US3631889A

US3631889A - Flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3631889A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berel Weinstein
Original assignee: Bio Medical Sciences Inc
Current assignee: Pymah Corp
Priority date: 1968-07-26
Filing date: 1970-09-29
Publication date: 1972-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-04

Abstract

A combination flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus including conduit means together with a pair of spaced valves associated therewith. One of the valves includes means for indicating the position thereof for adjustably establishing a selected flow rate of fluid therethrough. The conduit means also includes a flexible wall portion of reduced thickness which pulsates in response to undue fluctuations in the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

Description

United States Patent inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Asuigncc Berel Weinstein New York, N.Y.

Sept. 29, 1970 Jan. 4, 1972 Bio-Medical Sciences, inc.

New York, N.Y.

Original application July 26, 1968, Ser. No. 747,993, now Patent No. 3,543,753. Divided and this application Sept. 29, 1970, Ser. No. 76,384

FLOW REGULATOR AND FLOW RATE TESTING APPARATUS 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl l37/556.6, 251/8, 251/9, 137/613 Int. Cl. ..Fl6k 31/50, F161 55/14 [50] Field of Search 73/3, 194; 128/214, DIG. 12; 137/551, 556, 556.3, 556.6, 613; 251/8, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,855,323 4/1932 Sirch 251/8 X 1,865,012 6/1932 Jackson 251/8 X 3,216,419 11/1965 Scisi0wicz.. 137/613X 3,332,439 7/1967 Burke 137/556 Primary Examiner-Henry T. Klinksiek Att0mey1rving Seidman ABSTRACT: A combination flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus including conduit means together with a pair of spaced valves associated therewith. One of the valves includes means for indicating the position thereof for adjustably establishing a selected flow rate of fluid therethrough. The

, conduit means also includes a flexible wall portion of reduced thickness which pulsates in response to undue fluctuations in the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

FLOW REGULATOR AND FLOW IRATE TESTING APPARATUS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of applicants copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 747,993, filed July 26, 1968 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,753.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates, generally, to flow control valves, and more specifically, to an improved flow regulator and apparatus for testing the flow rate therethrough.

2. Description of the Prior Art I-Ieretofore, many flow control valves have been proposed which sought to control the rate of flow of a fluid while also pennitting adjustment of said rate of flow and detection of any obstructions to said flow. However, these known constructions do not provide sufficient or adequate control means to insure that fluid passes therethrough at an evenly regulated flow.

The importance of providing such control is pointed out in applicants copending application, Ser. No. 747,993, entitled Intra-Venous Infusion Device, of which this application is a division thereof. More specifically, the aforesaid copending application, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein, relates to a novel intravenous infusion device by which liquids, such as blood plasma and liquid medicants, can be in fused intravenously into a patient The infusion device disclosed therein includes a fluid container constructed so as to be attached directly to the body of the patient in the immediate area of infusion. The device further includes an independent container for compresed air or gas adapted to be coupled to the aforesaid fluid container so as to release the air or gas into said fluid container in such a manner as to force the fluid out through an appropriate discharge outlet for infusion into the patient.

Associated with the aforesaid infusion device is a fluid flow control and regulator device which permits the fluid to be administered to the patient at an evenly regulated flow, and which flow may be adjusted in accordance with the density or viscosity of the fluid.

Although the present invention relates specifically to the fluid flow control and regulator device described in said application, it should be understood that the invention herein is not limited in use solely to an infusion device but may be used in any fluid flow system requiring flow control as an important feature thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of spaced flow control members formed integral with a support member located therebetween. Compressible, resilient conduit means extends between said control members and is located on the support member; said conduit means being in communication with through openings provided in each of the control members. Each of said control members has a valve for regulating the flow of fluid through the conduit means, and one of said valves includes means for indicating the position of said valve relative to its associated control member for adjustably establishing a selected flow rate of fluid therethrough.

In another feature of the invention, the conduit means includes a flexible wall portion of reduced thickness which pulsates in response to undue fluctuations in the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

Accordingly, an important object and feature of this invention resides in providing a flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus by which fluid can be administered to a patient at an evenly regulated flow; which flow may be adjusted in accordance with the density or viscosity of the fluid.

Another object, feature and advantage of the present invention resides in providing a flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the adjustable valve shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, numeral 10 represents the flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. Apparatus 10 includes a pair of spaced

flow control members

12 and 14, respectively, separated by support or base member 16. In the preferred embodiment,

control members

12 and 14 are formed integral with support member 16.

Control members

12 and 14 are each formed with through opening 18 therein (See FIG. 2) through which passes flexible conduit tube 20. The end of tube 20 upstream of control member 12 is connected to a source of liquid (not shown) such as the container disclosed in applicants copending application. The other end of tube 20 downstream of control member 14 serves to convey the fluid to the point of intended use. In the preferred embodiment, the portion of tube 20 extending between the control members 12 and I4 is of somewhat flattened cross section or enlarged to define a drip chamber 22 positioned on support member 16. Pivotally connected to hinge 24 to support member 16 is a clamp arm 26 disposed for movement toward and away from support member 16. The operation is such that clamp arm 26 may be locked against the support member 16 by engagement of the finger 28 of said clamp arm 26 with the groove 30 of support member 16 to compress the drip chamber 22 when desired.

Referring now more specifically to the control aspect of the invention, control member 14 includes a housing 32 provided with a bore intersecting the through-opening thereof; said bore receiving and cooperating with screw valve 34 by means of which tube 20 may be closed off completely. Control member 12 also includes a housing 36 provided with a bore 38 intersecting the through-opening 18 thereof; said bore 38 receiving and cooperating with screw valve 40 by which the flow of fluid from the source may be regulated or closed off.

As seen in FIG. 2, the bore 38 of housing 36 is provided interiorly with a graduated spiral groove 42 which cooperates and is adapted to engage with a bead 44 projecting outwardly from the stem portion 46 of screw valve 40. The operation is such that screw valve 40 may be either raised or lowered by selected rotation thereof to adjust the pressure of said valve against tube 20 and thereby selectively increase or decrease the flow of fluid therethrough. The head of screw valve 40 further includes a pointer or indicator 48 which is disposed to cooperate with a suitable calibrated scale 50 on the outer wall portion of housing 36 to indicate the number of drops of fluid passing through tube 20 per minute. In this connection, since any one of many difierent fluids of varying densities or viscosities may be used in association with the control features of this invention, provision is made for establishing the desired flow rate through the system depending on the particular fluid in use. For example, depending on the particular fluid, the operator would adjust screw valve 40 to locate pointer 48 at the desired marking on scale 50 which would thus serve to establish a desired flow rate through the system. This can be easily checked as follows: Drip chamber 22 is constructed having a known volume sufficient to hold, for example, 20 drops. Clamp arm 26 is closed to deflate and empty drip chamber 22. Screw valve 34 is then closed and clamp arm 26 reopened to permit fluid from the source to refill drip chamber 22. Since the drip chamber is made to hold 20 drops, the time taken to refill the drip chamber will indicate the number of drops per minute flowing past screw valve 36.

Referring again to FIG. 1 and to another feature of the invention, tube 20 downstream of control member 14 is provided with a flow detector 52 comprising a thinned-out section of said tube. In normal flow conditions, the flow detector 52 will remain flat and parallel with the rest of the wall of tube 20. Where, however, there is blockage of flow downstream of control member 14, the backing up of the fluid will cause the flow detector 52 to bulge or pulsate, thereby calling attention to the malfunction so that it can be corrected.

From the foregoing it is to be noted that the embodiment shown and described is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Furthermore, various changes may be made in the construction, composition and arrangement of parts without limitation upon or departure from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus comprising:

a. a pair of spaced flow control means;

h. each of said flow control means having flow-through means therein, and further including a movable valve member for adjustably regulating the flow of fluid through said flow-through means,

c. compressible, resilient conduit means extending between said pair of flow control means and in communication with the respective flow-through means therein; and

d. clamp means between said pair of flow control means for constricting engagement with said conduit means.

2. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including a support member for said conduit means; said clamp means having a movable arm portion mounted on the support member for movement to a position to compress said conduit means rela tive to said support member.

3. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said pair of flow control means are respectively integral with said support member.

4. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said flow control means comprises a tubular body having a bore intersecting the flow-through means thereof; said valve member being rotatably received within said bore; and coacting means on said tubular body and said valve member for indicating the angular position of said valve member relative to said tubular body, and adjustably establishing a selected flow rate of fluid therethrough.

5. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said coacting means comprise pointer means on said valve member and scale means on said tubular body, said scale means being correlated to a range of flow rates.

6. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including fluid outlet conduit means in communication with the flow-through means of one of said flow control means, said conduit means including a flexible wall portion of reduced thickness which pulsates in response to undue fluctuations in the rate of flow of fluid therethrough.

i 1 l i

Claims

1. A combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus comprising: a. a pair of spaced flow control means; b. each of said flow control means having flow-through means therein, and further including a movable valve member for adjustably regulating the flow of fluid through said flowthrough means, c. compressible, resilient conduit means extending between said pair of flow control means and in communication with the respective flow-through means therein; and d. clamp means between said pair of flow control means for constricting engagement with said conduit means.

2. The combined flow regulator and flow rate testing apparatus as recited in claim 1, further including a support member for said conduit means; said clamp means having a movable arm portion mounted on the support member for movement to a position to compress said conduit means relative to said support member.