VARIABLE FLOW RESHAPABLE FLOW RESTRICTOR APPARATUS AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
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1. A method of varying flow rate through a flow restrictor comprising:
- providing a flow restrictor having at least one reshapable lumen for varying the flow rate through the at least one reshapable flow restrictor lumen, wherein the flow rate predictably varies as a function of both the diameter of the lumen and the pressure within the lumen; and
providing a flow rate feedback device for measuring the flow rate of the flow material;
wherein as the pressure of a flow material varies within each lumen, the variance in flow material pressure causes each lumen to reshape resulting in increased flow rate when the flow material pressure is increased or decreased flow rate when the flow material pressure is decreased; and
wherein data from the flow rate feedback device is used to determine the pressure of the flow material and diameter of the reshapable lumen, thereby allowing for control the flow rate of the flow material.
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Abstract
A novel apparatus and associated methods for controlling the flow through a flow restrictor using a reshapable lumen. The lumen reshapes as a function of the pressure differential over the flow restrictor. Because flow rate is proportional by the fourth order of magnitude to the diameter of the lumen, small changes in the pressure differential allow for larger changes in the flow rate over conventional flow restrictor systems and provides for real time, fine-tuned adjustments to the flow rate.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of varying flow rate through a flow restrictor comprising:
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providing a flow restrictor having at least one reshapable lumen for varying the flow rate through the at least one reshapable flow restrictor lumen, wherein the flow rate predictably varies as a function of both the diameter of the lumen and the pressure within the lumen; and providing a flow rate feedback device for measuring the flow rate of the flow material; wherein as the pressure of a flow material varies within each lumen, the variance in flow material pressure causes each lumen to reshape resulting in increased flow rate when the flow material pressure is increased or decreased flow rate when the flow material pressure is decreased; and wherein data from the flow rate feedback device is used to determine the pressure of the flow material and diameter of the reshapable lumen, thereby allowing for control the flow rate of the flow material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of varying a flow rate of a flow material through a flow restrictor comprising:
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providing a flow restrictor having at least one reshapable lumen for varying the flow rate through the at least one reshapable flow restrictor lumen, wherein the flow rate of the flow material predictably varies as a) a function of pressure within the reshapable lumen and b) a function of the diameter of the reshapable lumen; and providing a flow rate feedback device for measuring the flow rate of the flow material; wherein as the pressure of a flow material varies within each lumen, the variance in flow material pressure causes each lumen to reshape resulting in increased flow rate when the flow material pressure is increased or decreased flow rate when the flow material pressure is decreased; and wherein data from the flow rate feedback device is used to determine the pressure of the flow material and diameter of the reshapable lumen, thereby allowing for control the flow rate of the flow material. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device comprising:
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a flow material source, wherein the flow material source controllably pressurizes a flow material; a flow restrictor comprising at least one reshapable lumen configured to carry flow material from the flow material source to a destination, wherein the flow rate predictably varies as a function of both the diameter of the lumen and the pressure within the lumen; and a flow rate feedback device for measuring the flow rate of the flow material, the flow rate feedback device providing data whereby the pressure of the flow material is controlled; wherein the cross-sectional area of each lumen reversibly increases in response to increased flow material pressure, whereby increasing the pressure of the flow material results in an increased flow material flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification