Magneto electric hydrodynamic medical pump

Abstract

A medical pump for pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit has a magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to a region of the conduit, an electric field generator configured to apply an electric field to the region of the conduit, and a controller connected to the magnetic field generator and the electric field generator, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly execute a pumping cycle sequence by controlling the magnetic field generator and the electric field generator to cause movement of the liquid in the flow direction. The pumping cycle sequence may be repeated until a desired volume of liquid is pumped.

Description

031407.02223MD-931MAGNETO ELECTRIC HYDRODYNAMIC MEDICAL PUMPCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application no. 63 / 774,240 filed March 19, 2025, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to medical pumps used by patients to carry out controlled delivery of liquid food for enteral feeding and liquid medications for various purposes, for example pain management.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0003] Known medical pumps currently available to patients are relatively complex and have moving parts actuated by an electric motor. For example, linear and curvilinear peristaltic pumps having a series of individual fingers sequentially actuated to progressively deform a segment of tubing to urge liquid through the tubing from a liquid source to the patient are widely known and used. A drawback of these pumps is that pumping accuracy may be diminished if the pump is dropped or damaged. Another drawback is that the elastic properties of the deformable tubing acted upon by the pumping mechanism must be maintained to narrow specified tolerances.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a medical pump having significantly fewer moving parts and less sensitivity to tubing properties.

[0005] In furtherance of these and other objects, a medical pump for pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit is disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the medical pump generally comprises a magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to a region of the conduit, an electric field generator configured to apply an electric field031407.02223MD-931to the region of the conduit, and a controller connected to the magnetic field generator and the electric field generator, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly execute a pumping cycle sequence by controlling the magnetic field generator and the electric field generator. The pumping cycle sequence may comprise activating the magnetic field generator to substantially align at least some of the ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid along the flow direction according to polarity, deactivating the magnetic field generator, activating the electric field generator to cause the substantially aligned ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the flow direction, and deactivating the electric field generator. The pumping cycle sequence may be repeated until a desired volume of liquid is pumped.

[0006] The disclosure also provides a method of pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit from a source of the liquid to a patient. The method may comprise A) activating a magnetic field generator to substantially align at least some of the ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid within a region of the conduit along the flow direction according to polarity; B) deactivating the magnetic field generator; C) activating an electric field generator to cause the substantially aligned ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the flow direction; D) deactivating the electric field generator; and E) repeating steps (A) through (D).BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS

[0007] The nature and mode of operation of the present disclosure will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

[0008] Fig. l is a schematic view of a medical pump formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0009] Fig. 2 is a schematic molecular diagram illustrating magneto electric hydrodynamic flow through tubing associated with the medical pump of Fig. 1;

[0010] Fig. 3 illustrates a pumping mechanism and administration set according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and031407.02223MD-931

[0011] Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of magneto electric hydrodynamic pumping in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Fig. 1 schematically shows a medical pump 10 formed in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Medical pump 10 is intended for pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit 2 from a liquid source connected to an inflow end of the conduit to a patient connected to an outflow end of the conduit. The liquid may be a nutritional liquid for enteral feeding of the patient, or a liquid drug for treating disease and / or alleviating symptoms in the patient.

[0013] Medical pump 10 may generally comprise a pump housing 12, a controller 14, a magnetic field generator 16 connected to controller 14, and an electric field generator 18 connected to controller 14. Magnetic field generator 16 is configured to apply a magnetic field to a region 4 of conduit 2. Electric field generator 18 is configured to apply an electric field to region 4 of conduit 2. Medical pump 10 may further comprise a user interface 20 connected to controller 14 enabling a user to enter commands and menu selections to the controller for operating pump 10 and configuring pump settings. Conduit 2 may include sterile flexible medical tubing that extends through medical pump 10 during use and is disposed of after use, or conduit 2 may include a permanent conduit formed through medical pump 10 that connects to inflow medical tubing coming from the liquid source and outflow medical tubing going to the patient. Medical pump 10 may further comprise a priming mechanism 28 operable by a user to introduce liquid from the liquid source into region 4 of conduit 2 in preparation for a pumping operation.

[0014] Magnetic field generator 16 may include a conductive coil 22 defining a passageway 23 through which conduit 2 extends, whereby magnetic field generator 16 is configured to apply a magnetic field through the passageway by generating electrical current in conductive coil 20. As will be understood, region 4 of conduit 2 corresponds to a portion of the conduit extending through passageway 23. The031407.02223MD-931direction of the applied magnetic field will correspond to an axial direction of conduit 2. When the magnetic field is applied, ions and / or polar molecules (e.g., water molecules) within the liquid will become substantially aligned in an axial direction of conduit 2 corresponding to the flow direction by the applied magnetic field. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the direction of current in conductive coil 22 may be chosen such that polar water molecules in the liquid are orientated with the negatively charged oxygen atom in front (i.e., leading in the intended flow direction) and the two positively charged hydrogen atoms in the rear (i.e., trailing in the intended flow direction).

