Sensing system for multiple lumen tubing
A multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) includes medical tubing ( 20 ) having a plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) and at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) extending in an axial direction of the medical tubing, wherein the secondary passageway is between the plurality of lumens. The multi-lumen sensing system may include a sensing receptacle ( 30 ) defining a channel ( 32 ) in which a lengthwise portion of the medical tubing is received. A plurality of ultrasonic transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) may be arranged within the secondary passageway of the medical tubing or as part of the sensing receptacle for transmitting respective ultrasonic signals across the lumens to a corresponding plurality of ultrasonic receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R) of the sensing receptacle. Alternatively, the sensing receptacle may include a plurality of ultrasonic transmitting and receiving elements ( 40, 42, 44 ) transmitting respective signals across the lumens for return reflection at an interface of the secondary passageway.
1. A multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) comprising medical tubing ( 20 ) including a plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) and at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) extending in an axial direction of the medical tubing ( 20 ), wherein each secondary passageway ( 24 ) is between the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B);
wherein the plurality of lumens extend parallel to one another and parallel to the secondary passageway;
wherein the multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) further comprises a sensing receptacle ( 30 ) defining a passage ( 32 ) in which a lengthwise portion of the medical tubing ( 20 ) is received; and
wherein the at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) contains a plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) each transmitting a respective ultrasonic signal across a corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B), and the sensing receptacle ( 30 ) includes a plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R) respectively corresponding to the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T), each of the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R) being arranged to receive the respective ultrasonic signal from a corresponding one of the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) after the ultrasonic signal has passed through the corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B).
2. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) contains an acoustic isolation medium to acoustically isolate the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) from one another.
3. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the acoustic isolation medium has an acoustic impedance different from an acoustic impedance of a material from which the medical tubing ( 20 ) is formed.
4. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the acoustic isolation medium is air.
5. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) is a single secondary passageway containing the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T).
6. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , further comprising an acoustic damping member ( 46 ) within the secondary passageway ( 24 ) between the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T).
7. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control unit ( 50 ) connected to the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) and the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R), wherein the control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) and to receive output voltage signals from the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R).
8. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the electronic control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) at a plurality of respective frequencies, each of the plurality of respective frequencies being unique.
9. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the lengthwise portion of the medical tubing ( 20 ) received by the passage ( 32 ) has an external shape configured to fit within the passage ( 32 ) in only one possible orientation.
10. A multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) comprising medical tubing ( 20 ) including a plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) and at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) extending in an axial direction of the medical tubing ( 20 ), wherein each secondary passageway ( 24 ) is between the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B);
wherein the plurality of lumens extend parallel to one another and parallel to the secondary passageway;
wherein the multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) further comprises a sensing receptacle ( 30 ) defining a passage ( 32 ) in which a lengthwise portion of the medical tubing ( 20 ) is received; and
wherein the sensing receptacle ( 30 ) includes a plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) each transmitting a respective ultrasonic signal across a corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B), and a plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R) respectively corresponding to the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T), each of the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R) being arranged to receive the respective ultrasonic signal from a corresponding one of the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) after the ultrasonic signal has passed through the corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B).
11. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the respective ultrasonic signals transmitted by the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) are directed to propagate parallel to one another.
12. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 10 , further comprising an electronic control unit ( 50 ) connected to the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) and the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R), wherein the control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) and to receive output voltage signals from the plurality of receiving elements ( 40 R, 42 R).
13. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the electronic control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting elements ( 40 T, 42 T) at a plurality of respective frequencies, each of the plurality of respective frequencies being unique.
14. A multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) comprising medical tubing ( 20 ) including a plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) and at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) extending in an axial direction of the medical tubing ( 20 ), wherein each secondary passageway ( 24 ) is between the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B);
wherein the plurality of lumens extend parallel to one another and parallel to the secondary passageway;
wherein the multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) further comprises a sensing receptacle ( 30 ) defining a passage ( 32 ) in which a lengthwise portion of the medical tubing ( 20 ) is received; and
wherein the sensing receptacle ( 30 ) includes a plurality of transmitting and receiving elements ( 40 , 42 , 44 ) each transmitting a respective ultrasonic signal across a corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B) and receiving the respective ultrasonic signal after reflection of the respective ultrasonic signal at an interface of the at least one secondary passageway ( 24 ) and passage of the reflected ultrasonic signal through the corresponding one of the plurality of lumens ( 22 A, 22 B).
15. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 14 , further comprising an electronic control unit ( 50 ) connected to the plurality of transmitting and receiving elements ( 40 , 42 , 44 ) wherein the control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting and receiving elements ( 40 , 42 , 44 ) and to receive output voltage signals from the plurality of transmitting and receiving elements ( 40 , 42 , 44 ).
16. The multi-lumen sensing system ( 10 ) according to claim 15 , wherein the electronic control unit ( 50 ) is configured to drive the plurality of transmitting and receiving elements ( 40 , 42 , 44 ) at a plurality of respective frequencies, each of the plurality of respective frequencies being unique.