1. A flow sensor device for monitoring a fluid flow through a fluid line to a patient, comprising:
a flow sensor adapted to be disposed in a fluid path of a medicinal fluid flowing through a fluid line, said flow sensor producing
a signal indicative of a rate of flow of a medicinal fluid through the fluid path, said flow sensor includes an orifice disposed
in the fluid path, said orifice having a cross-sectional size that is substantially less than that of the fluid path, both
proximal and distal to the orifice, and a pressure-sensing module configured to sense a pressure drop across the orifice,
said pressure-sensing module producing the signal in response thereto;
wherein the pressure sensing module further comprises a distal pressure sensor and a proximal pressure sensor, said distal
pressure sensor monitoring a distal pressure of the medicinal fluid, downstream of the orifice, and said proximal pressure
sensor monitoring a proximal pressure of the medicinal fluid, upstream of the orifice, a difference between the distal pressure
and the proximal pressure determining the signal supplied to a processor, which is indicative of the rate of flow of medicinal
fluid through the fluid line.
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