Flow sensor system with connection assembly
A system includes a flow sensor contained within a flow sensor housing, a base, and a seal. The base houses a controller that generates at least one operation modification signal, and the flow sensor is separable from and mountable onto the base. A bottom surface of the flow sensor housing includes the seal. The seal forms a liquid-tight engagement between the flow sensor housing and the base when the flow sensor is mounted onto the base.
1 . A system comprising:
a flow sensor contained within a flow sensor housing, wherein the flow sensor includes at least one sensor to characterize at least one attribute of a fluid from a fluid source and a fluid injection port including luer lock threads engageable with the fluid source;
a base that houses:
a camera that reads one or more attributes of a machine-readable indicia provided on a syringe label of an encoded syringe;
a controller that generates at least one operation modification signal in response to the one or more attributes matching at least one condition specified by at least one rule, wherein the flow sensor is separable from and mountable onto the base, and wherein said at least one sensor is in electrical communication with said controller via a connection between the flow sensor and the base when the flow sensor is mounted onto the base; and
a wireless transmitter that wirelessly transmits the at least one operation modification signal to an external computing device that is external to the base and the flow sensor and that causes the external computing device to display an alarm or transmit a signal back to the controller housed in the base that causes the controller to control the system to stop a flow of the fluid through the flow sensor,
wherein the camera is disposed within or behind a first window in the base, and
wherein, when the flow sensor is mounted on the base and the encoded syringe is connected to the fluid injection port of the flow sensor, the window of the base is aligned with the luer lock threads of the fluid injection port of the flow sensor, such that the machine-readable indicia provided on the syringe label of the encoded syringe is aligned with the window and an axis of the camera.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor includes:
a fluid port having a flow tube;
a fluid inlet at a first end of the flow tube adapted to couple to an outlet of the fluid source;
a fluid outlet at a second end of the flow tube adapted to deliver the fluid from the fluid source to a fluid pathway that provides the fluid to a patient;
at least one pin in electrical communication with the at least one sensor; and
end fittings adapted for securing the flow tube to the end fittings and a first piezo element and a second piezo element that are mounted to the end fittings,
wherein the base further houses:
the wireless transmitter for transmitting the operation modification signal to at least one device, the operation modification signal, when received by the at least one device, causing the at least one device to modify at least one operating parameter; and
at least one contact, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the at least one contact, wherein the connection between the flow sensor and the base includes a cross-component electrical circuit made by said contacts engaging said pins, and wherein the transmitter wirelessly transmits the operation modification signal to at least one device.
3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein said flow tube includes a stainless steel material.
4 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein said first piezo element and said second piezo element are annular in shape and encircle the flow tube at each respective mounting point.
5 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein said flow sensor is disposed of after use to generate one operation modification signal.
6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the base is used with a different flow sensor, wherein the base includes at least one contact, and wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the at least one contact.
7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises cantilevered wings adapted for securing the flow sensor to the base.
8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises a follower and said base further comprises a cam, wherein said follower follows at least a portion of said cam when said flow sensor is mounted to the base.
9 . The system according to claim 8 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises an opening and said base further comprises a protrusion, wherein said opening is sized and shaped to engage said protrusion and said cam is adapted to move a pin on said flow sensor away from said protrusion while said protrusion enters said opening when said flow sensor is mounted to said base.
10 . The system according to claim 9 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises at least one cantilevered wing having a tab adapted for securing the flow sensor to the base by engagement of said tab to at least one lip in the base.
11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one cantilevered wing is deflectable in a direction to allow said tab to release from said at least one lip thereby allowing said flow sensor to become de-mounted from said base.
12 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one cantilevered wing is a pair of cantilevered wings.
13 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises an opening and said base further comprises a protrusion wherein said opening is sized and shaped to engage said protrusion and said protrusion enters said opening when said flow sensor is mounted to said base.
14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises at least one cantilevered wing having a tab adapted for securing the flow sensor to the base by engagement of said tab to at least one lip in the base.
15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one cantilevered wing is deflectable in a direction to allow said tab to release from said at least one lip, thereby allowing said flow sensor to become de-mounted from said base.
16 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one cantilevered wing is a pair of cantilevered wings.
17 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid includes a medication for an injection to a patient, and wherein the wireless transmitter further transmits injection data representing a type of the medication, a dose of the medication, and a time of the dose of the medication to the external computing device.
18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the injection includes an automated injection, and wherein the wireless transmitter automatically transmits the injection data in response to the automated injection.
19 . The system according to claim 17 , further comprising:
the external computing device, wherein the external computing device receives the operation modification signal and the injection data and analyzes the operation modification signal and the injection data according to one or more conditions specified by one or more rules to determine whether to display the alarm or to transmit the signal back to the controller that causes the controller to control the system to stop the flow of the fluid through the flow sensor.
20 . The system according to claim 19 , wherein the external computing device analyzes the operation modification signal and the injection data and displays a type of fluid, a flow rate, a dose history, a dose time, and patient information.