FLUID INJECTION SYSTEM WITH ILLUMINATED FLUID RESERVOIR.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ACIST MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
Smart Images
Figure MX433764B0
Abstract
Description
The description concerns fluid injection systems. Background of the Invention Many medical imaging procedures, such as angiography, involve injecting a contrast fluid into a patient. Angiography is a procedure used in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions, including abnormalities or restrictions in blood vessels. During angiography, an X-ray image of the heart or vascular structure is obtained by injecting contrast fluid through a catheter into the patient's vasculature (for example, the coronary artery). The injected contrast fluid can pass into vascular structures in fluid communication with the blood vessel into which the injection is made. X-rays are passed through the region of the body into which the contrast fluid was injected. The X-rays are absorbed by the contrast fluid, producing a radiographic outline or image of the vasculature containing the contrast fluid.Contrast injection can also be used in conjunction with other medical procedures, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging, computed tomography (CT) imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and interventional device procedures / placements. Brief Description of the Invention In general, this document describes a fluid injection system with a particular light source configured to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir. In some cases, the light source illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir by shining through one end of the reservoir and using the fluid inside to refract the light, thus illuminating the interior of the reservoir. In other cases, the light source focuses and directs the light toward a reflector that reflects the light off a peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir. In any case, providing a light specifically configured to illuminate the inside of the fluid reservoir offers numerous benefits. For example, if there are bubbles in the fluid reservoir, it could be harmful to the patient receiving the injection, as injecting air into a patient's body could have adverse health effects. In such cases, a light configured to illuminate the inside of the fluid reservoir can facilitate the identification of these bubbles, rather than relying on any ambient light entering the reservoir from an external source. zznnn / cznz / E / Yuu In other instances, the light can provide additional functionality beyond simply illuminating the inside of the fluid reservoir for bubble identification. For example, the light source can be configured to change a characteristic of the light itself based on the operating status of the fluid injection system. The light source can use various light characteristics, such as brightness, color, flashing pattern, number of individual lights within the light source being illuminated, or some combination thereof, to provide information regarding one or more injection rates, fluid volume in the reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, refill rate, or error status.When a user is operating a fluid injection system, they must monitor several elements, including the patient, injection site, injection fluid, controller, any displays, and other personnel assisting the patient. By using light indicators to signal the operating status of the fluid injection system, the system reduces the number of devices the user needs to monitor for important information and can also reduce the amount of data that needs to be generated and transmitted by the controller. In one example, the description concerns a fluid injection system. The fluid injection system includes an injector housing. The fluid injection system also includes a sleeve coupled to the injector housing. The sleeve is configured to receive and secure a fluid reservoir. The fluid injection system further includes a lighting assembly coupled to the injector housing. The lighting assembly includes a light source configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir. In another example, the description concerns a method that includes controlling, by means of one or more processors of a fluid injection system, a light source in a lighting assembly of the fluid injection system to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir, where the fluid reservoir is secured by a sleeve coupled to an injector housing of the fluid injection system. The method further includes determining, by means of the one or more processors of the fluid injection system, the operating status of the fluid injection system. The method also includes setting or configuring, by means of one or more processors, one or more characteristics - of the light source to be indicative - of the operating status of the fluid injection system. In another example, the description concerns a computer-readable, non-transient storage medium containing instructions. When executed, the instructions cause one or more processors to control a light source in a fluid injection system lighting assembly to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir secured by a sleeve attached to an injector housing of the fluid injection system. The instructions, when executed, further cause one or more processors to determine the operating status of the fluid injection system. The instructions, when executed, also cause one or more processors to configure one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system. Details of one or more examples of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the description and drawings and from the claims. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a motorized fluid injector, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a more detailed example of a computing device configured to perform the techniques described herein. Figures 3A-3E are side views of several examples of a fluid reservoir and a light configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. Figures 4A-4B are side-by-side examples of a fluid reservoir and a light configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir, in accordance with one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. Figures 5A-5F include multiple potential pattern diagrams for a light diffuser configured to diffuse light, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an example process for a light source to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir in a fluid injection system, based on the operating state of the fluid injection system, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. Detailed Description Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a motorized fluid injector 100. In operation, the motorized fluid injector 100 can inject a quantity of fluid into a patient, for example, into a patient's blood vessel via a catheter. The fluid injected by the motorized fluid injector 100 can be, for example, a contrast fluid, a non-contrast fluid (e.g., saline solution), or a combination of both. By injecting a quantity of fluid into a patient, the motorized fluid injector 100 can facilitate a variety of medical diagnostics and / or interventional procedures, including the acquisition of imaging data representing an anatomical region of interest.These procedures may include, as examples, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging, computed tomography (CT) imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), angiographic procedures, and interventional device procedures / placements. The illustrated motorized fluid injector 100 includes a drive assembly housing 102 (also referred to herein as the injector housing) and a sleeve 104. The sleeve 104 can be attached to the drive assembly housing 102. For example, the drive assembly housing 102 may include an opening, and the sleeve 104 can be secured to the drive assembly housing 102 at or near such an opening. The sleeve 104 can extend from the drive assembly housing 102 and can be configured to receive and contain a fluid reservoir 106 (also referred to herein as the fluid reservoir). The fluid reservoir 106 can have an internal reservoir volume containing a fluid and can include a plunger. 108 within the internal storage volume.The plunger 108 can be manufactured from various components, including a wiper configured to move proximally and distally within the fluid reservoir 106 and a ram extending from the drive assembly housing 102 to the sleeve 104 and configured to engage with the wiper when the fluid reservoir 106 is received and secured in the sleeve 104 and to drive the wiper proximally and distally according to instructions received from the controller 110 coupled to the drive assembly housing 102. At least a portion of a drive assembly can be housed within the drive assembly housing 102. The drive assembly can be configured to pressurize the fluid within the internal reservoir volume. For example, the drive assembly can be coupled to the plunger 108, as in the opening in the drive assembly housing 102, and drive the plunger 108 into the internal reservoir volume. As the plunger 108 is driven progressively into the fluid reservoir 106, the fluid within the internal reservoir volume can exit the fluid reservoir 106 along the tube 109, which leads to a catheter 126 that is inserted into the patient's blood vessel to inject the fluid into the vasculature. In certain applications of the myocorized fluid injector 100, the outlet fluid, such as contrast medium, can be pressurized to a pressure between 6,095 KPa (1000 psi (pounds per square inch)) and 10,342 KPa (1500 psi) (e.g., 8,274 KPa (1200 psi)).The illustrated example of the 100 motorized fluid injector includes several features that can be useful for pressurizing and supplying fluid during operation. The 100 motorized fluid injector may include a 110 controller. The 110 controller may include a user interface for various operational aspects. For example, the 110 controller may be used by a user to configure various parameters and / or protocols to be used for a given fluid injection procedure. In one example, the user may interact with the 110 controller to enter fluid injection parameters, such as flow rate, injection volume (e.g., maximum), injection pressure limit (e.g., maximum), fluid injection duration, rise time, and / or other injection parameters. In one example, the 110 controller includes a touchscreen panel that allows the user to view and modify the injection parameters.Controller 110 can also be used to initialize the motorized fluid injector 100 (e.g., zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi) to prepare it for fluid injection into a patient; or to activate certain features or operating sequences. Controller 110 can also provide status information, including information related to past or currently ongoing injection procedures, as well as any appropriate alerts. Controller 110 may include an imaging engine that has one or more processors to control the operation of the motorized fluid injector 100. Such processors can also control other components, such as the drive assembly, a peristaltic pump 112 (when present), and / or any sensors and detectors included in the motorized fluid injector 100. In addition to the controller 110, the illustrated motorized fluid injector 100 includes a manual control device 113 for user input. The manual control device 113 can be coupled to the controller 110 wirelessly or via a wired connection. In other examples, the manual control device 113 can be connected to a component of the motorized fluid injector 100 other than the controller 110, such as the drive assembly housing 102. The manual control device 113 can generate and send various signals related to an injection procedure to the controller 110 or another connected component. A user can actuate one or more interface components on the manual control device 113 to control an injection procedure.For example, the user may use the manual control device 113 as a variable speed control device to alter the fluid flow rate output of the motorized fluid injector 100 and / or as a mechanism to start or stop a fluid injection. The manual control device 113 may include an external controller body that is sized to be held in one hand by a user. In other cases, the manual control device 113 may be of a different size, such as for the user to hold it with both hands or sit on a surface during operation. The motorized fluid injector 100 may also include one or more components useful for supplying fluid to be used in an injection procedure. A container 114 may include a fluid supply, such as a contrast medium, and be secured to a support 116 on the motorized fluid injector 100. The fluid from the container 114 may be supplied to the fluid reservoir 106 for use during an injection procedure. For example, fluid from the container 114 may be drawn into the fluid reservoir 106 when the plunger 108 is retracting (e.g., moving in a direction toward the drive assembly housing 102) and thus filling the volume of the internal reservoir.Similarly, when the motorized fluid injector 100 includes the peristaltic pump 112, a second container 113 may contain a fluid supply, such as a flushing medium (e.g., saline solution), and be secured to a bracket 120 on the motorized fluid injector 100. When present, the peristaltic pump 112 may receive fluid from the second container 110 and deliver the fluid to the patient. Often, the peristaltic pump 112 may be used to deliver non-contrast fluid, such as saline solution, at a lower pressure than that at which the drive assembly delivers contrast fluid from the fluid reservoir 106. A valve system 124 may be included to selectively place the fluid reservoir 106 or peristaltic pump 112 in communication with the patient. As described elsewhere herein, the controller 110 of the motorized fluid injector 100 can control various functions of the motorized fluid injector 200, which may include dosing or distributing contrast fluid through a tube. In some examples, the controller 110 may be housed in a viewing device housing. In some examples, the controller may be housed in the injector housing. The motorized fluid injector can be connected fluidly and electrically to a catheter 126, which is inserted into a patient's blood vessel (e.g., coronary artery). When so connected, the motorized fluid injector can inject contrast fluid or deliver non-contrast fluid into the patient's vasculature via the injector tubing and catheter 126. In many examples, the catheter 126 may include an invasive blood pressure sensor. The blood pressure sensor may be in electrical communication