Method and apparatus for metered infusion of fluids

Claim 2

In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination: a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof; drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of said tubing, the lumen of said tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 3

A flow system as defined in claim 1 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of said point of engagement for varying the operation of said upline pressurization means to maintain said upline pressures at a predetermined level.

Claim 4

A flow system as defined in claim 2 wherein said pressure control means are also responsive to the rate of advance of said pressure means along said tubing segment.

Claim 5

A flow system as defined in claim 3 wherein said drive means advance said pressure means to maintain a predetermined fluid flow rate through said tubing, and wherein said predetermined upline pressure maintained by said upline pressurization means varies as a function of said predetermined rate.

Claim 6

A flow system as defined in claim 1 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise additional pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for at least partially occluding the lumen thereof, and additional drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said additional pressure means along an additional segment of said tubing.

Claim 7

A flow system as defined in claim 5 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure in said tubing.

Claim 8

A flow system as defined in claim 6 wherein said pressure control means vary the rate of advance of said additional pressure means along said additional segment.

Claim 9

A flow system as defined in claim 6 including pressure sensing means disposed along said tubing between said segment and said additional segment for providing a control signal indicative of the fluid pressure level in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means, said additional drive means being responsive to said control signal to vary the drive of said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure level at said sensing means.

Claim 10

A flow system as defined in claim 8 wherein said control signal is applied to said additional drive means to vary the rate of advance of said additional pressure means along said additional segment.

Claim 11

A flow system as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubing is formed of vinyl.

Claim 12

A flow system as defined in claim 1 wherein said downline pressurization means comprise a slidably-mounted plunger spring-biased against the sidewall of said tubing.

Claim 13

In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination: a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, said increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 14

In a flow system for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir into the human body, having, in combination: a length of flexible-walled tubing extending from the supply reservoir to the body, said tubing exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, said increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 15

A flow system as defined in claim 12 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of said point of engagement for varying the operation of said upline pressurization means to maintain said upline pressures at a predetermined level.

Claim 16

A flow system as defined in claim 13 wherein said pressure control means are also responsive to the rate of advance of said pressure means along said tubing segment.

Claim 17

A flow system as defined in claim 14 wherein said drive means rotate said rotor to maintain a predetermined fluid flow rate through said tubing, and wherein said predetermined upline pressure maintained by said upline pressurization means varies as a function of the speed of rotation of said rotor.

Claim 18

A flow system as defined in claim 12 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise additional pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for at least partially occluding the lument thereof, and additional drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said additional pressure means along an additional segment of said tubing.

Claim 19

A flow system as defined in claim 16 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means for varying the operation of said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure in said tubing.

Claim 20

A flow system as defined in claim 12 wherein said pressure members are disposed in equispaced relationship on the circumference of said rotor, and said pressure plate brings said tubing into engagement with said pressure member only over a segment of said tubing substantially corresponding to the spacing of said pressure members on the circumference of said rotor.

Claim 21

A flow system as defined in claim 12 wherein said downline pressurization means comprise a slidably mounted plunger spring-biased against the wall of said tubing.

Claim 22

A flow system as defined in claim 12 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise: an additional plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing so as to at least partially occlude the lumen thereof; means including an additional pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members; and additional drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively restored along an additional segment of said tubing to increase the pressure of said fluid upline of said point of engagement.

Claim 23

A flow system as defined in claim 20 wherein said pressure plates are formed as a single unit and mounted for reciprocative movement into and out of engagement with said pressure members.

Claim 24

A flow system as defined in claim 20 wherein said additional drive means comprise a rotational coupling between said rotors.

Claim 25

A flow system as defined in claims 20 including a stepper motor for driving said rotor of said upline pressurization means, and pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of the point of engagement of said pressure member of said metering means, and downline of the point of engagement of said pressure member of said upline pressurization means, for applying stepping pulses to said stepper motor at a rate which maintains a desired predetermined upline pressure level at said point of engagement.

Claim 26

A flow system as defined in claim 12 wherein said tubing is formed of vinyl.

Claim 27

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination: metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of the tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof; drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of the tubing, the lumen of the tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 28

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination: metering means continuously including at least one pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of the tubing for completely occluding the lumen thereof; drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said pressure means along a segment of the tubing, the lumen of the tubing being repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 29

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 25 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of said point of engagement for varying the operation of said upline pressurization means to maintain said upline pressures at a predetermined level.

Claim 30

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein said pressure control means are also responsive to the rate of advance of said pressure means along said tubing segment.

Claim 31

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 27 wherein said drive means advance said pressure means to maintain a predetermined fluid flow rate through said tubing, and wherein said predetermined upline pressure maintained by said upline pressurization means varies as a function of said predetermined rate.

Claim 32

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise additional pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for at least partially occluding the lumen thereof, and additional drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said additional pressure means along an additional segment of said tubing.

Claim 33

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 29 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means for varying the operation of said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure in said tubing.

Claim 34

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 30 wherein said pressure control means vary the rate of advance of said additional pressure means along said additional segment.

