US5174295A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus, system and method for measuring spatial average velocity and/or volumetric flow of blood in a vessel and screw joint for use therewith
Assignee: Jomed Inc
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Filing: 1991-09-13
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Granted: 1992-12-29
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Expires: 2011-09-13
Abstract
Abstract System for measuring a characteristic of flow of liquid in a vessel of a patient comprising a transducer positioned in a vessel in a patient for supplying ultrasonic energy. The transducer produces a substantially inform beam which encompasses the vessel. The transducer receives ultrasonic energy back scattered from the red blood cells and provides an electrical output signal. A first moment detector is provided which receives the electrical output from the transducer and provides a first moment signal. Normalization is provided to the output of the first moment detector to provide an electrical output representing a characteristic of the flow of the liquid in the vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey J. Christian
- 👤 Paul D. Corl
- 👤 Jerome Segal
- 👤 Ronald G. Williams
- 👤 Wayne C. Haase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:33
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/06; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/445; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/09; G; G01; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/66; G01F1/663; A61M2025/09175
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
In a device for use in measuring a characteristic of liquid flow in a vessel, a flexible elongate tubular element having proximal and distal extremities and having a wall defining a passage extending therethrough, a coil spring carried by the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular element, the coil spring having a distal extremity and an exterior diameter, a transducer, conductive means connected to the transducer and extending interiorly of the coil spring and of the passage of the flexible elongate tubular element a thin protective insulating conformal coating on the transducer means for securing the transducer with its conformal coating to the distal extremity of the coil spring, said conformal coating on said transducer serving to isolate the transducer from the coil spring, said means for securing said transducer to said coil spring and said transducer with said conformal coating thereon having an exterior diameter no greater than that of the exterior diameter of the coil spring.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
In a device for use in measuring a characteristic of liquid flow in a vessel, a flexible elongate tubular element having proximal and distal extremities and having a wall defining a passage extending therethrough, a coil spring carried by the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular element, the coil spring having a distal extremity and an exterior diameter, a transducer, conductive means connected to the transducer and extending interiorly of the coil spring and of the passage of the flexible elongate tubular element a thin protective insulating conformal coating on the transducer means for securing the transducer with its conformal coating to the distal extremity of the coil spring, said conformal coating on said transducer serving to isolate the transducer from the coil spring, said means for securing said transducer to said coil spring and said transducer with said conformal coating thereon having an exterior diameter no greater than that of the exterior diameter of the coil spring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said flexible elongate element is in the form of a hypodermic tube and wherein the conductive means extends through the hypodermic tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said flexible elongate element is in the form of a guide wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as in claim 1 together with protective means carried by the coil spring and serving to prevent the liquid in the vessel from coming into contact with the conductive means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as in claim 4 wherein said protective means includes a conformal coating carried by the coil spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A device as in claim 5 together with a core wire extending from the hypodermic tube and into the coil spring together with first and second solder joints for connecting the coil spring to the core wire and a protective sheath surrounding the conductive means and extending between the first and second solder joints to protect the conductive means from the liquid in the vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A device as in claim 1 wherein said conformal coating is Parylene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device as in claim 7 wherein said conformal coating has a thickness of approximately 0.0001 inches.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
A guide wire as in claim 8 wherein said conformal coating is Parylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a guide wire for use in measuring a characteristic of liquid flow in a vessel, a flexible elongate tubular element having proximal and distal extremities, a core wire extending through at least a portion of the flexible elongate element and having a tapered distal extremity extending beyond the distal extremity of the tubular element a, coil spring extending over the core wire, the coil spring having a distal extremity and an external diameter, a transducer first and second conductor means carried by the tubular element and connected to the transducer and extending to the distal extremity of the tubular element, means for bonding the tubular element to the core wire and the coil spring to the tubular element to the core wire so that torsional forces applied to the tubular element are supplied to the coil spring, a protective conformal insulating coating on the transducer means for securing the transducer with the conformal coating thereon to the distal extremity of the coil spring, said conformal coating serving to isolate the transducer from the coil spring, said means for securing the transducer to the coil spring and said transducer with the conformal coating thereon having an exterior diameter no greater than the exterior diameter of the coil spring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
208 words
