Patent ID: 7763005

Claim:
A method of using a feeding set on an enteral feeding pump, said feeding set having an interlock device adapted to be inserted into a recess of the enteral feeding pump, said method comprising: inserting the interlock device into the recess of the enteral feeding pump; intermittently emitting infrared radiation in a direction for striking the inserted interlock device; transmitting and internally reflecting the infrared radiation within the interlock device to redirect the infrared radiation toward a first detector when the interlock device is properly inserted in the pump recess; detecting with the first detector the infrared radiation redirected within the interlock device; intermittently energizing a visible light emitter only after infrared radiation has been detected by the first detector; filtering visible light with the interlock device to prevent transmission through the interlock device; reading a second detector to verify that visible light emitted by the visible light emitter has been blocked; and enabling operation of the enteral feeding pump to pump nutrient liquid in the feeding set in response to detection of infrared radiation by the first detector and the verification that no visible light is detected by the second detector.