[0015] Electric field generator 18 may include a negative electrode 24 and a positive electrode 26 arranged to apply an electric field through the passageway 23 by introducing a voltage differential across electrodes 24, 26. In the example embodiment shown, the positive electrode 26 is in front of region 4 in the intended flow direction and negative electrode 24 is behind region 4 in the intended flow direction, and application of an electric field through passageway 23 will cause the orientated ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the intended flow direction away from negative electrode 24 and toward positive electrode 26. As may be understood, the current direction in coil 22 and the locations of electrodes 24, 26 may be arranged oppositely to what is shown in the figures to achieve a similar result. The applied voltage differential may be chosen such that it is effective through the insulating conduit 2. For example, an applied voltage differential in the kilovolt range may be needed provided a motivational (i.e., movement causing) electric field in the volt range. The magnitude of the applied electric field may be increased either linearly or nonlinearly as acceleration overcomes inertia in the liquid.

[0016] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of a magnetic / electrical pumping mechanism that allows a fluid delivery set to be easily inserted and removed from the pumping mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, magnetic field generator 16 includes a permanent magnet pair 30A, 30B configured to provide a basic magnetic field which contributes to the temporary magnetic field applied by energizing conductive coil 22 to provide the final momentary molecular alignment. The magnetic field may include031407.02223MD-931a low intensity permanent magnetic field in the milliTesla (mT) range and a generated electromagnetic field of up to 3.0 Tesla (T), although operation at approximately 0.5 T may be sufficient. As shown in Fig. 3, a horseshoe-shaped or U-shaped iron core 32 may be provided for conductive coil 22 that allows the fluid path defined by conduit 2 to be inserted and removed from a well-defined flux path. Conduit 2 may embodied as flexible medical tubing that is part of a fluid delivery set (administration set). The tubing may be electrically insulated and electrodes 24, 26 may be incorporated into a segment of the tubing, for example as plated electrodes, such that the electric field is coupled directly into the liquid rather than indirectly through the wall of the tubing.

[0017] The permanent magnet pair 30A, 30B shown in Fig. 3 may also be used in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 to provide a basic magnetic field which contributes to the temporary magnetic field applied by energizing conductive coil 22 in Fig. 2 to provide the final momentary molecular alignment.

[0018] Controller 14 may be a processing unit having one or more processors and memory storing software program instructions whereby the controller is configured to repeatedly execute a pumping cycle sequence when commanded by user interface 20. An embodiment of the pumping cycle sequence is illustrated by Figs. 2 and 4. The pumping cycle sequence may comprise a first step 100 of activating the magnetic field generator to substantially align at least some of the ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid along the flow direction according to polarity (as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 2). The pumping cycle sequence may comprise a second step 102 of deactivating the magnetic field generator, followed by a third step 104 of activating the electric field generator. Step 104 causes the substantially aligned ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the flow direction, i.e., toward positive electrode 26. The pumping cycle sequence may continue with step 106 in which the electric field generator is deactivated and step 108 in which a pause time period is provided to allow the liquid molecules to drift in the flow direction. As indicated by decision block 110, the pumping cycle sequence may be repeated until a desired volume of liquid has been pumped from the liquid source to the patient. A pumping031407.02223MD-931cycle frequency in a range of about 1 Hz through 100 kHz is thought to be sufficient, but frequencies outside the stated range may be used. The pumping cycle frequency may follow a ramped triangle wave of increasing frequency as acceleration overcomes inertia in the liquid.

[0019] As may be understood, a method of pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit from a source of the liquid to a patient may comprise repeating the pumping cycle sequence steps described above until a desired volume of liquid has been delivered to the patient. The method may further comprise the step of operating priming mechanism 28 prior to performing steps 100 through 108 to introduce liquid into region 4 of conduit 2.

[0020] While the disclosure sets forth exemplary embodiments, the detailed description is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure to the particular forms set forth. The disclosure is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications and equivalents of the described embodiments as may be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

031407.02223MD-931WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A medical pump for pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit, the medical pump comprising:a magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to a region of the conduit;an electric field generator configured to apply an electric field to the region of the conduit; anda controller connected to the magnetic field generator and the electric field generator, wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly execute a pumping cycle sequence;wherein the pumping cycle sequence comprises activating the magnetic field generator to substantially align at least some of the ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid along the flow direction according to polarity, deactivating the magnetic field generator, activating the electric field generator to cause the substantially aligned ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the flow direction, and deactivating the electric field generator.

2. The medical pump according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field generator includes a conductive coil defining a passageway through which the conduit extends and the magnetic field generator applies the magnetic field through the passageway.

3. The medical pump according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic field generator includes a ferromagnetic core defining a channel for removably receiving the region of the conduit and a conductive coil around the ferromagnetic core.

4. The medical pump according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic field generator further includes pair of permanent magnets.031407.02223MD-9315. The medical pump according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic field generator further includes pair of permanent magnets.

6. The medical pump according to claim 1, wherein the electric field generator includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode arranged to apply the electric field through the passageway.

7. The medical pump according to claim 6, wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are incorporated into the conduit to apply the electric field directly into liquid within the region of the conduit.

8. The medical pump according to claim 1, further comprising a priming mechanism operable to introduce the liquid into the region of the conduit.

9. A method of pumping a liquid comprising ions and / or polar molecules in a flow direction through a conduit from a source of the liquid to a patient, the method comprising the steps ofA) activating a magnetic field generator to substantially align at least some of the ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid within a region of the conduit along the flow direction according to polarity;B) deactivating the magnetic field generator;C) activating an electric field generator to cause the substantially aligned ions and / or polar molecules of the liquid to move in the flow direction;D) deactivating the electric field generator; andE) repeating steps (A) through (D) such that the liquid is delivered to the patient.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of pausing before repeating steps (A) through (D).

Images