Abstract: An air circulation device includes a suction section configured to suck indoor air, and a blower section configured to blow the air sucked by the suction section into a room. The air is in a form of a vortex ring. The air circulation device is operable in at least a first mode in which the vortex ring blown therefrom reaches a wall surface of the room.

Abstract: A fluid transfusing device and method of control therefor includes a plurality of pump driving portions and a microprocessor. Each pump driving portion is for driving a pump, and the microprocessor controls the pump driving portions. The microprocessor executes a fluid transfusing device control program, and interrupts the fluid transfusing device control program upon receiving a pump interrupt. The microprocessor then executes a pump driving interrupt module. When the microprocessor executes the pump driving module, the microprocessor generates a pump driving pulse to control a pump driving portion associated with the pump corresponding to the pump interrupt, determines receipt of another pump interrupt corresponding to a another pump, and generates a pump driving pulse to control a pump driving portion associated with the another pump corresponding to the another pump interrupt.

Abstract: In an infusion apparatus for use in the medical field, a peristaltic pump mechanism pumps an infusion fluid including medication through an administration tube toward a patient. A clock powered independent of the apparatus counts a predetermined unit time. A CPU accumulates data representing an incremental unit of fluid of the infusion fluid delivered by the pump mechanism to measure an accumulated infusion fluid volume each time the clock counts the unit time. Data as to the current accumulated infusion fluid volume is stored in a second storage section of a RAM. Each time the clock counts the unit time, data representing the accumulated infusion fluid volume stored in the second storage section is written to a ring buffer in the RAM, so that the ring buffer stores data representing a plurality of accumulated infusion fluid volumes in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of times at which the plurality of accumulated infusion fluid volumes were measured.

Abstract: A bubble detecting apparatus for an infusion pump, including a set of ultrasonic sensor constituted by an ultrasonic oscillator and a receiver provided, respectively, at opposed locations on an outer face of a liquid transport tube for feeding liquid such as medicinal liquid by a predetermined pumping operation of a pumping mechanism such that air bubbles produced in or mixed into the liquid in the liquid transport tube are detected by the ultrasonic oscillator and the receiver. In the apparatus, at least three sets of the ultrasonic sensors are arranged along the liquid transport tube at different intervals.

Abstract: An infusion apparatus incorporates a RAM which has a first storage section for storing only one delivery pattern defining an infusion rate and a volume to be infused at the infusion rate, and a PDP storage section for storing a plurality of delivery patterns. In a one-pattern delivery mode, an infusion fluid is delivered according to the only one delivery pattern read out from the first storage section by a CPU. Therefore, infusion is performed at the same rate from the beginning to the end. In a PDP (Program Delivery Profile) mode, an infusion fluid is delivered according to the plurality of delivery patterns read out in sequence from the PDP storage section. Therefore, infusion is performed at various rates. One of the one-pattern delivery mode and the PDP mode is selected by an operator through operation of a mode selector in consideration of factors such as the kind of medication and the condition of the patient.

Abstract: An infusion apparatus is provided with a clock, a power-on-time counter for counting a period of time in which power is supplied to the infusion apparatus from an AC power source or a backup battery for backing up the AC power source, a pump-on-time counter for counting a period of time in which a pump mechanism operates, and a battery-on-time counter for counting a period of time in which power is supplied to the infusion apparatus from the backup battery. A CPU displays a time value counted by the counters on a display unit. The time value displayed on the display unit indicates the degree of deterioration of charge capability of the backup battery, from which a time for replacing the backup battery and the other parts can be easily perceived.

Abstract: A display device for indicating the internal pressure of a tube of an infusion device having an infusion drive for supplying an infusion fluid from a solution container to the human body through the tube and a sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the tube. The display device includes a message indicator for displaying the internal pressure of the tube as detected by the sensor. The message indicator has a plurality of alphanumeric display elements each consisting of a plurality of segments. The display elements are used to display a value, in alphanumeric terms, of the internal pressure of the tube. Further, some of the segments of the display elements are used to display the quantitative change of the pressure as a bar graph.

Abstract: A stepping motor driving apparatus includes a stepping motor and a pulse output circuit for outputting drive pulses for driving the stepping motor. A pulse generator generates further pulses which not only have frequency higher than that of the drive pulses but are capable of a variable duty factor at the frequency of the further pulses. A gate circuit receives the drive pulses from the pulse output circuit and the further pulses from the pulse generator so as to output the further pulses of the pulse generator during excitation of the drive pulses such that the stepping motor is driven by the further pulses outputted from the gate circuit.

Abstract: A self-monitoring system is comprised of a main processing unit incorporating a computer and an interrupt processing unit which regularly interrupts the operation of program by the main processing unit. Each unit contains a counter which counts the processing time of the associated unit and is initialized by the other unit. The two units thereby check the operation of each other by monitoring the numbers counted by these counters.

Abstract: A monitor monitors for a blocked condition in a tube for a fluid infusion pump by detecting a condition of the tube by a sensor at predetermined time intervals and identifying a blocked condition in this tube by analyzing the detected values according to a specified criterion.

Abstract: An electronic thermometer of the highest value holding type includes a highest temperature memory for storing the highest value, and a temporary memory for temporarily storing the now detected temperature. An adder is provided for adding a predetermined value, for example, 1.5.degree. C. to the now detected temperature temporarily stored in the temporary memory. A comparator compares the addition result with the highest value stored in the highest temperature memory, and develops an abnormal condition detecting signal when the addition result is smaller than the highest value, thereby alarming an abnormal condition.