JPH059555U - Liquid level detector for drip container - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To accurately detect the liquid level for all types of drip containers. [Structure] In a drip flow path of a drip container 6, a detected body 12 having one side 11 formed at 90 ° is arranged. Also, the convex pieces 25A, 25B
The sensor holding portion 13 is attached and fixed to the detected body 12 while engaging the concave groove 26 with the concave groove 26, and the optical axis 14 is aligned with the sensor holding portion 13 through both sides 11A and 11B forming one side 11. Liquid level sensor comprising light projecting means 15A and light receiving means 15B
Provide 15. [Effect] The liquid level of the chemical liquid 33, etc. in the detected body 12 is the optical axis.
When it becomes lower than 14, the light from the light projecting means 15A reaches the light receiving means 15B as it is, so that the light receiving means 15B immediately outputs a detection signal to perform accurate liquid level detection.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a liquid level detection device for a drip container for detecting an infusion completion state by drip or a drip container replacement time.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Generally, an infusion set consisting of an infusion tube, an infusion tube, a clamp, an injection needle, etc. is used to supply a drug solution or the like from a container to a living body, and by inserting the infusion tube into the infusion container, The drug solution is dropped into the drip tube and is infused through the infusion tube. Such a drip injection device is equipped with a liquid level detection device for automatically detecting a drop in the liquid level in the drip container, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-130739 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-160670. As disclosed in, for example, a light emitting means and a light receiving means are attached to the side surface below the drip container as a pair, and a change in the infusion volume in the drip container is detected as a change in the output from the light receiving means. As soon as the volume of infusion drops below a prescribed level, an alarm such as a buzzer is sounded to notify the end state of infusion and the time to replace the drip container.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

 In the above-mentioned prior art, even if the drip containers have the same shape, if the mounting positions of the light projecting means and the light receiving means are slightly different, the light amount level reaching the light receiving means changes greatly, and therefore the light projecting means is changed each time. Since it is necessary to make fine adjustments to the mounting angle between the light receiving means and the light receiving means, or to adjust the amplification factor of the amplifier connected after the light receiving means again, the reliability of liquid level detection is extremely low. It was Moreover, in recent years, instead of the glass type, which is fragile and highly dangerous, the use of synthetic resin-based bag type, which is safe against drop impacts, has been increasing in recent years. Correspondingly, it was not possible to accurately detect the end status of the infusion and the replacement time of the drip container.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above problems and accurately detects the end state of infusion and the replacement time of the drip container for all types of drip containers regardless of the shape and material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid level detection device for an infusion container that enables the above.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 According to the present invention, a transparent detection object having at least one side of a square shape is arranged in the drip flow path for transporting a drug solution or the like in the drip container, and it can be moved vertically with respect to the detection object. As described above, the sensor holding part is attached and fixed, and a liquid level sensor composed of a light projecting means and a light receiving means is provided on the sensor holding part so that the optical axis thereof coincides with both sides forming one side of the object to be detected. ..

[0006]

[Action]

 With the above configuration, when the sensor holding part is attached and fixed to a predetermined location of the detected object during infusion by infusion, it corresponds to the liquid level level corresponding to the end of infusion in which a certain amount of chemical liquid remains or the time to replace the infusion container. Then, the liquid level sensor is set. After that, when the liquid level of the drug solution in the body to be detected drops below the optical axis of the liquid level sensor due to the progress of the infusion, the liquid level sensor determines the liquid level level to be a predetermined level due to the difference in light attenuation caused by the presence or absence of the drug solution. Upon detecting that the level has been reached, based on this detection signal, the notification means provided in the nurse center or the like is activated.

[0007]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, and as shown in the schematic explanatory view of FIG. 1, a ceiling 2 of a hospital room 1 is provided with a guide rail 3 along which the guide rail 3 extends. The moving body 4 is slidably provided. Reference numeral 5 is a suspender attached to the moving body 4, and a transparent synthetic resin bag type drip container 6 containing a liquid medicine or the like is hangably replaceable on the suspender 5. A well-known infusion set consisting of an infusion tube 7, an infusion tube 8, a clamp 9, an injection needle 10 and the like is connected to the infusion container 6 to supply the drug solution in the infusion container 6 to a living body, and in the infusion path. In the middle of a certain infusion tube 8, a transparent cylindrical object 12 having a side 11 formed at 90 ° is provided so as to be fixed to the upper part of the drip tube 7. Reference numeral 13 denotes a sensor holding portion formed in a U-shape. The sensor holding portion 13 is attached and fixed so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the detected body 12, and the sensor holding portion 13 has On both sides, a transmission type photoelectric sensor is constructed so that the optical axis 14 when the detected body 12 is empty is aligned through both sides 11A, 11B forming one side 11 of the detected body 12 and a light projecting means 15A and A liquid level sensor 15 including light receiving means 15B is provided. Further, an amplifier unit 16 is connected to the liquid level sensor 15 via an electric cord 17, and the amplifier unit 16 relays the moving body 4 and uses the electric cord 17 to inform the alarm unit 19 of the nurse center 18 and the bed 20 or It is connected to a notification unit 21 attached in the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 2 shows a liquid level detection unit, and one side surface 11 A of the detected body 12 provided between the drip tube 7 and the infusion tube 8 has a scale for indicating the remaining amount of the drug solution or the like. A portion 22 is formed, and an air valve 23 is formed above the detected body 12. Further, a plurality of pairs of convex pieces 25A, 25B are provided on both ends 24A, 24B of the detected body 12, and one of the convex pieces 25A, 25B and the groove 26 of the sensor holding portion 13 are provided. When the sensor holding portion 13 is attached to the body of the detected body 12 while being engaged with each other, the light projecting means 15A and the light receiving means 15B of the liquid level sensor 15 embedded in the inner surface of the sensor holding portion 13 become the detected body 12 The two faces 11A and 11B are sandwiched, and they face each other. At this time, when the detected body 12 is empty, the optical axes 14 of the light projecting means 15A and the light receiving means 15B coincide with each other, and the detected body is passed through the hole 27 provided on the inner surface of the sensor holding portion 13. It is designed to pass through 12 sides 11A and 11B. Further, the power cord 17 is led out from the lower surface of the sensor holding portion 13, and the amplifier unit 16 connected to the multi-end side of the power cord 17 has a sensitivity adjustment volume, an optical axis adjustment check pin, and an operation indicator lamp (not shown). A stability indicator lamp is also provided. Further, the notification unit 19 provided in the nurse center 18 is provided with a plurality of display lamps 28 corresponding to each hospital room 1, a buzzer 29, a reset button 30, a buzzer stop button 31, etc., and is based on the liquid level sensor 15. The indicator lamp 28 lights up and the buzzer 29 sounds in response to the signal. This may be released by the reset button 30 and the buzzer stop button 31, but the buzzer 29 may be stopped by a timer after a certain period of time. Further, the notification section 21 is provided with one display lamp 28A and one buzzer 29A.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the notification circuit in a state where four liquid level detection devices are connected. As shown in the figure, the commercial power supply is composed of a transformer and a rectifier circuit (not shown), and is connected to a power supply circuit 32 for converting 100 V AC to 24 V DC, and a 24 V DC power supply voltage is supplied to each amplifier unit 16 and relay circuit. .. When the amount of light received by the light receiving means 14B of the liquid level sensor 15 reaches or exceeds a predetermined level, a signal is output from the amplifier unit 16 of the AMP1, for example, and the relay (X1) is energized via the normally closed reset switch 30A. .. As a result, the self-holding relay contact (X1) of the lamp circuit lights up the indicator lamps (OL1) 28, 28A, and the relay contact (X1) of the buzzer circuit is also closed to close the normally closed relay contact (28X1). ) To the relay (BX1), which closes the relay contact (BX1) connected in series with the buzzer (BZ) 29, 29A, and the buzzer (BZ) 29, 29A sounds. In addition, when the reset operation is performed, the relay (X1) is cut off and the relay contact (X1) is opened. Therefore, the display lamps (OL1) 28, 28A are turned off and the relay contact (X1) of the buzzer circuit is also closed. In order to do so, the buzzer (BZ) 29, 29A also stops ringing. On the other hand, when the buzzer stop button 31 is pressed without reset operation, the normally open buzzer stop switch 31A is closed and the relay (PBZX) is energized, and the relay contact (PBZX) is closed and the relay ( Apply electricity to 28X1). As a result, the normally closed relay contact (28X1) is opened and the relay (BX1) is cut off, and the relay contact (BX1) is opened and the buzzer (BZ) 29, 29A stops ringing.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. During infusion by drip, the transparent drip container 6 containing the transparent drug solution 33 and the like is hung on the hanger 5, and the sensor is held while engaging any one of the convex pieces 25A and 25B with the concave groove 26. The portion 13 is attached and fixed to the detected body 12. At this time, when the concave groove 26 is engaged with the uppermost convex pieces 25A and 25B, the liquid level sensor 15 detects whether or not the remaining amount of the chemical liquid 33 or the like has reached 25 CC. It is set at the liquid level position corresponding to the time of replacing the drip container, and then the sensor holding part 13 is attached and fixed to the detected body 12 while moving the engaging position of the convex pieces 25A, 25B and the concave groove 26 downward. Accordingly, the liquid level sensor 15 is set to the liquid level level position for detecting whether the chemical liquid 33 or the like has reached the remaining 15 CC or 5 CC. In this state, when the power supply (not shown) is turned on to start the infusion, the light projecting means 15A emits light when the power is turned on. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, in the state in which the chemical liquid 33 or the like is filled in the detected body 12, the light from the light projecting means 15A is caused by the lens action of the chemical liquid 33 or the like to form one side surface 11A of the detected body 12. Since the light is reflected above, the amount of light reaching the light receiving means 15B is below a predetermined level and no notification is given. On the other hand, when the transfusion progresses and the liquid level of the drug solution 33, etc. in the detected body 12 falls and becomes lower than the optical axis 14, the detected body 12 becomes empty as shown in FIG. As a result, the light from the light projecting means 15A sequentially passes through the one side surface 11A, the detected body 12 and the one side surface 11B, and reaches the light receiving means 15B with almost no refraction and reflection. A detection signal is output because it is above a predetermined level, and the notification unit 19 of the nurse center 18 immediately operates based on this detection signal, the display lamp 28 and the buzzer 29 ring, and the bed 20 is provided. The alarm unit 21 is activated. By this notification, the nurse can go to the hospital room 1 to perform the treatment for ending the infusion or replace the drip container 6.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the sensor holding portion provided with the liquid level sensor 15 including the light projecting means 15A and the light receiving means 15B for the transparent detected body 12 provided in the drip flow path. Since the liquid level sensor 15 always detects the liquid level of the chemical liquid 33 or the like in the detected body 12 disposed in the drip flow path by mounting and fixing 13, the drip container 6 as in the conventional example is used. It is no longer necessary to adjust the mounting angle of the liquid level sensor 15 and the amplification factor of the amplifier unit 16 every time the pump is replaced, and the infusion can be accurately completed for all types of drip containers 6 regardless of the glass type or back type. It is possible to detect the state and the replacement time of the drip container 6. Further, the liquid level sensor 15 is arranged such that the optical axis 14 when the detected body 12 is empty is aligned through both sides 11A and 11B of one side 11 of the detected body 12 formed at 90 ° and the light projecting means 15A and the light receiving means. Since the means 15B is provided, the optical path from the light projecting means 15A advances in directions different by 90 ° between when the detected body 12 is filled with the chemical solution 33 or the like and when it is an empty solution. Since the difference in the amount of received light that reaches 15 B appears remarkably, it is possible to reliably detect the drop in the liquid level of the chemical liquid 33 or the like in the detected body 12 and further improve its reliability. Further, by engaging any one of the plurality of convex pieces 25A, 25B with the concave groove 26, the sensor holding portion 13 can be attached so as to be movable in the vertical direction of the detected body 12. It is also possible to adjust the liquid level detection level according to the drip rate and the distance between the hospital room 1 and the nurse center 18, etc., which greatly improves usability. Moreover, as the effect on the embodiment, since it is formed graduations 22 to indicate the remaining amount of liquid medicine 33 or the like to the body of the detection object 12, a notification unit 19 and an in advance how much of the remaining amount It is possible to determine whether the notification unit 21 operates, the mental anxiety of the patient is removed, and the infusion replacement is appropriately performed by the nurse, and continuous infusion can be smoothly performed.

FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Sensor holding portion 41 in this embodiment movably fixedly attached to an arbitrary position in the vertical direction with respect to the detected body 44 by slide piece 42 and the engaging groove 43, also becomes in advance how much of the remaining amount In order to indicate whether the notification unit 19 and the notification unit 21 operate, a window 45 is formed in the sensor holding unit 41, and score lines 46 are provided on both sides of the window 45. Then, for example, by aligning the ruled line 46 with "25" of the scale portion 47, the liquid level sensor 15 including the light projecting means 15A and the light receiving means 15B provided on the inner surface on the back side of the detected body 44 can detect the detected level. The detection signal is output when the remaining amount of the liquid chemical 33 or the like in the body 42 reaches 25 CC.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the shape and structure of the sensor holding portion are not limited to the embodiments of the present invention, and can be changed as appropriate. In addition to the drug solution, the drug solution and the like include physiological saline, nutrients, blood, and the like.

[0014]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the present invention, a transparent detection object having at least one side of a square shape is arranged in the drip flow path for transporting a drug solution or the like in the drip container, and it can be moved vertically with respect to the detection object. By mounting and fixing the sensor holding part as described above, and by providing the sensor holding part with a liquid level sensor composed of a light projecting means and a light receiving means so that the optical axis thereof coincides with both sides forming one side of the detected body, A liquid level detection device for a drip container capable of accurately detecting the end state of infusion and the replacement time of the drip container for all types of drip containers regardless of their shapes and materials.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a first embodiment of the present invention in a use state.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same device.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the same as above.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a case in which a chemical liquid or the like is filled in the detection target.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where the detected object is in an empty liquid state.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Drip container 8 Tube 11 One side 11A, 11B Both sides 12 Detected body 13 Sensor holding part 14 Optical axis 15 Liquid level sensor 15A Light emitting means 15B Light receiving means

Claims (1)

[Claims for utility model registration] [Claim 1] A transparent detection object having at least one side formed in a square shape is disposed in a drip flow path for transporting a drug solution or the like in a drip container, and the detection object is A sensor holding part is attached and fixed so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and a liquid composed of a light projecting means and a light receiving means is arranged so that the optical axis of the sensor holding part coincides with both sides forming one side of the object to be detected. A liquid level detection device for a drip container, which is provided with a position sensor.