System and method for distinguishing leaks from a disengaged canister condition in a reduced pressure treatment system
View Patent ↗A method of distinguishing leak detection and canister disengagement in a reduced pressure treatment system includes monitoring an actual power level and a source pressure of a reduced pressure pump. The actual power level is compared to a target power level, and the source pressure is compared to a first alarm pressure and a second alarm pressure. A leak alarm is indicated when the actual power level is greater than the target power level and the source pressure is greater than the first alarm pressure. A canister disengaged alarm is indicated when the actual power level is greater than the target power level and the source pressure is less than the second alarm pressure.
1. A method of distinguishing a leak condition from a canister disengagement condition in a reduced pressure treatment system, the method comprising:
monitoring an actual power level of a reduced pressure pump;
monitoring a source pressure of the reduced pressure pump;
comparing the actual power level to a target power level;
comparing the source pressure to a first alarm pressure and a second alarm pressure;
indicating a leak alarm when the actual power level is greater than the target power level and the source pressure is greater than the first alarm pressure; and
indicating a canister disengaged alarm when the actual power level is greater than the target power level and the source pressure is less than the second alarm pressure.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second alarm pressures are equal.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indicating steps further comprise audibly indicating.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the indicating steps further comprise visually indicating.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein monitoring the source pressure further comprises sensing the source pressure with a pressure sensor.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
delaying indicating of the alarms until the actual power level has exceeded the target power level for a selected period of time.
7. A method of distinguishing a leak condition from a canister disengagement condition in a reduced pressure treatment system, the method comprising:
monitoring an actual power level of a reduced pressure source;
comparing the actual power level to a target power level using a processing unit; and
in response to the actual power level exceeding the target power level for a selected period of time, communicating, by the processing unit, at least one of a leak alarm signal and a canister disengaged alarm signal to an alarm indicator, wherein the alarm indicator generates an alarm in response to receiving the at least one of the leak alarm signal and the canister disengaged alarm signal.
8. The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising:
monitoring a source pressure determined by a sensor in communication with the reduced pressure source; and
comparing the source pressure to a first alarm pressure and a second alarm pressure.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the processing unit communicates the leak alarm signal when the source pressure determined by the sensor is greater than the first alarm pressure.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the processing unit communicates the canister disengaged alarm signal when the source pressure determined by the sensor is less than the second alarm pressure.
11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:
the processing unit is configured to communicate the leak alarm signal when the source pressure determined by the sensor is greater than the first alarm pressure;
the processing unit is configured to communicate the canister disengaged alarm signal when the source pressure determined by the sensor is less than the second alarm pressure; and
the first alarm pressure is equal to the second alarm pressure.
12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.
13. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the alarm indicator is a speaker and the alarm is a sound produced by the speaker.
14. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the alarm indicator is a visual alarm indicator.
15. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the reduced pressure source is a reduced pressure pump.
16. A method of distinguishing a leak condition from a canister disengagement condition in a reduced pressure treatment system, the method comprising:
monitoring an actual power level of a reduced pressure source;
comparing the actual power level to a target power level;
monitoring a source pressure determined by a sensor in communication with the reduced pressure source;
comparing the source pressure to a first alarm pressure and a second alarm pressure;
in response to the actual power level exceeding the target power level for a selected period of time and the source pressure being greater than the first alarm pressure, communicating to an alarm indicator a leak alarm signal;
generating a first alarm by the alarm indicator in response to receiving the leak alarm signal;
in response to the actual power level exceeding the target power level for the selected period of time and the source pressure being less than the first alarm pressure, communicating to the alarm indicator a canister disengaged signal; and
generating a second alarm by the alarm indicator in response to receiving the canister disengaged signal.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the alarm indicator is a speaker and the first and second alarms are a sound produced by the speaker.
18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the alarm indicator is a visual alarm indicator.
19. The method according the claim 16 , wherein the first alarm is distinctive from the second alarm.
20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the reduced pressure source is a reduced pressure pump.