with the controller when the motorized fluid injector is connected to the catheter 126. The blood pressure sensor may provide a blood pressure signal to the controller when the catheter 126 is in fluid connection with the motorized fluid injector and may not provide a blood pressure signal when the catheter 126 is not in fluid connection with the motorized fluid injector. According to one or more techniques of this description, the motorized fluid injector 100 may also include a lighting assembly coupled to the housing of the drive assembly 102. The lighting assembly may include a light source configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir 106, such as substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir 106. In some cases, the light source illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing the light through one end of the fluid reservoir 106 and using the volume of fluid inside the fluid reservoir 106 to reflect and refract the light, so that the light is spread throughout the fluid to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106. zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi In other cases, the light source illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 by focusing and directing the light towards a reflector that reflects the light off a peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106. In other cases, a diffuser is installed in the fluid injector 100, such as in the housing of the drive assembly 102, pressure sleeve 104 c in the fluid reservoir 106, such that the diffuser separates the light source from the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 and such that the diffuser diffuses the light emitted by the light source as it enters the interior of the fluid reservoir 106. In any case, providing a specific light configured to illuminate the interior of fluid reservoir 106 offers numerous benefits. For example, if there are air bubbles within the fluid volume of fluid reservoir 106, it could be detrimental to the patient into whom the fluid is to be injected, since injecting air into a patient's body could have adverse health effects. In such cases, a light configured to illuminate the interior of fluid reservoir 106 can facilitate the identification of such air bubbles within the fluid reservoir 106, rather than relying on any ambient light entering the fluid reservoir 106 from an external source. In other cases, the light can provide additional functionality beyond simply illuminating the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 for bubble identification. For example, the light source can be configured to change a characteristic of the light itself based on the operating status of the motorized fluid injector 100. The light source can use various light characteristics, such as brightness, color, flashing pattern, number of individual lights within the light source to be illuminated, or some combination thereof, to provide information regarding one or more of the injection rate, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, refill or recharge rate, or error status.When a user is operating the Motorized Fluid Injector 100, the user must monitor several devices, including the patient, injection site, fluid volume, controller 110, any generated displays, and other personnel assisting the patient. By using light features to signal the operating status of the Motorized Fluid Injector 100, the device reduces the number of devices the user must monitor to obtain important information and can also reduce the amount of data that must be generated and output by controller 110. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example fluid injection system configured to use a light source to illuminate a fluid reservoir, in accordance with one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. The motorized fluid injector 100 of Figure 2 is described below as an example of the motorized fluid injector 100 of Figure 1. Figure 2 illustrates only one particular example of motorized fluid injector 100, and many other examples of motorized fluid injector 100 can be used in other cases and may include a subset of the components included in the example of motorized fluid injector 100 or may include additional components not shown in Figure 2. As shown in the example in Figure 2, the motorized fluid injector 100 includes a fluid reservoir 106, one or more processors 240, one or more communication units 242, one or more input components 244, one or more output components 246, and one or more storage components 248. The input components 244 may include sensors 252 and the controller 110. The output components 246 may include a light source 254 (also referred to herein as lights 254) and one or more reflectors 256. The storage components 248 of the motorized fluid injector 100 include a lighting module 220, an injector module 222, and a rules data store or memory 226. One or more processors 240 can implement functionality and / or execute instructions associated with the motorized fluid injector 100 to operate the lights 254 to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 of the motorized fluid injector 100. That is, the processors 240 can implement functionality and / or execute instructions associated with the motorized fluid injector 100 to control one or more features of the lights 254 to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106, either for the function of revealing bubbles within a volume of fluid contained by the fluid reservoir 106 or to transmit an operating state of the motorized fluid injector 100 (or for both purposes). Examples of 240 processors include application processors, display controllers, auxiliary processors, one or more sensor hubs, and any other hardware configured to function as a processor, processing unit, or processing device. 240 processors can operate modules 220 and 222 to perform various actions, operations, or functions of the motorized fluid injector 100. For example, the 240 processors of the motorized fluid injector 100 can retrieve and execute instructions stored by the storage components 248, causing the 240 processors to perform the operations described with respect to modules 220 and 222.The instructions, when executed by the processors 240, can cause the motorized fluid injector 100 to operate the lights 254 to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 ¡ zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi of the motorized fluid injector 100. The lighting module 220 may include all the functionality to operate the lights 254 of the motorized fluid injector 100. For example, the lighting module 220 of the motorized fluid injector 100 may receive information from the injection module 222 and control one or more features of the lights 254, such as whether to turn on the lights 254, what color to use for the lights 254, or what pattern to use for flashing lights 254. The injection module 222 may include all the functionality to control other aspects of the motorized fluid injector 100. In some examples, the injection module 222 may communicate, via the communication units 242, with sensors 252 and the controller 110 to determine the operating status of the motorized fluid injector 100. In some examples, the injection module 222 may determine one or more of the following: injection rate, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, refill