SAFETY MONITORING APPARATUS FOR PATIENT CARE SYSTEM

• Main Authors: DUFFY ROBERT J, SEVERE LON M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.05.2008
• Subjects: ALARM SYSTEMS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; FUNERAL DEVICES; HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONTECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING ORPROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTEDFOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; PHYSICS; SIGNALLING; SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; TRANSPORT OR ACCOMODATION FOR PATIENTS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a safety monitoring apparatus which provide protection in the event of alarm condition or failure in a patient care system. SOLUTION: The safety monitoring apparatus is an independent functional unit within a device such as an infusion pump unit (100) which provides single-fault protection in the event of an alarm condition or failure in the pump itself or in the primary control and monitoring means (110) of the pump (100). The safety monitor utilizes control and signal inputs and can detect fault conditions independently of the primary control and monitoring means (110) of the pump. Parameters which the safety monitoring apparatus may independently monitor in an infusion pump (100) include motor control, air-in-line, flow-stop detection, mechanism motion, pressure sensing, door position sensing, and total volume infused. If a fault condition is sensed, the safety monitor can notify the primary control means, independently shut down fluid delivery, or sequentially do both. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT