Means for using single force sensor to supply all necessary information for determination of status of medical pump

Abstract

A medical pump, for use with a cassette having a pumping chamber, includes a pumping element with a piston slider assembly which intermittently pressurizes the pumping chamber during a pumping cycle and has a piston head connected to a main body with a single pressure sensor positioned there between. A camshaft is associated with the pumping element, an inlet control element, and an outlet control element for closing the pumping chamber to flow when the pumping chamber is pressurized. A processing unit receives pressure and position data from the pressure sensor and a position sensor associated with the pumping element, and processes this data to determine the operating condition of the pump. The operating conditions determined include: blocked fluid flow, no fluid in the line, no cassette associated with the pump, proper pump priming, or proper valve sealing.

1 . A medical pump for use with a cassette having a pumping chamber, comprising:
 a pumping element adapted to forcibly press on and intermittently pressurize the pumping chamber during a pumping cycle, wherein the pumping element includes a piston head connected to a main body;   means for closing the pumping chamber to flow during at least a portion of the pump cycle when the pumping chamber is pressurized by the pumping element; and   a single pressure sensor operatively connected to the pumping element to detect the pressure exerted by the pumping element on the pumping chamber, the single pressure sensor rigidly connected in a force bearing relationship to at least one of the piston head and the main body.