or recharge rate, or error status for the motorized fluid injector 100. One or more storage components 248 within the motorized fluid injector 100 can store information for processing during the operation of the motorized fluid injector 100 (e.g., the motorized fluid injector ¡ zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi Storage component 100 can store data accessed by modules 220 and 222 during operation in the motorized fluid injector 100. In some examples, storage component 248 is temporary memory, meaning that its primary purpose is not long-term storage. Storage components 248 in the motorized fluid injector 100 can be configured for short-term storage of information as volatile memory and therefore do not retain stored contents when powered off. Examples of volatile memories include random access memories (RAM), dynamic random access memories (DRAM), static random access memories (SRAM), and other forms of volatile memories known in the art. Storage components, in some examples, also include one or more computer-readable storage media. Storage components can be configured to store larger amounts of information than volatile memory typically stores. They can also be configured for long-term storage of information as non-volatile memory and retain information after power cycles. Examples of non-volatile memory include magnetic hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, flash memory, and electrically programmable read-only memories (EEROMs) or electrically erasable programmable memories (EEPROMs).Storage components 248 can store program instructions and / or information (e.g., data) associated with modules 220 and 222 and data store or memory 226. Storage components 248 can include a memory configured to save or store data or other information associated with modules 220 and 222 and data memory or storage 226. Communication channels 250 can interconnect each of components 106, 240, 242, 244, 246, and 248 for intercomponent communication (physical, communicative, and / or operational). In some examples, communication channels 250 may include a system bus, a network connection, an inter-process communication data structure, or any other method for communicating data. One or more 242 communication units of the 100 motorized fluid injector can communicate with external devices via one or more wired and / or wireless networks by transmitting and / or receiving network signals on one or more networks. Examples of 242 communication units include a network interface card (e.g., such as an Ethernet card), an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, a GPS receiver, or any other type of device that can send and / or receive information via a wired or wireless connection. Other examples of 242 communication units may include shortwave radios, cellular data radios, wireless network radios, and Universal Serial Bus (USB) controllers. One or more input components of the motorized fluid injector 100 can receive input. Examples of input include touch, audio, and video input. The input components of the motorized fluid injector 100, in one example, include a presence-sensitive input device (e.g., a touchscreen, a PSD), mouse, keyboard, voice-sensitive system, camera, microphone, or any other type of device for detecting human-machine input. For example, the controller 110 can be one of the input components.In some examples, input components 244 may include one or more sensor components 252, one or more location sensors (GPS components, Wi-Fi components, cellular components), one or more temperature sensors, one or more motion sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes), one or more pressure sensors (e.g., barometer), one or more ambient light sensors, and one or more other sensors (e.g., infrared proximity sensor, hygrometer sensor, and the like). Other sensors, to name a few other non-limiting examples, may include a heart rate sensor, magnetometer, glucose sensor, olfactory sensor, compass sensor, or pedometer sensor. One or more output components 246 of the motorized fluid injector 100 may generate output in a selected mode. Examples of modes may include tactile notification, audible notification, visual notification, machine-generated voice notification, or other modes. Output components 246 of the motorized fluid injector 100, in one example, include a presence-sensitive display, sound card, video graphics adapter card, cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, liquid crystal display (LCD), or any other type of device for generating output to a human or machine in a selected mode. Output components 246 may include lights 254, which may be one or more of a variety of light types, such as light-emitting diodes, fluorescent lights, or any other type of light source that can illuminate the fluid reservoir 106.The output components 246 may also include one or more reflectors 256, which can be used to direct and / or focus the light emitted from the lights 254 to more effectively illuminate at least a portion of the interior of the fluid reservoir 106. According to the techniques described herein, a sleeve (e.g., sleeve 104) can be configured to receive and secure the fluid reservoir 106. Lights 254 can be included within a lighting assembly coupled to an injector housing of the motorized fluid injector 100. Lights 254 can be configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir 106, such as by directing the light, either after the emission of lights 254 or after the reflection of the light after the emission of lights 254, at least substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir 106.For the purposes of this description, the longitudinal axis of fluid reservoir 106 comprises an axis which, when drawn from one end of fluid reservoir 106 to the other, is the longest possible straight line that is also perpendicular to the end caps at each end of fluid reservoir 106 when fluid reservoir 106 is a cylinder. Being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis may mean that the light, when emitted from lights 254, is on a projected path that is within a small deviation of being parallel to the longitudinal axis, such as within fifteen degrees of a line that would be parallel to the longitudinal axis of fluid reservoir 106. The lighting module 220 can be configured to operate lights 254 in such a way that the lights ¡ zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi 254 can illuminate the interior of fluid tank 106. Processors 240 can control the lighting module 220 to control one or more features of the lights 254 when they illuminate the interior of fluid tank 106. The one or more features of the lights 254 can include one or more of brightness, color, twinkle pattern or number of individual lights within the light source to be illuminated. The injection module 222 can further determine the operating status of the motorized fluid injector 100. The operating status of the motorized fluid injector 100 could include one or more of the injection speed, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, refill or recharge speed, or error status. The lighting module 220 can set or configure one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system, in accordance with the data storage rules 226. The lighting module 220 can also control one or more characteristics of the lights 