WO2016147519A1 - Drip-feed detector and infusion pump in which same is used - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a drip-feed detector that makes it possible to easily detect liquid droplets that fall inside a drip-feed tube, and an infusion pump in which said detector is used. [Solution] A drip-feed detector for detecting liquid droplets MD that fall within a drip-feed tube 39, the drip-feed detector being attached to the drip-feed tube 39 for use; wherein the drip-feed detector is characterized in comprising light-emitting elements 42 arranged to one side of the exterior of the drip-feed tube 39, and light-receiving elements 43 arranged facing the light-emitting elements 42 with the drip-feed tube 39 interposed therebetween; there being more than one of the light-receiving elements 42, each of which emitting light in sequence so as to be offset from each other by a temporal difference; there being fewer of the light-receiving elements 43 than light-emitting elements 42; and a diffusing part 57 being provided nearer to the light-emitting elements 42 than the drip-feed tube 39, the diffusing part 57 causing light irradiated by the light-emitting elements 42 to diffuse at least in the direction in which a plurality of light-emitting elements 42a-42c are lined up.

Description

Infusion detection device and infusion pump using the same

The present invention relates to an infusion detection device for detecting a droplet falling in an infusion tube, and an infusion pump using the same.

Conventionally, infusion detection devices for grasping the state of drip fall are known, and in particular, when using an infusion pump for the purpose of accurately injecting and injecting drugs, infusion detection is a set. The device is widely used.
A drip detector 1 shown in Patent Document 1 is an example of this drip detection device. As shown in FIG. 3, a drip cylinder 26 is disposed between a light emitting element 23 and a light receiving element 24, and the drip cylinder is provided. The light receiving element 24 captures the change in the amount of light caused by the liquid droplets falling inside the light blocking the irradiation light from the light emitting element 23. Thereby, it is possible to detect a free flow or an empty liquid (out of liquid) of the liquid droplet falling in the drip tube 26, or to estimate the flow rate by counting the number of liquid droplets that have dropped.

In addition, in the drop detector 1 of Patent Document 1, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the optical path between the light emitting element 23 and the light receiving element 24 is to be detected (the horizontal direction of the drip tube 26 is cut). The plurality of light emitting elements 23a to 23e and the light receiving elements 24a to 24e are arranged in a line so that the cut surface in the case can be covered without omission. Then, each of the light emitting elements 23a to 23e sequentially emits light to the plurality of light receiving elements 24a to 24e, and by determining which light receiving and emitting combination the liquid droplets in the drip tube 26 have passed through, the falling liquid The position of the drop can be detected.

JP 2014-204897 A

By the way, the liquid droplet falling in the drip tube is small and substantially transparent. For this reason, there is a problem that the change in the amount of light due to the droplets blocking the optical path between the light emitting element and the light receiving element is small, and it is difficult for the light receiving element to catch the change. In order to cover the area to be detected without omission, a plurality of light emitting and receiving elements are provided, which causes a problem that the change in the amount of light is small and noise is easily generated. Under such circumstances, it is not always easy to detect a droplet falling in the drip tube.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an infusion detection device that can easily detect a droplet falling in an infusion tube, and an infusion pump using the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drip detection apparatus for detecting a liquid droplet that falls in the drip cylinder and is used by being attached to the drip cylinder, the light emitting element disposed on one side outside the drip cylinder, and the drip cylinder A light receiving element disposed opposite to the light emitting element, and the light emitting element includes a plurality of light emitting elements, and emits light sequentially with a time difference between the light receiving elements. The drip detection is provided with a diffusing section for diffusing the light emitted from the light emitting element in the direction in which the plurality of the light emitting elements are arranged on the side of the light emitting element with respect to the drip tube. Solved by the device.

