has an optical pathway between the light source and the light sensor and which is adapted to receive the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber; c. a fixed mounting member on one of said housing sections having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces which engage the end of one of the lateral extensions on the drip chamber and slide under the edges thereof during the mounting of the drop sensor to the drip chamber and having vertically and horizontally oriented means at the end of such guiding surfaces to engage and position the fixed mounting member with respect to the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith; d. the laterally movable mounting member on the other housing section having means to urge the movable mounting member toward the fixed mounting member, having one or more vertically inclined guiding surfaces divergently oriented to the inclined surfaces of the fixed mounting member which engage the end of the other lateral extension of the drip chamber and which slide under the edges of the lateral extension when the drop sensor is mounted to the drip chamber and having means at the ends of the inclined guiding surfaces to engage and fix the position of the movable mounting member with respect to the lateral extension on the drip chamber in contact therewith; e. at least one of the vertically inclined guide surfaces on the mounting members comprising a projecting rib which interfits a recess provided in the lateral extension; and f. a positioning surface on the drop sensor housing facing the sensor gap which contacts the elongated, clear plastic body of the drip chamber to ensure that drops of parenteral fluid dripping into the drip chamber intersect the optical pathway through the drip chamber body between the light source and the light sensor of the drop sensor.