254 based on instructions received from the controller 110 coupled to the injector housing. For example, the injection module 222 may determine that an error has occurred in the motorized fluid injector 100. As such, the lighting module 220 may determine that, according to the rule data memory 22 6, the ¡ zznnn / eznz / E / YiAi Lights 254 must be illuminated red with a slow flashing pattern. As such, the lighting module 220 can control lights 254 to illuminate in such a way that they are red and flash according to the error pattern. In other cases, the injection module 222 may determine that the fluid volume within the fluid reservoir 106 is a maximum amount of fluid that the fluid reservoir 106 can hold. The rules 226 may include a rule that the color moves at 1c along a gradient from green to red as the fluid volume within the reservoir decreases. As such, the lighting module 220 may control the lights 254 to illuminate green. In other cases, rules 226 may include a rule stating that the number of lights in the lights 254 increases as the injection speed increases, thus increasing the brightness of the light within the fluid reservoir 106. The injection module 222 may determine that the motorized fluid injector 100 is injecting fluid into a patient at a rate equal to 50% of the maximum injection speed. As such, the lighting module 220 may control the lights 254 in such a way that only half of the lights 254 are illuminated. In other cases, rules 226 may include a rule that, when in air bubble detection mode, lights 254 must illuminate with a white light at maximum brightness. The injection module 222 may determine that the motorized fluid injector 100 is in air bubble detection mode. As such, the lighting module 220 may control lights 254 in such a way that lights 254 illuminate white at maximum brightness. In some cases, the fluid reservoir 106 includes a peripheral wall that defines the interior of the fluid reservoir 106. The peripheral wall can extend between a proximal edge of the fluid reservoir 106 and a distal edge of the fluid reservoir 106. In some of these cases, the lights 254 can be configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106. The lights 254 can direct the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing the light to the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106 and towards the distal edge of the fluid reservoir 106, in many cases by directing the light to the reflector 256 that reflects the light towards the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir 106, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106 and towards the distal edge of the fluid reservoir 106.The lights 254 can also direct light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106 by directing light to the distal edge of the fluid reservoir 106, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir, and toward the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir 106. In cases where light is directed along a peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir 106, the peripheral wall may include imperfections, such as chips, additional patterns that interfere with the light, or other diffusion mechanisms, so that light can escape from the peripheral wall to provide appropriate illumination of the fluid reservoir 106. In some cases, the fluid reservoir, 106, may also include a plunger, such as plunger 108 in Figure 1. The plunger may include a wiper that can be moved proximally and distally inside the fluid reservoir 106. The plunger may also include a ram or piston that extends from the injector housing in the sleeve. The ram is configured to engage with the wiper when the fluid reservoir 106 is received and secured to the sleeve and to drive the wiper proximally and distally according to instructions received from the controller 110 coupled to the injector housing. In some cases, the fluid injection system 100 may also include a diffusion element, which can be located between the lights 254 and the fluid reservoir 106. In this way, the light emitted by the lights 254 passes through the diffusion element on its path to the fluid reservoir 106. For example, the lights 254 may be located outside an end cap of the fluid reservoir 106 or on a plunger in the fluid reservoir 106. The diffusion element may be located between the lights 254 and the location where the light would enter the fluid reservoir 106, such as inside a fluid injector housing 100, on the end cap of the fluid reservoir 106, on a pressure sleeve supporting the fluid reservoir 106, or on the plunger of the fluid reservoir 106.The diffusion element can be configured to diffuse the light emitted by lights 254 as it enters fluid reservoir 106 to illuminate the entire fluid reservoir 106. To accomplish this, the diffusion element can be made of a transparent material or at least include a pattern of a substantially translucent material that diffuses the light as it passes through the diffusion element. For example, the diffusion element can be made, at least partially, of a material such as transparent plastic, silicone, glass, frosted glass, or any other material that substantially permits light to pass through it. The pattern on the diffusion element, such as a wafer or waffle pattern or a bubble pattern, can further permit the diffusion of light as it passes through the diffusion element. The 254 lights, in some examples, can also be very bright, depending on the type of bulb included in the 254 lights. While this can be beneficial in many cases, the brightness of the 254 lights can be distracting or even harmful to the user if the 254 lights are uncovered and / or unfiltered. The diffusion element, when included in the 100 fluid injector, can reduce the intensity of the glare produced by the 254 lights, thus creating a healthier and more pleasant user experience. Figures 3A-3E are views of various examples of a fluid reservoir 106 and lights 254 configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir, in accordance with one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed herein. In each of the examples in 3A-3E, the fluid reservoir 106 includes the plunger 108 and peripheral wall 330. In the examples in Figures 3A-3E, the peripheral wall 330 is the upper portion of the outer wall of the fluid reservoir 106 when the fluid reservoir 106 is substantially horizontal. In other examples, the peripheral wall 330 may be any other wall of the fluid reservoir 106, such as the lower portion of the outer wall or the lateral portion of the outer wall, when the fluid reservoir 106 is substantially horizontal.Still in other examples, the peripheral wall 330 includes the entire outer wall of the fluid tank 106 and the illumination of the peripheral wall 330 includes illumination of the entire circumference of the outer wall of the fluid tank 106. In any of figures 3A-3E, the lights 254 can be operated by a fluid injection system to illuminate the fluid tank 106, in accordance with the description of the lights 254 throughout this description. Figure 3A shows a side view of fluid reservoir 106. In the example in Figure 3A, the lights 254 are located behind the plunger 108 inside the housing. The lights 254 can be configured to direct light 332 radially outward to the reflector 256. The reflector 256 can be angled so that the light 332 received from the lights 254 is