According to the above configuration, the drip detection device used by being attached to the drip tube includes a light emitting element disposed on one side outside the drip tube, and a light receiving element disposed opposite to the light emitting element across the drip tube. Therefore, when the droplet passes through the optical path between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, the amount of light received by the light receiving element is changed, and the presence or absence of dropping in the drip tube can be detected.
A plurality of light emitting elements are arranged to emit light sequentially with a time difference from each other, and the number of light receiving elements is smaller than that of the light emitting elements. Then, the optical path between each of the plurality of light emitting elements and the light receiving element is formed so as to divide a region where a droplet is to be detected (hereinafter referred to as “detection area”). Compared to the size of the droplet, the size of the droplet relative to the divided area is relatively large. Therefore, the change in the amount of light that the light receiving element can capture can be increased. In addition, it is preferable that the optical paths between the light emitting elements and the light receiving elements do not substantially overlap each other, thereby reducing the area of the optical path between each light emitting element and the light receiving element as much as possible while covering the entire detection area. Thus, the change in the amount of light that occurs when the droplets are blocked can be further increased.
In this respect, if the number of light receiving elements is large, the circuit becomes complicated and the possibility of noise generation increases accordingly. However, in the configuration of the present invention, since the number of light receiving elements is smaller than that of the light emitting elements, noise can be suppressed. Further, when the number of light receiving elements is small, it is easy to adjust the variation between the light receiving elements.
Here, if the number of light receiving elements is reduced in order to suppress noise, it becomes difficult to cover the entire detection area without omission by the optical path between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. However, in the configuration of the present invention, a diffusing portion that diffuses light emitted from the light emitting element in at least a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged is provided on the light emitting element side of the drip tube. Therefore, the entire detection area can be covered without omission by the optical path connecting the diffusion portion where the irradiated light is spread and the light receiving element.

Preferably, a partition portion having a light shielding property is disposed between the plurality of light emitting elements.
For this reason, when a plurality of light emitting elements sequentially emit light at high speed, it is possible to prevent mutual interference due to light of adjacent light emitting elements, and to form an optical path that accurately divides the detection area. Therefore, it is possible to reliably increase the change in the amount of light captured by the light receiving element by blocking the droplet.

Preferably, the present invention is characterized in that the number of the light receiving elements is one.
Therefore, the circuit for performing signal processing is simplified, noise generation can be most effectively suppressed, and a sensor with high noise resistance can be employed without increasing the product price. Furthermore, it is not necessary to adjust the plurality of light receiving elements during production.

Preferably, the number of the light-emitting elements is three, whereby the change in the amount of light captured by the light-receiving element can be effectively increased by blocking the liquid droplets.
That is, since the normal drip tube is arranged substantially vertically by the user, the range in which the droplet is most likely to fall is a predetermined central region in the drip tube. Then, forming an optical path that divides the central region into two relatively increases the possibility of dividing the droplet into two, and the significance of dividing the detection area may be lost. For this reason, it is not preferable to form an optical path that divides the central region in the drip tube. Therefore, in order to divide the detection area into equal parts without dividing the central region where the droplet is most likely to fall within the drip tube, the light emitting elements are divided into three so as to divide the detection area into three. Is preferred.

In addition, the above-mentioned problem is used by being attached to an infusion tube, holding an infusion detection device that detects a falling droplet in the infusion tube, and an infusion tube connected to the infusion tube, A pump unit for delivering a liquid, and a main body having a notification unit for notifying an abnormality related to the droplet based on the detection result of the drip detection device, and an infusion pump comprising: The drip detection apparatus includes a light emitting element arranged on one side outside the drip cylinder, and a light receiving element arranged facing the light emitting element across the drip cylinder, and the light emitting element includes a plurality of light emitting elements. The light receiving elements emit light sequentially with a time difference from each other. The number of the light receiving elements is smaller than that of the light emitting elements, and the light emitting elements are irradiated from the light emitting elements closer to the light emitting elements than the drip tube. Light, little Diffusing portion that diffuses in a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged is solved by an infusion pump is provided with.

According to the above configuration, the drip detection device used as an infusion pump has a plurality of light emitting elements, which emit light sequentially with a time difference from each other, and the number of light receiving elements is smaller than that of the light emitting elements. For this reason, similarly to the above-described invention, the optical path between each of the plurality of light emitting elements and the light receiving element is formed so as to divide the detection area, and therefore, the change in the amount of light captured by the light receiving element can be increased. .
And since there are few light receiving elements compared with a light emitting element, noise can be suppressed. Further, when the number of light receiving elements is small, it is easy to adjust the variation between the light receiving elements.
A diffusion unit that diffuses light emitted from the light emitting element in at least a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged is provided on the light emitting element side of the drip tube. Therefore, even if the number of light receiving elements is reduced, the entire detection area can be covered without omission.
And the presence or absence of dripping in a drip tube is reliably detected by a large light quantity change in this way, and the detection result can be notified by the notifying unit of the infusion pump.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an infusion detection device that can easily detect a droplet falling in an infusion tube, and an infusion pump using the same.

