Granted Patent B2

US 8,747,376 · App. 13/733,778 · Granted Jun 10, 2014

Abstract

Claims (47)

1. A method for detecting a fill status of a canister of fluid in a tissue treatment system, the method comprising:

creating a reduced pressure in a fluid communication path of the tissue treatment system;

applying the reduced pressure to a tissue site;

collecting fluid from the tissue site in the canister;

releasing the reduced pressure;

measuring a decay of the reduced pressure as the reduced pressure is released; and

determining from the measured decay a fill status of the canister.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reduced pressure is released in at least a portion of the fluid communication path.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill status indicates that the canister is full or is not full.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the decay comprises:

setting a pressure threshold below the reduced pressure;

upon release of the reduced pressure, measuring the time for the canister to attain the pressure threshold; and

determining the fill status of the canister based on the measured time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein releasing the reduced pressure and measuring the decay comprises:

releasing the reduced pressure for a selected amount of time;

measuring a pressure attained within the at least a portion of the fluid communication path following the selected amount of time; and

determining the fill status of the canister based on the pressure attained.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein releasing the reduced pressure and measuring the decay comprises:

releasing the reduced pressure for a selected amount of time;

measuring a flow rate from the fluid communication path during the reduced pressure release; and

determining a fill status of the canister based on the flow rate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a fill status includes determining a fill level.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the fill level of the canister indicates a full canister, alerting a user that the canister is full.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid communication path includes the canister, a source conduit fluidly connecting the canister to a reduced pressure source, and a target conduit fluidly connecting the canister to the tissue site.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill status indicates a blockage in the fluid communication path.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill status indicates a blockage in the fluid communication path between the tissue site and the canister.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill status differentiates between a full canister and a blockage in the fluid communication path.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

closing a valve between the tissue site and the canister while releasing the reduced pressure; and

determining an empty volume of the canister from the measured decay.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

closing a valve between the tissue site and the canister while releasing the reduced pressure;

determining an empty volume of the canister from the measured decay; and

monitoring the empty volume to determine a fluid flow rate from the tissue site.

15. A method for providing reduced pressure treatment to a tissue site, the method comprising:

delivering a reduced pressure to the tissue site through a fluid communication path;

detecting a blockage within the fluid communication path;

releasing the reduced pressure in the fluid communication path through a valve for a selected amount of time;

determining a decay of the reduced pressure over the selected amount of time; and

determining a fill status of a canister in the fluid communication path based on the decay of reduced pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the fill status comprises differentiating between a full canister and a blocked conduit in the fluid communication path.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein releasing the reduced pressure comprises releasing the reduced pressure to atmosphere.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the selected amount of time is less than or equal to one second.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising signaling a blockage alarm.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising signaling a first alarm if the fill status of the canister is full and a second alarm if the fill status of the canister is not full.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the fill status comprises differentiating between a full canister and a blocked conduit in the fluid communication path; signaling a first alarm for the full canister; and signaling a second alarm for the blocked conduit.

Assignments (6)