reflected through one or more transparent portions of the housing, fluid reservoir 106, and plunger 108 and onto the peripheral wall 330 of the fluid reservoir 106. The reflector 256 can also be angled so that the light 332, when reflected from the reflector 256, illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir 106 as it travels through the peripheral wall 330. This particular implementation can have the added benefit of facilitating the identification of any bubbles that may exist within the fluid housed inside the fluid reservoir 106.The bubbles can float to the top of the fluid reservoir 106, such that the bubbles would rest along the upper portion of the peripheral wall 330, meaning that the light 332 would pass through the bubbles as it travels along the peripheral wall 330. Figure 3B is a top view of fluid reservoir 206 when bubbles 334A-334B are present within the fluid contained within fluid reservoir 106. Similar to the example in Figure 3A, the light source directs light 332 upwards towards the reflector 256. The reflector 256 reflects light 332 along the upper peripheral wall 330 of fluid reservoir 106. As light 332 travels along the peripheral wall 330, it passes through bubbles 334A and 334B. As light 332 passes through bubbles 334A and 334B, bubbles 334A and 334B become more evident to a fluid injection system operator, such that the operator can stop fluid injection into the patient due to the presence of bubbles 334A and 334B. Figure 3C shows a perspective view of the fluid reservoir 106. In the example in Figure 3C, the lights 254 form a ring behind the piston 108 inside the housing. The lights 254 can be configured to direct light 332 outwards towards the reflector 256, which forms a circle around the inside of the fluid reservoir 106 behind the plunger 108 and the peripheral wall 330. The reflector 256 can be angled so that the light 332 received from the lights 254 is reflected through one or more transparent portions of the housing, fluid reservoir 106, and plunger 108 and around the entire circumference of the peripheral wall 330. The reflector 256 can also be angled so that the light 332, when reflected from the reflector 256, illuminates the inside of the fluid reservoir 106 as it travels around the entire circumference of the housing. The peripheral wall 330. This particular implementation may have the added benefit of facilitating the identification of any bubbles that may exist within the fluid housed within the fluid reservoir 106. The bubbles may float to the top of the fluid reservoir 106, such that the bubbles would rest along the upper portion of the peripheral wall 330, meaning that the light 332 would pass through the bubbles as it travels along the peripheral wall 330. Figure 3D shows a side view of fluid reservoir 106. In the example shown in Figure 3D, light 254 is located at the tip of plunger 108. Being positioned in the center of fluid reservoir 106 and in contact with any fluid stored in fluid reservoir 106, when lights 254 are activated, light can be emitted from lights 254 and diffused throughout the fluid. In this way, it would be clear to a fluid injection system operator regarding the characteristics of lights 254, such as characteristics that can signify the operating status of the fluid injection system. Furthermore, by placing lights 254 on the plunger 108, the lights 254 would remain in contact with the fluid contained within the fluid reservoir 106 throughout the process in which the plunger 108 exerts force on the fluid to push the fluid out of the fluid reservoir 106. Figure 3E shows a side view of the fluid reservoir 106. In the example in Figure 3E, light 254 is located in the receiver 340 where the plunger 108 would eventually rest, once the plunger has moved completely through the fluid reservoir 106 and expelled all the fluid from the reservoir. Being located in the center of the fluid reservoir 106 and in contact with any fluid stored in the reservoir, when lights 254 are activated, light can be emitted from lights 254 and diffused throughout the fluid. In this way, it would be clear to an operator of the fluid injection system as to any characteristics of lights 254, such as characteristics that may signify the operating status of the fluid injection system.Furthermore, by placing lights 254 in the receiver 340 of the plunger 108, the lights 254 would remain in contact with the fluid contained within the fluid reservoir 106 throughout the process in which the plunger 108 exerts force on the fluid to push the fluid out of the fluid reservoir 106. Figures 4A-4B are side views of additional examples of a fluid reservoir and a light configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed herein. In each of Figures 4A and 4B, housing 402 retains pressure sleeve 404 in place. The fluid reservoir is installed within pressure sleeve 404. 06 (also known as syringe). After activation of plunger 408, the fluid contained within the fluid reservoir 406 flows out of the catheter reservoir 409. In the example in Figure 4A, light 454 is included in housing 402 at a location near the end of the fluid reservoir 406 opposite the plunger 408 (for example, the end toward which the plunger 408 moves when activated to expel fluid from the reservoir 406). Light 454 is angled, such that it emits light substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir 406. Being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis may mean that the light, when emitted from light 454, is on a projected path that is within a small deviation of being parallel to the longitudinal axis, such as within fifteen degrees of a line that would be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir 406. The diffusion element 456 can be positioned between the light 454 and the fluid reservoir 406 such that the light emitted from the light 454 is diffused, spreading throughout the fluid reservoir 406 to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir 406. For example, a diffusion element 456 can be installed in the housing 402, pressure sleeve 404, fluid reservoir 406, or any space between any of these elements, such that the light reaches the diffusion element 456 before entering the fluid reservoir 406. The diffusion element 456 can be made of a transparent material or at least include a pattern of a substantially translucent material that diffuses the light as it passes through the diffusion element.For example, diffusion element 456 may be made, at least partially, of a material such as clear plastic, silicone, glass, frosted glass, or any other material that substantially permits light to pass through it. The pattern on diffusion element 456, such as an oolea or waffle pattern or a bubble pattern, may further permit light diffusion as it passes through the diffusion element 456. The example in Figure 4B includes the same elements as the example in Figure 4A, except that light 454 is installed on piston 408. In this way, light 454 emits light from piston 408 and into fluid reservoir 406 as piston 408 moves through fluid reservoir 406. In this example, diffusion element 456 is also located on piston 408, either between light 454 and a surface of piston 408 or directly on the surface of piston 408. In this way, diffusion element 456 can diffuse the light emitted by light 454 throughout fluid reservoir 406. Figures 5A-5F include multiple potential pattern diagrams for a light diffuser configured to diffuse zznnn / rznz / E / YiAi Light, in accordance with one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed in this description. For example, diffusion element 556A includes a square waffle pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556A. Diffusion element 556B includes a rectangular pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556B. Diffusion element 556C includes a square waffle pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556C, but with larger squares than those of diffusion element 556A. Diffusion element 556D includes a diamond pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556D. Diffusion element 556E includes a chevron pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556E. Diffusion element 556F includes a bubble pattern embedded in the material of diffusion element 556F. In some cases, the patterns in diffusion elements 556A-5L-6F may be textures; the lines represent portions of the respective diffusion element that are either raised or lowered from the white space in the respective diffusion element. In other cases, the lines in the pattern may be a solid material, and the white space may represent a translucent material. In still other cases, the lines in the pattern may be a translucent material, and the white space may be a solid material. Diffusion elements 556A-556F also represent only a few examples of possible patterns in a diffusion element. The diffusion element manufactured according to the techniques described herein may include any pattern or arrangement of translucent material that would appropriately diffuse light entering a fluid reservoir, such that the light illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir after diffusion. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example mode of operation. Specifically, Figure 6 illustrates an example process for a light source to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir in a fluid injection system based on the operating state of the fluid injection system, according to one or more aspects of the techniques disclosed herein. The techniques in Figure 6 can be performed by one or more processors of a computing device, such as the motorized fluid injector 100 in Figure 1 and / or the motorized fluid injector 100 illustrated in Figure 2. For illustrative purposes only, the techniques in Figure 6 are described within the context of the motorized fluid injector 100 in Figure 2, although computing devices with configurations different from those of the motorized fluid injector 100 can perform the techniques in Figure 6. According to the techniques described herein, the lighting module 220 controls a light source in a fluid injection system lighting assembly to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir secured by a sleeve coupled to an injector housing of the fluid injection system (600). The injection module 222 determines the operating status of the fluid injection system (602). The lighting module 220 configures or sets one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system (604). It should be recognized that, depending on the example, certain acts or events of any of the techniques described herein may be performed in a different sequence, added, merged, or omitted entirely (for example, not all the acts or events described are necessary for the practice of the techniques). Furthermore, in certain examples, the acts or events may be performed simultaneously, for example, through multi-threaded processing, interrupt handling, or multiple processors, rather than sequentially. In one or more examples, the described functions can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions can be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium and executed by a hardware-based processing unit. Computer-readable media can include computer-readable storage media, which correspond to a tangible medium, such as data storage media or communication media, including any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one place to another, for example, according to a communication protocol. Thus, computer-readable media in general can correspond to: (1) a tangible, computer-readable storage medium that is non-transient; or (2) a communication medium such as a signal or carrier wave.Data storage media can be any available medium that one or more computers or one or more processors can access to retrieve instructions, code, and / or data structures for the implementation of the techniques described herein. A computer program product may include a computer-readable medium. By way of example and not limitation, such computer-readable storage media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. Furthermore, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium.For example, if instructions are transmitted from a website, server (e.g., zznnn / eznz / E / YiAi), or other remote source via coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. It should be understood, however, that computer-readable storage media and data storage media do not include connections, carrier waves, signals, or other transient media, but are directed to tangible, non-transient storage media.Floppy disk and disk, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc, wherein disks generally reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using a laser. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Instructions may be executed by one or more processors, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable logic arrays (FPGAs), or other equivalent discrete or integrated logic circuits. Consequently, the term "processor," as used herein, may refer to any of the above structures or any other structure appropriate for implementing the techniques described herein. Furthermore, in some respects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated software and / or hardware modules configured to encode and decode or incorporated into a combined code. In addition, the techniques could be implemented entirely in one or more logic circuits or elements. The techniques described here can be implemented in a wide variety of devices or appliances, including a cordless phone, an integrated circuit (IC), or an array of ICs (e.g., a chipset). Various components, modules, or units are described here to emphasize functional aspects of devices configured to perform the techniques described, but they do not necessarily require implementation by different hardware units. Rather, as described above, several units can be combined into a single hardware unit or provided by a collection of interoperable hardware units, including one or more processors as described above, in conjunction with appropriate software and / or firmware. Several examples of the description have been provided. Any combination of the described systems, operations, or functions is contemplated. These and other examples are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A fluid injection system, characterized in that it comprises: an injector housing; a sleeve coupled to the injector housing, wherein the sleeve is configured to receive and secure a fluid reservoir; and a lighting assembly coupled to the injector housing, the lighting assembly including a light source configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir.
