TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to respiration monitoring in the medical field and particularly to sampling pumps and gas analyzers using the sampling pumps.

BACKGROUND

Sampling pumps that are widely used for respiration monitoring in medical equipment or modules, such as gas measurement modules, can extract a gas sample from a patient's breathing circuit and convey the extracted gas to respiration monitoring equipment, so that the respiration monitoring equipment can monitor the composition of the gas exhaled by the patient in real time, thereby allowing medical staff to evaluate the patient's vital signs. The gas sensor probe for gas measurement used in respiration monitoring equipment is a precision instrument, and its measurement accuracy can be affected by vibrational interference that may be present during operation. The sampling pump is often a main vibration source in the respiratory monitoring module. The gas sensor can also be sensitive to flow fluctuations of the monitored gas. If the gas sensor experiences large flow fluctuations, some measurement noise may occur, which can also affect measurement accuracy. Therefore, the sampling pump should provide stable sampling flow.

A diaphragm sampling pump using a single rotary motor is often used for gas sampling in existing respiration monitoring equipment. Due to its working principle, the diaphragm pump usually has both relatively large flow fluctuations and some vibrations during sampling. A single linear reciprocating pump may produce larger vibrations, and thus it is not typically used in respiration monitoring equipment.

SUMMARY OF THIS DISCLOSURE

This disclosure provides sampling pumps for delivering fluid and reducing vibration and provides gas analyzers for gas detection and analysis that use such sampling pumps.

In one aspect, a sampling pump may include at least one reciprocating pump set and a control system. Each reciprocating pump set can include two reciprocating pumps. The control system can output drive signals for controlling reciprocating drawing and compressing operations of the reciprocating pumps, where the control system may be designed to output the drive signals that can cause the two reciprocating pumps within the same set to provide opposing impact directions at the same time.

In some embodiments, the two reciprocating pumps can be fixedly mounted in such a way that the impact directions generated by the two reciprocating pumps may be along the same line (i.e., a common line).

In some embodiments, the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can be linear reciprocating pumps with the same or substantially the same impact force.

In some embodiments, the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can be rigidly fixed along the same line and in the same orientations. The drive signals provided to the two reciprocating pumps can have the same amplitude and a phase deviation of about 180°.

In some embodiments, the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can be rigidly fixed along the same line and in opposing orientations. The drive signals provided to the two reciprocating pumps can have the same amplitude and phase.

In some embodiments, the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can be directly, rigidly and fixedly connected to each other to form an integral structure.

In some embodiments, the sampling pump may also include at least one connection carrier, where the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can be rigidly and fixedly mounted on the same connection carrier.

In some embodiments, the connection carrier may be a connection plate that is affixed to side surfaces of the reciprocating pumps.

In some embodiments, the sampling pump may also include at least one integrated output channel. The integrated output channel can communicate with output channels of the two reciprocating pumps within the same set so as to gather fluid outputted from the two reciprocating pumps within the same set.

In another aspect, a gas analyzer may include a gas measurement module for detecting and analyzing some extracted gas, and a sampling pump described above for providing the gas measurement module with the gas to be measured.

In some embodiments, the gas analyzer may also include a gas circuit, where the gas circuit can include at least two gas outlets and at least one integrated output channel. The two gas outlets can communicate with the integrated output channel, and output channels of the two reciprocating pumps within the same set can communicate with corresponding gas outlets.

