Patent ID: 7806864

Claim:
A system for detecting and removing a gas bubble from a flexible vascular liquid infusion line, the system comprising: a cassette adapted for disposition intermediate the liquid infusion line, the cassette comprising: a body; and a passageway having an inlet port for connection to a supply side of the liquid infusion line and an outlet port for connection to a patient side of the liquid infusion line; a base unit adapted to receive said cassette and monitor liquid flow through said passageway, wherein said base unit has mounted thereon a sensor adapted to detect the presence of a gas bubble in the liquid flowing through said passageway; an electronic control unit disposed adjacent to the flexible liquid infusion line, upstream of said cassette, wherein said electronic control unit comprises: a valve for selectively arresting liquid flow through the flexible vascular liquid infusion line; and circuitry for communicating with said sensor and operating said valve so that (i) liquid is permitted to flow through the flexible vascular liquid infusion line when no gas bubble is detected by said sensor; and (ii) liquid flow through the flexible fluid liquid infusion line is arrested when a gas bubble is detected by said sensor; and a purge port located upstream of a patient and downstream of said electronic control unit; wherein said passageway comprises a tube having first and second portions disposed side by side proximate said sensor, whereby said tube is monitored by said sensor at said first and second portions simultaneously; wherein by monitoring of said first and second portions of said tube, said sensor is adapted to distinguish between different sizes of gas bubbles.