2. The fluid injection system of claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises one or more processors configured to control one or more features of the light source when it illuminates the interior of the fluid reservoir.
3. The fluid injection system of claim 2, characterized in that one or more features of the light source include one or more brightness, color, twinkle pattern or number of individual lights within the light source to be illuminated.
4. The fluid injection system of claim 2, characterized in that the one or more processors are further configured to: determine the operating status of the fluid injection system and configure or set one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system.
5. The fluid injection system of claim 4, characterized in that the operating state of the fluid injection system comprises one or more of injection speed, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, filling or refilling speed, or error state.
6. The fluid injection system of claim 2, characterized in that one or more processors control one or more features of the light source based on instructions received from an injection controller coupled to the injector housing.
7. The fluid injection system of claim 1, characterized in that the fluid reservoir comprises a peripheral wall defining the interior of the fluid reservoir, wherein the peripheral wall extends between a proximal edge of the fluid reservoir and a distal edge of the fluid reservoir.
8. The fluid injection system of claim 7, characterized in that the lighting assembly is configured to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir by directing the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir.
9. The fluid injection system of claim 8, characterized in that the lighting assembly is configured to direct the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir by directing the light towards the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir, and towards the distal edge of the fluid reservoir.
10. The fluid injection system of claim 9, characterized in that the lighting assembly further comprises a reflector configured to direct the light towards the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir and towards the distal edge of the fluid reservoir.
11. The fluid injection system of claim 8, characterized in that the lighting assembly is configured to direct the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir by directing the light towards the distal edge of the fluid reservoir, along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir and towards the proximal edge of the fluid reservoir.
12. The fluid injection system of claim 1, characterized in that the "fluid reservoir" further comprises a wiper that can be moved proximally and distally inside the fluid reservoir, and wherein the fluid injection system further comprises a ram extending from the injector housing to the sleeve, the ram being configured to engage with the wiper when the fluid reservoir is received and secured in the sleeve and to drive the wiper proximally and distally according to instructions received from an injection controller coupled to the injector housing.
13. The fluid injection system of claim 1, characterized in that the light source comprises one or more light-emitting diodes.
14. The fluid injection system of claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a diffusion element located between the light source and the fluid reservoir, wherein the light emitted by the light source passes through the diffusion element and wherein the diffusion element is configured to diffuse the light emitted by the light source to illuminate the fluid reservoir.
15. The fluid injection system of claim 14, characterized in that the diffusion element comprises a pattern of a substantially translucent material.
16. A method, characterized in that it comprises: controlling, by means of one or more processors of a fluid injection system, a light source in a lighting assembly of the fluid injection system, to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir by directing the light emitted by the light source into the fluid reservoir substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid reservoir is secured by a sleeve coupled to the injector housing of the fluid injection system; determining, by means of the one or more processors of the fluid injection system, the operating status of the fluid injection system; and configuring or setting, by means of the one or more processors, one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system.
17. The method of claim 16, characterized in that one or more features of the light source include one or more of brightness, color, twinkle pattern or number of individual lights in the light source to be illuminated.
18. The method of claim 16, characterized in that the operating state of the fluid injection system comprises one or more of the following: injection speed, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, filling or refilling speed, or error state.
19. The method of claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises: altering, by means of one or more processors, one or more characteristics of the light source based on instructions received from an injection controller coupled to the injector housing.
20. The method of claim 16, characterized in that the fluid reservoir comprises a peripheral wall defining the interior of the fluid reservoir, wherein the peripheral wall extends between a proximal edge of the fluid reservoir and a distal edge of the fluid reservoir, wherein controlling the light source to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir comprises controlling the light source to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir by directing the light along the peripheral wall of the fluid reservoir.
21. The method of claim 16, characterized in that controlling the light source to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir comprises controlling one or more light-emitting diodes in the light source to illuminate the interior of the fluid reservoir.
22. A non-transient, computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that it comprises instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a fluid injection system, cause one or more processors to: control, by means of the one or more processors of the fluid injection system, a light source in a lighting assembly of the fluid injection system, to illuminate the interior of a fluid reservoir secured by a sleeve coupled to an injector housing of the fluid injection system, wherein the light source emits light substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid reservoir;to determine, by means of one or more processors of the fluid injection system, the operating status of the fluid injection system and to configure or set, by means of one or more processors, one or more characteristics of the light source to be indicative of the operating status of the fluid injection system.; 23. The non-transient computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, characterized in that one or more features of the light source include one or more brightness, color, twinkle pattern, or number of individual lights within the light source to be illuminated.
24. The non-transient computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, characterized in that the operating state of the fluid injection system comprises one or more of injection rate, fluid volume contained in the fluid reservoir, air bubble detection mode, injection mode, filling or refilling rate, or error state.