INFUSION SYSTEM, ROTOR MODULE FOR USE IN SUCH AN INFUSION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A FLOW RATE OF AN INFUSION FLUID IN SUCH AN INFUSION SYSTEM

Abstract

An infusion system includes a chamber for accommodating an infusion fluid and an infusion line for transferring the infusion fluid from the chamber. The infusion line includes at least a rotor module or is connected to a rotor module at least at a downstream end of the infusion line. The rotor module includes a rotor that is drivable by the infusion fluid.

Claims

1. An infusion system comprising: a chamber for accommodating an infusion fluid; and an infusion line for transferring the infusion fluid from the chamber, the infusion line comprising or connected to a rotor module at least at a downstream end of the infusion line, the rotor module comprising a rotor that is drivable by the infusion fluid, and the chamber comprising an infusion reservoir of an elastomeric pump.

2. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the rotor is at least in certain areas visible from the outside via a transparent housing portion of the rotor module.

3. The infusion system according to claim 2, wherein the rotor comprises at least one mark observable via the transparent housing portion at least during its passing of the transparent housing portion.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion line comprises a flow rate reducer between the infusion reservoir and the rotor module.

7. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion line and/or the rotor module comprises a filter, and the rotor is arranged downstream of the filter in a downstream direction.

8. The infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the infusion system comprises an optical detection unit, by which the rotational frequency of the rotor is detectable.

9. A rotor module for use in the infusion system according to claim 1, wherein the rotor module comprises a connection for being connected to an infusion line, and the rotor module comprises a rotor which is arranged such that the infusion fluid is routable via the rotor to a downstream outlet of the rotor module.

10. A method for determining a flow rate of the infusion fluid in the infusion system according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: acquiring a rotational frequency of the rotor; and converting the rotational frequency into a flow rate of the infusion fluid.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein acquisition of the rotational frequency of the rotor is carried out via an optical detection unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the optical detection unit acquires the rotational frequency of the rotor via a mark provided on the rotor.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the optical detection unit displays the flow rate.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the optical detection unit is mobile.

15. A computer-implemented method for determining a flow rate of an infusion fluid in an infusion system according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: triggering an acquisition of a rotational frequency of the rotor; converting the rotational frequency of the rotor into a flow rate of the infusion fluid; and displaying and/or storing the flow rate of the infusion fluid and/or transferring the flow rate of the infusion fluid to an external display device and/or storage device.

16. A computer program product comprising commands, which when executed cause it to execute the computer-implemented method according to claim 15.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0047] Features, functionalities and advantages of the invention are also described below with reference to the drawings by way of exemplary embodiments.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an infusion system according to a first exemplary embodiment; and

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an infusion system according to a second exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The schematic view of an infusion system 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment represented in in FIG. 1 shows a chamber 10, here, a drip chamber 10 of a gravity or pressure infusion system. In the flow direction of the infusion fluid indicated by the arrows, a rotor module 20 with a rotor 21 is subsequent to the infusion line 30. Here, the rotor module 21 is comprised by the infusion line 30, but may also be arranged downstream of the infusion line 30 in the flow direction of the infusion fluid and connected thereto and in turn comprises a further line or a connection to further components on a fluid outlet side, i.e. on the side on which an outlet is provided for the infusion fluid flowed through the rotor module. The rotor module 20 also need not be directly connected to the infusion line adjoining the drip chamber, but may also form such a connection indirectly via components arranged therebetween.

[0051] The rotor module 20 comprises a transparent housing portion 22 on a side that permits a view of the rotational axis of the rotor 21 and/or of a portion of the rotor 21 extending radially with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor 21, that is, a portion in a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor 21. In the embodiment shown, both the rotor 21 perpendicular to the rotational axis and the mark 23 are optically detectable via the transparent housing portion 22. The mark 23 comprises two perpendicular marking lines that intersect in the rotational axis. The mark is detected by the optical detection unit 40, here configured as a scanner, and hereby the rotational speed of the rotor is determined. For example, the marking lines form a virtual line pattern as a function of the rotational speed, i.e. a line pattern deviating from the actual marking lines in a resting state, wherein the rotational speed may be derived by the distance between the virtual lines. Alternatively, the change in a position of the mark 23 or a marking line of the mark 23 may be used to determine the rotational speed. Since the inlet cross section A is known, the optical detection unit 41 may calculate the current flow rate of the infusion fluid from the rotational speed of the rotor 21. For this purpose, the optical detection unit may also comprise an input unit, via which predetermined inlet cross sections A may be selected and/or input, provided that variants may occur. The flow rate converted from the rotational speed is subsequently displayed in the display 41 of the optical detection unit 40. The optical detection unit 40 may also transmit the determined rotational speed and/or the converted flow rate to external display devices and/or storage devices.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an infusion system 1′ according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention, in which the same reference signs designate the same or corresponding elements. In this second embodiment, the chamber 10′ is an infusion reservoir of an elastomeric pump. Again, an infusion line 30, which comprises a flow rate reducer 50, a filter 60, and a rotor module 20, follows in the flow direction of the infusion fluid from the chamber 10′. The determination of the rotational speed of the rotor 21 is carried out analogously to the procedure described for the first embodiment.

[0053] The flow rate reducer 50, which is here configured as a roller clamp, may change the flow rate of the infusion fluid. For example, if an inadmissible deviation of the flow rate is detected via the rotational speed of the rotor 21, the flow rate may be adjusted to a predetermined target value or an admissible range of the flow rate. Accordingly, the flow rate reducer in particularly arranged upstream of the rotor module 20 in order to allow to check the result of the adjustment.

[0054] The filter 60 is provided in the detection line to filter potential particles from the infusion fluid. Accordingly, the rotor module is arranged downstream of the filter 60 in order to determine the result the rotational speed and therefore the flow rates, without the influence by potential particles.

[0055] Alternatively to the first optical detection unit 40 in FIG. 1 for the first embodiment, FIG. 2 shows an optical detection unit 40′, which is here configured as a smartphone. As indicated by the dashed lines, the rotational speed of the rotor 21 may be detected via the camera lens of the smartphone. For this purpose, a scanner function of the camera or an image processing program, which, for example, evaluates a video sequence is used. At the same time, the display of the smartphone or the optical detection unit 40′, respectively, shows an operating instruction, via which the user is instructed to hold the smartphone still during the detection process. For this purpose, it may be provided that the display indicates whether the optical detection unit 40′ is held sufficiently still by means of visual, acoustic or haptic signs. For example, the display may have a green background when the smartphone is held still, while increasing movement results in a discoloration from green to red until, for example, the measurement is terminated or discarded at a movement threshold. In addition to optical indications, however, an acoustic signal or an acoustic signal sequence and/or haptic signals, such as a vibration corresponding to a movement of the optical detection unit 40′, may also be used alternatively or in addition.

[0056] The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Also, details given to various embodiments are in principle transferable to other embodiments, provided that they are not mutually exclusive. Even if a scanner has been described for the first and second embodiments, this does not have to be designed as a pure scanner unit, but may also be provided via a smartphone, as in FIG. 2, or a tablet. Accordingly, the scanner may also be adapted by a camera or a camera may be used with an image processing program that is not necessarily limited to scanner-adapting acquisition methods. Smartphones and tablets with application programs installed on them are a familiar medium for users. Thus, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a tablet (computer) may be used instead of a smartphone. In addition, a process sequence guided by the application program may reduce errors for inexperienced users and generally simplify the process flow.