Claim 35

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 39 including pressure sensing means disposed along said tubing between said segment and said additional segment for providing a control signal indicative of the fluid pressure level in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means, said additional drive means being responsive to said control signal to vary the drive of said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure level at said sensing means.

Claim 36

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 32 wherein said control signal is applied to said additional drive means to vary the rate of advance of said additional pressure means along said additional segment.

Claim 37

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said tubing is formed of vinyl.

Claim 38

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said downline pressurization means comprise a slidably-mounted plunger spring-biased against the sidewall of said tubing.

Claim 39

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; having: metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of the tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing the tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members along a segment of said tubing; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of the tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 40

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof; having: metering means including a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of the tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing the tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members along a segment of said tubing; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of the tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through the tubing; downline pressurization means for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of the tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means operatively engaging said tubing for increasing the pressure of said fluid in said segment upline of said point of engagement, the increase in pressure of said fluid at said point of engagement assisting in post-compressive reformation of said tubing for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 41

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of said point of engagement for varying the operation of said upline pressurization means to maintain said upline pressures at a predetermined level.

Claim 42

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 37 wherein said pressure control means are also responsive to the rate of advance of said pressure means along said tubing segment.

Claim 43

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 38 wherein said drive means rotate said rotor to maintain a predetermined fluid flow rate through said tubing, and wherein said predetermined upline pressure maintained by said upline pressurization means varies as a function of the speed of rotation of said rotor.

Claim 44

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise additional pressure means compressively engaged to the sidewall of said tubing for at least partially occluding the lumen thereof, and additional drive means for advancing the point of engagement of said additional pressure means along an additional segment of said tubing.

Claim 45

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 40 including pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid in said tubing between said pressure means and said additional pressure means for varying the operation of said additional pressure means to maintain a predetermined pressure in said tubing.

Claim 46

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 wherein said pressure members are disposed in equispaced relationship on the circumference of said rotor, and said pressure plate brings said tubing into engagement with said pressure member only over a segment of said tubing substantially corresponding to the spacing of said pressure members on the circumference of said rotor.

Claim 47

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 wherein said downline pressurization means comprise a slidably-mounted plunger spring-biased against the wall of said tubing.

Claim 48

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 wherein said upline pressurization means comprise: an additional plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing so as to at least partially occlude the lumen thereof; means including an additional pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members; and additional drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively restored along an additional segment of said tubing to increase the pressure of said fluid upline of said point of engagement.

Claim 49

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 44 wherein said pressure plates are formed as a single unit and mounted for reciprocative movement into and out of engagement with said pressure members.

Claim 50

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 44 wherein said additional drive means comprise a rotational coupling between said rotors.

Claim 51

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 44 including a stepper motor for driving said rotor of said upline pressurization means, and pressure control means responsive to the pressure in said tubing upline of the point of engagement of said pressure member of said metering means, and downline of the point of engagement of said pressure member of said upline pressurization means, for applying stepping pulses to said stepper motor at a rate which maintains a desired predetermined upline pressure level at said point of engagement.

Claim 52

Metering apparatus as defined in claim 36 wherein said tubing is formed of vinyl.

Claim 53

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination: metering means including a rotor having in equispaced relationship along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members only over a segment of said tubing substantially corresponding to the spacing of said pressure members on the circumference of said rotor; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means comprising a movable plunger spring-biased against the wall of said tubing, for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means comprising a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and at least partially occluding the lumen thereof; means including an additional pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members of said upline pressurization means; additional drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored to urge fluid through said tubing; and pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid upline of said point of engagement of said pressure members of said metering means for varying the speed of rotation of said additional rotor to maintain said upline pressure at a predetermined level for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 54

In a metering apparatus for infusing a fluid from a supply reservoir to the human body through a length of flexible-walled tubing of the type exhibiting incomplete restoration upon repeated compressive cycling thereof, having, in combination: metering means including a rotor having in equispaced relationship along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and completely occluding the lumen thereof; means including a pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members only over a segment of said tubing substantially corresponding to the spacing of said pressure members on the circumference of said rotor; drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored along said segment to urge fluid through said tubing; downline pressurization means comprising a movable plunger spring-biased against the wall of said tubing, for continuously at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment downline of said point of engagement of said pressure member; the improvement comprising: upline pressurization means comprising a rotor having along its circumference a plurality of pressure members, at all times at least one of said pressure members being in compressive engagement with the sidewall of said tubing and at least partially occluding the lumen thereof; means including an additional pressure plate for bringing said tubing into compressive engagement with said one of said pressure members of said upline pressurization means; additional drive means for rotatably driving said rotor whereby the lumen of said tubing is repetitively and progressively compressed and restored to urge fluid through said tubing; and pressure control means responsive to the pressure of said fluid upline of said point of engagement of said pressure members of said metering means for varying the speed of rotation of said additional rotor to maintain said upline pressure at a predetermined level for improved metering accuracy.

Claim 57

The method of infusing a fluid defined in claim 50 comprising the additional step of at least partially restricting the lumen of said tubing downline of said tubing segment to increase the pressure of the fluid within said segment both upline and downline of said point of compression.

Claim 58

The method of infusing fluid as defined in claim 50 wherein the flow path is established through flexible-walled vinyl tubing.