Flow sensor system and method for using same

1. A flow sensor system for detecting the presence or absence of flow through a conduit of an enteral feeding system, comprising:

a substantially planar front portion;

a substantially U-shaped channel formed in the front portion and configured to retain the conduit therein, the channel dimensioned to maintain a round cross-sectional geometry of the conduit without compressing the conduit within the channel;

a heat source disposed at a first location at a first portion of the conduit;

a heat detector disposed at a second location at a first portion of the conduit; and

a controller configured to perform the following steps:

determining a reference temperature T1 of a liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

activating the heat source;

measuring a second temperature T2 of the liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

calculating the difference between the reference and second temperatures; and

determining from the difference between the reference and second temperatures whether a partial or complete occlusion is present in the conduit.

2. The flow sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the heat source includes an IR LED.

3. The flow sensor system of claim 2 , further comprising a photodiode IR sensor at a location proximate the IR LED, wherein the photodiode IR sensor is configured to be illuminated by the IR LED, and whereby the photodiode IR sensor is used to detect the presence of the conduit in the channel.

4. The flow sensor system of claim 2 , wherein the IR LED is configured to elevate the temperature of a portion of a fluid in the conduit.

5. The flow sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the temperature is elevated by about 3.5° C.

6. The flow sensor system of claim 4 , wherein the fluid portion with the elevated fluid temperature moves downstream through the conduit with fluid flow therethrough.

7. The flow sensor system of claim 6 , wherein the fluid portion with the elevated fluid temperature passes the heat detector, and such passage causes a voltage output versus time.

8. The flow sensor system of claim 7 , wherein the time ranges from 10 seconds to 240 seconds.

9. The flow sensor system of claim 7 , further comprising a controller memory, wherein the voltage output versus time is compared to response curves stored in the controller memory, whereby the comparison allows a user to determine the presence or absence of fluid flow in the conduit.

10. The flow sensor system of claim 9 , wherein the response curves stored in the controller memory include those for reference flows.

11. The flow sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the heat detector includes a thermopile sensor.

12. The flow sensor system of claim 1 , wherein the front portion includes a protrusion adjacent the channel, the protrusion being configured to secure the conduit within the channel.

13. A flow sensor system for detecting the presence or absence of flow through a conduit of an enteral feeding system, comprising:

a substantially planar front portion;

a substantially U-shaped channel formed in the front portion and configured to retain the conduit therein, the channel dimensioned to maintain a round cross-sectional geometry of the conduit without compressing the conduit within the channel;

a heat source disposed at a first location at a first portion of the conduit, the heat source including an IR LED;

a photodiode IR sensor, at a location proximate the IR LED, wherein the photodiode IR sensor is configured to be illuminated by the IR LED, and whereby the photodiode IR sensor is used to detect the presence of the conduit in the channel;

a heat detector disposed at a second location at a second portion of the conduit, the heat detector including a thermopile sensor; and

a controller configured to perform the following steps:

determining a reference temperature T1 of a liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

activating the heat source;

measuring a second temperature T2 of the liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

calculating the difference between the reference and second temperatures; and

determining from the difference between the reference and second temperatures whether a partial or complete occlusion is present in the conduit.

14. The flow sensor system of claim 13 , wherein the IR LED is configured to elevate the temperature of a portion of a fluid in the conduit.

15. The flow sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the temperature is elevated by about 3.5° C.

16. The flow sensor system of claim 14 , wherein the fluid portion with the elevated fluid temperature moves downstream through the conduit with fluid flow therethrough.

17. The flow sensor system of claim 16 , wherein the fluid portion with the elevated fluid temperature passes the heat detector, and such passage causes a voltage output versus time.

18. The flow sensor system of claim 17 , wherein the time ranges from 10 seconds to 240 seconds.

19. The flow sensor system of claim 17 , further comprising a controller memory, wherein the voltage output versus time is compared to response curves stored in the controller memory, whereby the comparison allows a user to determine the presence or absence of fluid flow in the conduit.

20. The flow sensor system of claim 19 , wherein the response curves stored in the controller memory include those for reference flows.

21. The flow sensor system of claim 13 , wherein the front portion includes a protrusion adjacent the channel, the protrusion being configured to secure the conduit within the channel.

22. A method of detecting the presence or absence of flow of a liquid nutrient formula through a conduit of an enteral feeding system, comprising the steps of:

providing a flow sensor system for detecting the presence or absence of flow through the conduit, the flow sensor system including

a substantially planar front portion,

a substantially U-shaped channel formed in the front portion and configured to retain the conduit therein, the channel dimensioned to maintain a round cross-sectional geometry of the conduit without compressing the conduit within the channel,

a heat source disposed at a first location at a first portion of the conduit and

a heat detector disposed at a second location at a second portion of the conduit;

determining a reference temperature T 1 of the liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

activating the heat source;

measuring a second temperature T 2 of the liquid nutrient formula at the second location;

calculating the difference between the reference and second temperatures; and

determining from the difference between the reference and second temperatures whether a partial or complete occlusion is present in the conduit.