Importance

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Abstract

Bubble detecting infusion apparatus for infusing a liquid from a source into a patient through the lumen of a light transmissive conduit member, which lumen has a flat wall surface portion contacted by the liquid in the lumen, the conduit member having an operative position within a yoke in which it is removable disposed, the yoke having a light source for directing a light beam through the conduit member wall toward the flat lumen wall surface portion thereof and having a light sensor positioned to receive light from the source reflected through the conduit member wall by the flat lumen wall surface portion, the angularity between the incident light beam and the normal to the flat lumen wall surface portion being such that when a gas bubble is in contact with the lumen flat wall surface portion, substantially all light from the source incident thereon is reflected by said surface portion toward the light sensor, and when a bubble-free liquid is in contact with the lumen flat wall surface portion, said surface portion is not substantially reflective. Shoulder means on the yoke and conduit member cooperate, when the conduit member is in operative position, to prevent rotation of the conduit member and thereby to maintain the desired angularity of the flat lumen wall surface portion with respect to the light source and the light sensor.

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First Claim