1 is a schematic perspective view of an infusion pump according to an embodiment of the present invention. The block block diagram of the infusion pump of FIG. The electrical schematic block diagram of the drip detection apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the drip detection apparatus of FIG. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5B is a front view of the diffusing unit as viewed from the front. The figure corresponding to FIG. 4 which is the 1st modification of embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention and corresponds to FIG. 4.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, and thus various technically preferable limitations are given. However, the scope of the present invention is particularly limited in the following description. Unless otherwise stated, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.
Moreover, in the following drawings, the parts denoted by the same reference numerals have the same configuration.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an infusion pump 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a state in which an infusion detection device 40 described later is mounted on an infusion tube 39.
The infusion pump 11 is a pump that is used when a medicine is administered at an accurate amount and speed. In the case of FIG. 1, in the box-shaped hollow main body 15, a driving means such as a motor or for infusion operation. Various sensors, control devices, and the like are accommodated.
In this infusion pump 11, an infusion tube 16 suspended from an infusion bag (not shown) via an infusion tube 39 is sandwiched between an openable / closable door 12 and the main body 15, and the infusion tube 16 is placed in the main body 15. Contained and held.
In the body 15 of the infusion pump 11, the infusion tube 16 held in a fixed position is squeezed by a finger or a roller (not shown) driven by a pump unit (not shown) built in the body 15, thereby The medicinal solution in the infusion bag is sequentially delivered to the patient via the drip tube 39 and the infusion tube 16. In addition, the infusion pump 11 of this invention is not restricted to such a finger type or a roller type, For example, a syringe type may be sufficient.

An operation panel 13 is provided on the front surface of the infusion pump 11 constituting the door 12, and the operation panel 13 is provided with a switch button 13a as a plurality or a number of operation elements. A display unit 14 is formed above the operation panel 13. The display unit 14 is formed of, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) (light emitting diode), a liquid crystal display device, or the like, and can display necessary information such as the current flow rate of the drug solution and the scheduled dose. An operation indicator 17 is disposed at the upper end of the infusion pump 11.

Such an infusion pump 11 is used by being attached to a transparent slightly elongated drip tube 39 made of glass or synthetic resin, and an infusion detection device (infusion probe) for detecting a droplet (medical solution) falling in the drip tube 39. Or 40 (also referred to as a drop sensor or the like). The drip detection device 40 is connected to the main body 15 via a cable 50 and sends a detection result regarding the presence or absence of the liquid droplets to the main body 15.
The drip detection device 40 of this embodiment has outer and inner cases 41 and 72, and the outer and inner cases 41 and 72 are each formed with a notch 73 having a size that allows the drip tube 39 to be inserted. Yes. The inner case 72 is slidable in the X direction in the figure while being guided by the inner surface of the outer case 41 inside the outer case 41. Specifically, the inner case 72 is connected to the inner side of the outer case 41 by an elastic member 74 such as a spring, and the elastic member 74 pushes the inner case 72 in a direction to close the notch 73 of the outer case 41. Has a biasing force. The inner case 72 has a pressing portion 75 for pressing in the direction of opening the notch 73 against the elastic member 74.

With the above configuration, when the pressing portion 75 is pressed, the notch 73 opens and the infusion tube 39 can be inserted, and when the hand is released from the pressing portion 75, the inner case 72 slides in a direction to close the notch 73. The drip detection device 40 is mounted so as to sandwich the drip tube 39.
When the drip detection device 40 is thus attached to the drip tube 39, the light emitting element 42 in the drip detection device 40 is arranged on one side outside the drip tube 39 as shown in the dashed line diagram of FIG. In addition, a light receiving element 43 is disposed opposite to the light emitting element 42 with the infusion tube 39 interposed therebetween. And the light quantity which the light receiving element 43 receives changes because the droplet which fell optical path S1, S2, S3 (this optical path is demonstrated in detail later) between the light emitting element 42 and the light receiving element 43 obstruct | occludes, The presence or absence of dripping in the drip tube 39 can be detected.
The drip detection device 40 needs to be mounted between the liquid level LH of the chemical solution accumulated in the drip tube 39 and the drip nozzle 51. Further, when the drip detection device 40 is mounted on the drip tube 39, it is preferable that the drip tube 39 is not inclined and is vertical as shown in the figure. Therefore, the drip detection device 40 sandwiches the notch 73 therebetween. The weight of the left and right can be balanced.

Referring to FIG. 2, the infusion pump 11 has a control unit 20 formed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and the control unit 20 controls and determines the entire operation of the infusion pump 11. A storage unit 29 is connected to the control unit 20. The storage unit 29 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a hard disk, a flash memory, and the like, which are connected together with other devices via a bus. The CPU that is the control unit 20 described above performs processing of a predetermined program and controls a ROM and the like connected to the bus. The ROM stores various programs and various information. The RAM has a function as an area for comparing the contents of the memory during the program processing and for executing the program.

The infusion pump 11 includes a power switch 28, a pump unit 30 having a motor drive circuit for squeezing the infusion tube with a finger or the like and feeding a liquid medicine, a start switch 27 for instructing the start of the infusion, A liquid crystal display or LED having a setting / input unit 26 for setting / inputting a flow rate (mL / h), a planned infusion volume (mL), etc., and a display driving circuit for displaying the set / input numerical value and the current flow rate And the like.

Furthermore, the infusion pump 11 includes an infusion detection device 40 that detects droplets falling in the infusion cylinder, a counter 23 that counts the number of droplets detected by the infusion detection device 40 (number of drops), a flow sensor, and the like. A flow measuring device 22 is included. Thus, based on a known program stored in the ROM, the controller 20 can multiply the number of drops counted by the counter 23 by the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring device 22 to estimate the drip amount.
For example, if the counter 23 does not count drops within a predetermined time even though the pump unit 30 is driven, the control unit 20 determines that the liquid is an empty liquid, and a buzzer (notification for notifying abnormality). The example of the unit 32) is instructed to sound an alarm.
The infusion pump 11 has an external communication unit 33 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer or the like provided at a nurse center or an external site.

Next, the electrical configuration of the drip detection device 40 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic electrical configuration of the drip detection device 40 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The drip detection device 40 has a light emitting element 42 on one side with the above-described notch 73 interposed therebetween. A drive circuit 24 and an LED switching circuit 21 are provided, and a light receiving element 43 and a light receiving signal processing circuit 25 are provided on the other side.
The light emitting element 42 is preferably an LED (light emitting semiconductor), and a light source that emits infrared light among the LEDs can be suitably used. The light emitting element 42 of the present invention is not limited to the LED, and a light emitting lamp such as a normal bulb can be used.
The drive circuit 24 is a circuit that outputs a signal for causing the light emitting element 42 to emit light.

The light receiving element 43 is a device capable of detecting the intensity of light, and is also referred to as a light detector / light receiver. As the light receiving element 43, a known element can be used. For example, a phototransistor, a photodiode, or an image sensor using an internal photoelectric effect of a semiconductor can be used.
The received light signal processing circuit 25 is a processing circuit that amplifies the photocurrent generated in the light receiving element 43 and performs A / D conversion. The processed digital signal is sent to the counter 23 via the control unit 20 of FIG. Sent. The received light signal processing circuit 25 is controlled in conjunction with the drive circuit 24.

Here, the light emitting element 42 is composed of a plurality, preferably three, from the viewpoint of measurement accuracy (eliminating the blind spot of the scanning angle) and miniaturization, and the LED switching circuit 21 sequentially emits light with a time difference from each other. It is supposed to be. This time difference is extremely short, and the plurality of light emitting elements 42a to 42c are continuously irradiated so as to be able to irradiate the same droplet falling in the drip tube 39.
As described above, the plurality of light emitting elements 42a to 42c emit light sequentially with a time difference (do not emit light at the same time) in a detection area (an area where a liquid drop is to be detected, and a drip tube equipped with the drip detection device 40). This is because the optical path is formed so as to divide AR).
Hereinafter, the optical path for dividing the detection area AR will be described with reference to FIGS.

4 is a schematic cross-sectional view when the drip detection device 40 of FIG. 3 is mounted on the drip tube 39 and cut along the line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 5 and FIG. 5B are front views of the diffusing portion of FIG. 4 as viewed from the front (viewed from the direction of arrow VE in FIG. 4).
As shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of light emitting elements 42 a to 42 c provided in the drip detection device 40 are arranged in a line on the circuit board 59 so as to face the light receiving element 43. Note that the same type of LED is used for each of the light emitting elements 42a to 42c.
On the other hand, the number of light receiving elements 43 mounted on the circuit board 44 is smaller than that of the light emitting elements 42, and in the case of the present embodiment, one light receiving element 43 and three light emitting elements 42a to 42c. It has become. Thus, the detection area is detected by three light paths S1, S2, and S3, that is, an optical path S1 between the light emitting element 42a and the light receiving element 43, an optical path S2 between the light emitting element 42b and the light receiving element 43, and an optical path S3 between the light emitting element 42c and the light receiving element 43. AR is divided.

In this way, the light paths S1, S2, and S3 between the light emitting elements 42a to 42c and the light receiving element 43 divide the detection area AR so that the light emitting elements 42a to 42c can sequentially emit light. For example, the amount of change in the amount of light due to the blocking of the droplet MD can be increased. That is, the size of the droplet MD for each of the areas AR1, AR2, AR3 divided by the optical paths S1, S2, S3 is relatively larger than the size of the droplet MD for all the detection areas AR. The relative light amount change that the element 43 can capture can also be increased.

In this respect, as the number of divisions of the detection area AR by the optical path increases, the relative light amount change captured by the light receiving element 43 also increases. In this sense, it is preferable to increase the number of light paths by increasing the number of light emitting elements 42. However, in the present embodiment, the three light emitting elements 42a to 42c are provided so that the detection area AR can be equally divided without dividing the central region CT where the droplet MD is most likely to fall. As a result, the possibility that the optical paths S1 to S3 divide the droplet MD into two is reduced, and a situation in which the significance of dividing the detection area AR and increasing the amount of light is lost as much as possible. It is preventing.
In the case of this embodiment, since the detection area AR is divided into three by the three optical paths S1, S2, and S3, if the droplet MD is not even divided by the optical paths S1, S2, and S3, The size is approximately tripled, and the sensitivity of the light receiving element 43 is also approximately tripled. Further, even if the optical path S1 and the optical path S2 are divided in half as in the case of the liquid droplet MD1 outside the central region CT in FIG. 4, it is divided compared to the size of the liquid droplet MD1 for the entire detection area AR. The size of the droplet MD1 with respect to each of the areas AR1 and AR2 is 1.5 times, and the sensitivity of the light receiving element 43 can still be increased.

Preferably, the optical paths S1, S2, S3 between the light emitting elements 42a to 42c and the light receiving element 43 should not substantially overlap in the detection area AR. As a result, the area of each of the divided areas AR1, AR2, AR3 is made as small as possible while covering all of the detection area AR with the optical paths S1, S2, S3 (preventing liquid droplet detection omission). Yes (relatively larger droplet size). In FIG. 4, the optical path S1 and the optical path S2, and the optical path S2 and the optical path S3 each have a slightly overlapped area. However, this degree of overlap does not hinder the sensitivity of the light receiving element 43 from increasing to the left. In addition, it is preferable because it is possible to prevent a liquid drop detection failure that occurs when the optical paths S1 to S3 cannot cover the entire detection area AR.

Here, in order to cover all of the detection area AR with only three light emitting elements 42a to 42c and one light receiving element 43, the width dimension (light emitting elements 42a to 42c) of irradiation light on the light emitting element 42 side is covered. The dimension in the direction in which the lines are arranged) W is equal to or larger than the diameter of the detection area AR (the diameter of the horizontal section of the cylindrical drip tube 39), and it is necessary to emit light uniformly. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a diffusing portion 57 that diffuses the light emitted from the light emitting element 42 is provided on the light emitting element 42 side of the drip tube 39. As shown in FIG. 5B, the diffusing portion 57 is a member that diffuses light in a direction in which at least the plurality of light emitting elements 42a to 42c are arranged.
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5B, the diffusing portion 57 is a single sheet longer than the diameter of the detection area AR, and the light from each of the light emitting elements 42a to 42c is diffused. The light LT1, LT2, LT3 are connected to each other and diffused so as not to be interrupted. Then, both ends LT1a and LT3a of the diffused light connected in series are arranged on an extension line of a tangent line connecting the light receiving part 43a of the light receiving element 43 and the contact point P of the circular detection area AR or in the vicinity of the outside thereof.

In the diffusion portion 57 of the present embodiment, the width dimension W3 of the region corresponding to the light emitting element 42a, the width dimension W2 of the region corresponding to the light emitting element 42b, and the width dimension W1 of the region corresponding to the light emitting element 42c are the same. Has been.
As the diffusion part 57, a light diffusion film (for example, a sheet of model number 75PBA manufactured by Kimoto Co., Ltd.) provided with a mat layer 67 having corrugated irregularities on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate 66 as shown in FIG. A diffuser film (trademark) of Model 3635-30 manufactured by 3M Japan Co., Ltd. can be used.

In addition, in the drip detection device 40 shown in FIG. 4, a partition 60 having a light shielding property is disposed between the three light emitting elements 42a to 42c. For this reason, when the three light emitting elements 42a to 42c sequentially emit light at a high speed, mutual interference due to the light of the adjacent light emitting elements is prevented, and optical paths S1, S2, and S3 that accurately divide the detection area AR are formed. it can.
A light shielding member 65 is provided between the detection area AR and the light receiving element 43 to avoid the influence of disturbance, and the irradiation light passes only through the slit 63 formed in the light shielding member 65. The light receiving element 43 is irradiated. A transparent thin plate material is fitted in the slit 63 to prevent dust and dirt from adhering to the light receiving element 43.

The drip detection apparatus 40 and the infusion pump 11 using the same according to the embodiment of the present invention are configured as described above, the light emitting elements 42a to 42c sequentially emit light with a time difference, and the light receiving element 43 emits light. The number is smaller than that of the elements 42a to 42c. Then, the optical paths S1, S2, and S3 between each of the plurality of light emitting elements 42a to 42c and the light receiving element 43 are formed so as to divide the detection area AR, and thus the droplets are formed in the respective optical paths S1, S2, and S3. The change in the amount of light captured by the light receiving element 43 can be made relatively large by blocking the light.
Further, since there is only one light receiving element 43, the possibility of noise generation can be effectively suppressed, and a sensor with high noise resistance can be employed without increasing the product price. Further, it is not necessary to adjust the variation between the plurality of light receiving elements, and the manufacture is facilitated.
A light diffusion element 57 for diffusing light from the light emitting element 42 is provided on the light emitting element 42 side of the drip tube 39. The light path S1 to S3 connecting the light diffusion element 57 and the light receiving element 43 has a detection area AR. It covers everything without omission. Therefore, even when only one light receiving element 43 is used, the droplet can be detected without any problem.

By the way, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.
For example, in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the diffusion portion 57 is formed in a flat plate shape. However, the diffusion portion 57 corresponds to each of the light emitting elements 42a to 42c as shown in FIG. It is also possible to form a sheet with an angle θ. When the angle θ is applied, the main surface of the diffusing portion 57 may be directed toward the light receiving element 43.
Further, the diffusing portion 57 may be attached to the outer peripheral side surface of the drip tube 39 that is closer to the light emitting element 42 than the drip tube 39. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, the diffusing portion 57 may constitute the outer peripheral side surface of the drip tube 39, and such a configuration is also included in the present invention. That is, the diffusing portion 57 of the present invention needs to be disposed on the light emitting element 42 side with respect to the infusion tube 39, but this “more than the infusion tube 39” means “the inner space (detection area AR) of the infusion tube 39. Means more than.
Moreover, although the light emitting element 42 of the said embodiment consists of three same types of LED as a preferable aspect, two or four or more LED may be sufficient according to the size of the drip tube 39, and in this case Each light emitting element 42 may be of a different type.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Infusion pump, 16 ... Infusion tube, 30 ... Pump part, 32 ... Notification part, 39 ... Infusion tube, 40 ... Infusion apparatus, 42 ... Light emitting element, 43 ... Light receiving element, 57 ... Diffusion part, 60 ... Partition part

Claims (5)

A drip detection device that is used by being attached to a drip tube and detects a liquid droplet falling in the drip tube,
A light emitting device disposed on one side outside the infusion tube;
A light receiving element disposed opposite to the light emitting element across the infusion tube,
The light emitting element is composed of a plurality of elements, and emits light sequentially with a time difference from each other.
The light receiving element is smaller in number than the light emitting element,
An infusion detecting device, characterized in that a diffusing section that diffuses light emitted from the light emitting elements in at least a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged is provided on the light emitting element side of the infusion tube. 2. The drip detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a partition portion having a light shielding property is disposed between the plurality of light emitting elements. 3. The drip detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of the light receiving elements is one. 4. The drip detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are three light emitting elements. An infusion detecting device that is used by being attached to an infusion tube and detects a falling droplet in the infusion tube;
An infusion tube connected to the infusion tube has a pump unit for delivering the liquid in the infusion tube, and an abnormality related to the droplet based on the detection result of the infusion detection device A main body having an informing unit for informing
An infusion pump comprising:
The drip detection device comprises:
A light emitting device disposed on one side outside the infusion tube;
A light receiving element disposed opposite the light emitting element across the infusion tube,
The light emitting element is composed of a plurality of elements, and emits light sequentially with a time difference from each other.
The light receiving element is smaller in number than the light emitting element,
An infusion pump characterized in that a diffusing portion for diffusing light emitted from the light emitting element in at least a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements are arranged is provided closer to the light emitting element than the drip tube.

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