FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR MEDICAL LIQUID

• US 20110264053A1
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Astra Tech AB
• Original Assignee: Astra Tech AB
• Inventors: Nilsson, Martin, Saltell, Josef
• Granted Patent: US 8,876,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/247
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1405 Patient controlled analgesia [PCA]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/229 Stopcocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/141 with capillaries for restricting fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate

Abstract

A flow control device for medical liquid including a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a channel formed in an inner surface of the housing, the channel extending at least partly in axial direction; a rotatable member rotatable in relation to the housing without being axially displaced, the rotatable member having at least two apertures; and a core member arranged inside the rotatable member, fixedly connected to the rotatable member. A helical flow path is formed between the lateral surface of the core member and the inner surface of the rotatable member, the at least two apertures of the rotatable member being in communication with said helical flow path, and wherein each of the apertures debouches into the channel in at least one rotational position of the rotatable member.

Claims

1. A flow control device for medical liquid comprising

a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a channel formed in an inner surface of the housing, said channel extending at least partly in axial direction;

a rotatable member rotatable in relation to the housing without being axially displaced, said rotatable member having at least two apertures; and

a core member arranged inside said rotatable member, fixedly connected to said rotatable member,

wherein a helical flow path being formed between the lateral surface of the core member and the inner surface of the rotatable member, said at least two apertures of the rotatable member being in communication with said helical flow path, and wherein each of said apertures debouches into the channel in at least one rotational position of the rotatable member, and

wherein a flow path is formed between the inlet and the outlet of the flow control device, the flow path comprising at least part of the helical flow path and the channel, wherein the flow is controlled by the rotational position of the rotatable member, determining which of said at least two apertures to be in communication with said channel, and thereby determining the length of the helical flow path to be comprised in said flow path between the inlet and the outlet.

2. The flow control device according to claim 1, wherein said core member is hollow, an inlet through hole to said helical flow path being arranged from the inside of the core member through the wall of said core member into the helical flow path.

3. The flow control device according to claim 2, wherein the apertures are circumferentially spaced apart.

4. The flow control device according to claim 2, wherein the apertures are axially spaced apart.

5. The flow control device according to claim 1, further comprising

a bolus container adapted to receive a bolus dose of medical liquid;

and

a bolus flow path leading to the bolus container branching off from said flow path.

6. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein a through hole in said core member and a though hole in said rotatable member forms a bolus inlet to said bolus flow path.

7. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein said bolus flow path branches off from said flow path before the helical flow path of the flow path.

8. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein a control member is arranged to empty said bolus container to the outlet.

9. The flow control device according to claim 8, further comprising a bolus actuator, and wherein the control member is a one-way valve that opens when subjected to a certain pressure exerted by the bolus actuator.

10. The flow control device according to claim 9 further comprising a casing adapted to lock the bolus actuator, so as to prevent said bolus container from filling when locked.

11. The flow control device according to claim 5, wherein the bolus flow path extends through a bolus through hole in said rotational member, wherein circular sealings are arranged between the rotatable member and the housing on each side of said bolus through hole.

12. The flow control device according to any of claim 10 or 11, further comprising a manipulation key for unlocking or locking said bolus actuator.

13. The flow control device according to claim 1 comprising recesses for a manipulation key for rotating said rotatable member.

14. The flow control device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational member is hollow and the inlet is in fluid communication with the inside of the rotational member through a through hole through said rotational member, wherein circular sealings are arranged between the rotational member and the housing on each side of said through hole.

15. The flow control device according to claim 1, wherein a continuous flow rate through the flow control device is controllable in the range of 0 to 50 ml/h, and preferably in the range of 0 to 20 ml/h.

16. The flow control device according to claim 1, wherein a continuous flow rate through the flow control device is controllable in the range of 0 to 20 ml/h.