In a guide wire for use in measuring a characteristic of liquid flow in a vessel, a flexible elongate tubular element having proximal and distal extremities, a core wire extending through at least a portion of the flexible elongate element and having a tapered distal extremity extending beyond the distal extremity of the tubular element a, coil spring extending over the core wire, the coil spring having a distal extremity and an external diameter, a transducer first and second conductor means carried by the tubular element and connected to the transducer and extending to the distal extremity of the tubular element, means for bonding the tubular element to the core wire and the coil spring to the tubular element to the core wire so that torsional forces applied to the tubular element are supplied to the coil spring, a protective conformal insulating coating on the transducer means for securing the transducer with the conformal coating thereon to the distal extremity of the coil spring, said conformal coating serving to isolate the transducer from the coil spring, said means for securing the transducer to the coil spring and said transducer with the conformal coating thereon having an exterior diameter no greater than the exterior diameter of the coil spring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said first conductor means includes the flexible tubular element and said second conductor means includes the core wire together with electrical insulation means disposed between the tubular element and the core wire.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
75 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said first conductor means includes a conductive wire helically wound onto said core wire and insulation means insulating said helically wound conductive wire from said tubular element and from said core wire, said insulating means also serving to insulate the tubular element from the core wire so that the tubular element can serve as an electrical noise shield and wherein said second conductor includes said core wire.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said second conductor means also includes a braided conductive element extending from said crystal to said core wire and being electrically connected to said transducer and to said core wire.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 together with a braided wire-like element connecting the distal extremity of said core wire to said transducer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A guide wire as in claim 14 wherein said braided conductive element is formed of at least three strands of a beryllium copper wire.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said transducer has a forwardly facing surface together with a lens having a rounded surface mounted on said forwardly facing surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
A guide wire as in claim 16 wherein the lens is formed of a plastic and wherein the rounded surface is formed by the use of surface tension to provide a rounded surface having a high quality lens surface finish which facilitates the formation of a beam pattern of ultrasonic energy without substantial scattering of ultrasonic energy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said first and second conductors are helically wound onto said core wire together with insulating means for separating said first and second conductors from said core wire and from said flexible elongate element.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said tubular element and said core wire are formed of stainless steel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said coil has at least a portion thereof formed of a material which is relatively opaque to x-rays.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 together with a conductive cable secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular element and having conductors connected to said first and second conductors.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said core wire extends through the length of the flexible elongate tubular element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein the core wire terminates in the tubular element at a point which is spaced a substantial distance from the proximal extremity of the tubular element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said first and second conductor means are in the form of first and second conductive wires extending from the transducer to the proximal extremity of the flexible tubular element.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
A guide wire as in claim 24 together with a braid extending from the transducer interiorally of the coil and a solder joint for securing the braid to the coil at a point spaced from the distal extremity of the coil.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A guide wire as in claim 25 wherein the core wire terminates at a point which is spaced from the transducer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A guide wire as in claim 25 wherein said braid is formed of stainless steel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 together with protective means for preventing the liquid in the vessel from coming into contact with said first and second conductor means to thereby prevent the liquid in the vessel from adversely affecting the conductive properties of the first and second conductor means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A guide wire as in claim 28 wherein said protective means includes a conformal coating extending over the coil.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
79 words
A guide wire as in claim 24 wherein said means for bonding the tubular element to the core wire and the coil to the tubular element and to the core wire includes first and second solder joints together with a sheath of protective material disposed within the coil and extending between the first and second solder joints to protect the first and second conductor means extending therethrough from exposure to the liquid in the vessel and from mechanical abrasion.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
A guide wire as in claim 10 wherein said conformal coating has a thickness of approximately 0.0001 inches.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-12-29 | 1996-06-29 | 1996-12-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-12-29 | 2000-06-29 | 2000-12-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-12-29 | 2004-06-29 | 2004-12-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |