Distal rate control device
First Claim
1. A flow rate control device for controlling the rate of fluid flow between a fluid supply line which is connected to a source of fluid and a fluid delivery line which delivers the fluid to a remote location, said flow rate control device comprising:
- (a) a housing having a cover, a base and an internal chamber, said internal chamber having an inlet in communication with said fluid supply line, an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line and a flow path between said inlet and said outlet; and
(b) flow rate control means carried by said housing for controlling the rate of fluid flow toward said delivery line, said flow rate control means comprising;
(i) a rate control assembly disposed within said internal chamber of said housing, said rate control assembly including a base and a cover connected to said base, one of said cover and said base having a plurality of fluidic micro channels formed therein, each said fluidic micro channel having a length, width and cross-sectional area and an inlet in communication with said supply line and an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line; and
(ii) a rate control selector assembly operably interconnected with said rate control assembly, said rate selector assembly including a rate control shaft assembly comprising a generally cylindrically-shaped rate control shaft carried by said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said shaft having a plurality of radially extending fluid flow passageways formed therein.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A distal rate control device, which can be conveniently interposed between a fluid supply line and fluid delivery line for precisely controlling the rate of fluid flow toward the delivery line. The device includes a readily adjustable flow rate control device having a novel flow control plate that can be placed in fluid communication with the fluid supply line and with the fluid delivery line. The flow control plate is provided with a plurality of elongated fluidic flow control channels that are in communication with a rate selector member that is rotatably carried by the device housing. Rotation of the rate selector member places a selected one of the flow control channels in communication with the fluid delivery line.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A flow rate control device for controlling the rate of fluid flow between a fluid supply line which is connected to a source of fluid and a fluid delivery line which delivers the fluid to a remote location, said flow rate control device comprising:
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(a) a housing having a cover, a base and an internal chamber, said internal chamber having an inlet in communication with said fluid supply line, an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line and a flow path between said inlet and said outlet; and (b) flow rate control means carried by said housing for controlling the rate of fluid flow toward said delivery line, said flow rate control means comprising; (i) a rate control assembly disposed within said internal chamber of said housing, said rate control assembly including a base and a cover connected to said base, one of said cover and said base having a plurality of fluidic micro channels formed therein, each said fluidic micro channel having a length, width and cross-sectional area and an inlet in communication with said supply line and an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line; and (ii) a rate control selector assembly operably interconnected with said rate control assembly, said rate selector assembly including a rate control shaft assembly comprising a generally cylindrically-shaped rate control shaft carried by said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said shaft having a plurality of radially extending fluid flow passageways formed therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A flow rate control device for controlling the rate of fluid flow between a fluid supply line which is connected to a source of fluid and a fluid delivery line which delivers the fluid to a remote location, said flow rate control device comprising:
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(a) a housing having a housing cover, a housing base and an internal chamber, said internal chamber having an inlet in communication with said fluid supply line, an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line and a flow path between said inlet and said outlet; and (b) flow rate control means carried by said housing for controlling the rate of fluid flow toward said delivery line, said flow rate control means comprising; (i) a rate control assembly disposed within said internal chamber of said housing, said rate control assembly including a rate control base and a rate control cover connected to said rate control base, a selected one of said rate control base and said rate control cover having a plurality of fluidic micro channels formed therein, each said fluidic micro channel being of a selected length and width and having an inlet in communication with said supply line and an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line; and (ii) a rate control selector assembly operably interconnected with said rate control assembly, said rate selector assembly including a rate control shaft assembly carried by said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said rate control shaft assembly comprising a shaft having a longitudinally-extending fluid flow passageway and a plurality of radially-extending fluid flow passageways in communication with said longitudinally-extending fluid flow passageway, said rate control shaft being rotatable relative to said housing to cause a selected one of said radially extending fluid flow passageways to communicate with a selected one of said fluidic micro-channels. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A flow rate control device for controlling the rate of fluid flow between a fluid supply line which is connected to a source of fluid and a fluid delivery line which delivers the fluid to a remote location, said flow rate control device comprising:
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(a) a housing having a housing cover, a housing base and an internal chamber, said internal chamber having an inlet in communication with said fluid supply line, an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line and a flow path between said inlet and said outlet; and (b) flow rate control means carried by said housing for controlling the rate of fluid flow toward said delivery line, said flow rate control means comprising; (i) a rate control assembly disposed within said internal chamber of said housing, said rate control assembly including a rate control base and a rate control cover, a selected one of said rate control base and said rate control cover having a plurality of fluidic micro channels formed therein, each said fluidic micro channel having an inlet in communication with said supply line and an outlet in communication with said fluid delivery line; and (ii) a rate control selector assembly operably interconnected with said rate control assembly, said rate selector assembly including; a. a rate control shaft assembly carried by said housing for rotation with respect thereto, said rate control shaft assembly comprising a shaft having a longitudinally-extending fluid flow passageway and a plurality of radially-extending fluid flow passageways in communication with said longitudinally-extending fluid flow passageway; b. a control knob operably associated with said rate control shaft, for imparting rotation thereto to cause a selected one of said plurality of radially extending fluid flow passageways to communicate with a selected one of said plurality of fluidic micro-channels, said rate control knob being movable between a first extended position and a second position; and c. locking means carried by said housing for releasably locking said control knob against rotation; and (iii) priming means for priming said plurality of fluidic micro channels, said longitudinally-extending fluid flow passageway and said plurality of radially-extending fluid flow passageways of said rate control shaft assembly with fluid from said fluid supply line. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification