US 12,343,478 B2
Anesthetic dispenser with mixing unit and anesthetic tank and process using anesthetic dispenser
Ralf Heesch, Lübeck (DE)
Assigned to DRÄGERWERK AG & CO. KGAA, Lübeck (DE)
Filed by Drägerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Lübeck (DE)
Filed on Jun. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/846,229.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 116 392.7 (DE), filed on Jun. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0409846 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. A61M 16/18 (2006.01); A61M 16/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/18 (2013.01) [A61M 2016/1035 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An anesthetic dispenser comprising:
a mixing unit configured to generate a gas mixture comprising at least one anesthetic and a carrier gas;
an anesthetic tank with a refill opening;
a closure for the refill opening, the closure being configured to move from a closed position via an intermediate position to an open position and being configured to close the refill opening in the closed position and in the intermediate position and release the refill opening in the open position;
an anesthetic line leading from the anesthetic tank to the mixing unit;
a controllable pressure increasing unit configured to increase pressure in the anesthetic tank or to effect such a pressure increase;
a controllable pressure reduction unit configured to reduce pressure in the anesthetic tank or to effect such a pressure reduction;
a pressure sensor configured to measure a value indicative of the pressure in the anesthetic tank;
a position sensor configured to detect an event that the closure has been moved out of the closed position, wherein the anesthetic dispenser is configured such that a transition time period elapses when the closure is moved from the closed position to the intermediate position; and
a signal processing control unit configured:
to receive measured values from the pressure sensor and the position sensor;
to trigger an increase in pressure in the anesthetic tank by controlling the pressure increasing unit;
to trigger a reduction of the pressure in the anesthetic tank by controlling the pressure reduction unit;
wherein the anesthetic dispenser is selectively operable in an operating mode or in a refill mode, wherein in the operating mode the closure is in the closed position and the control unit maintains an actual pressure in the anesthetic tank at a specified operating pressure or above the specified operating pressure, and in the refill mode the closure is in the open position and the refill opening enables refilling of the at least one anesthetic into the anesthetic tank; and
wherein the control unit is arranged to trigger a reduction of the pressure in the anesthetic tank by controlling the pressure reduction unit such that the actual pressure in the anesthetic tank falls below the operating pressure and remains above an ambient pressure at least in the transition time period and
wherein the control unit is arranged to trigger the pressure reduction after detection of the event that the closure has been moved out of the closed position.