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Fixed volume infusion device

  • US 4,921,480 A
  • Filed: 11/21/1988
  • Issued: 05/01/1990
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. For use with a gravitational intravenous fluid system of the type in which intravenous fluid from an elevated source flows by gravity through tubing defining a flow passage under a pressure gradient to a vascular system of a patient, said pressure gradient being a higher static pressure of said intravenous fluid source in relation to a lower pressure of said patient vascular system, a fixed volume metering valve for providing incremental flow of said intravenous fluid comprising a housing bounding a chamber for a piston having an inlet at an upper end thereof in communication with said intravenous fluid source and at a lower opposite end an outlet in communication with said patient vascular system, an inverted U-shaped piston having three legs cooperating to bound therebetween a compartment and operatively disposed for opposite direction sliding movement in said chamber between an upper position of movement established by a horizontally oriented leg of said piston being adJacent said inlet and a lower position of movement established by the vertically oriented other two legs thereof being adJacent said outlet, a piston return spring disposed in said piston compartment so as to bias said piston in ascending movement from said lower to said upper position of movement, said ascending piston movement being normally prevented by said pressure gradient urging said piston in descending movement from said upper to said lower position of movement, and a normally open clamp operatively arranged to cyclically clamp closed said tubing so as to remove said pressure gradient from said flow system, whereby in response to said open condition of said clamp, said pressure gradient urges said piston in descending movement causing the dispensing of a selected fixed volume of intravenous fluid by said piston and in response to said closed clamp condition, said spring urges said piston in ascending movement, incident to repeating the fluid dispensing functioning thereof to thereby enable said metering valve to provide successive incremental intravenous fluid flow in selected fixed amounts through said gravitational intravenous fluid system.

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