Medical infusion apparatus - has tube clamp released by timer and closed by drop detecting photoelectric cell

摘要

The apparatus has a drip chamber for connection by flexible tube to the patient, the tube being equipped with a stop clamp controlled by a timer, and the frequency of the drops passing the chamber is monitored by a photoelectric cell. The clamp is released by the successive control signals emitted by the timer, and closed by those from the cell resulting from passage of a drop. An alarm signal can be emitted whenever no drop is detected by the cell between two successive timer impulses. The clamp can be opened by an actuator and spring-loaded into the closed position. It can be so arranged that it compresses the tube upwards on closing. This creates a back-pressure preventing release of a drop on clamp closure. The timer can be in the form of a digital adjustable frequency divider, energised by a battery on mains failure, an alarm signal being emitted at the same time.