Variable flow rate control device

A flow rate control device for selectively controlling a flow rate of a medicinal fluid, the flow rate control device comprising:

• a conduit providing a flow path for the medicinal fluid;
• a flow restrictor disposed in the conduit, the flow restrictor including
• an inflatable balloon positioned to occlude the flow path of the medicinal fluid upon inflation, the balloon in fluid communication with a reservoir of an inflation fluid for inflating the balloon, and
• a housing defining a fluid inlet for ingress of the medicinal fluid from the conduit to the flow restrictor, a fluid outlet for egress of the medicinal fluid from the flow restrictor to the conduit, and an inner cavity having a generally spherical shape, the generally spherical shape having a larger diameter than that of the fluid inlet, the inflatable balloon inflating within the inner cavity;
• and
• an actuator for controlling a flow of the inflation fluid from the reservoir of the inflation fluid to the balloon,
• wherein the balloon inflates radially inward with respect to the flow path,
• wherein the balloon is selectively inflatable to control the flow rate of the medicinal fluid over a range of flow rates,
• wherein the balloon comprises a plurality of inflatable arms that open freely when deflated to allow the medicinal fluid to freely flow through the flow restrictor and that stiffen upon inflation to occlude flow of the medicinal fluid through the flow restrictor, each of the plurality of inflatable arms defining a generally triangular shape when inflated, each of the plurality of inflatable arms is spaced 45 degrees from each other,
• wherein the reservoir contracts to inflate the balloon,
• wherein the actuator comprises a rotatable dial and rotating the dial causes a projection extending from a bottom surface of the dial to compress the reservoir to expel the inflation fluid from the reservoir to the inflatable balloon of the flow restrictor thereby inflating the flow restrictor, where the axis of rotation of the dial is transverse to a direction of flow of the inflation fluid in the reservoir.

A flow rate control device for selectively controlling a flow rate of a medicinal fluid from a medicinal fluid pump to a patient, the flow rate control device comprising:

• a conduit providing a flow path for the medicinal fluid;
• an inflatable flow restrictor for occluding the flow path of the medicinal fluid, the flow restrictor including:
• an inflatable portion in fluid communication with a source of an inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable portion of the flow restrictor, the source of the inflation fluid comprising a reservoir, and
• a housing defining:
• a fluid inlet for ingress of the medicinal fluid to the flow restrictor,
• a fluid outlet for egress of the medicinal fluid from the flow restrictor, and
• an opening for fluid communication between the flow restrictor and the reservoir of the inflation fluid;
• and
• an actuator for controlling a flow of the inflation fluid from the reservoir of the inflation fluid to the flow restrictor, the actuator comprising a rotatable dial including indicia for indicating a selected flow rate of the medicinal fluid to a user,
• wherein rotating the dial causes a projection extending from a bottom surface of the dial to compress the reservoir and expel the inflation fluid from the reservoir to the inflatable portion of the flow restrictor thereby inflating the flow restrictor, where the axis of rotation of the dial is transverse to a direction of flow of the inflation fluid within the reservoir,
• wherein the inflatable portion of the flow restrictor is disposed in the housing and inflates within the housing,
• wherein the inflatable portion comprises a plurality of inflatable arms that open freely when deflated to allow the medicinal fluid to freely flow through the flow restrictor and that stiffen upon inflation to occlude flow of the medicinal fluid through the flow restrictor, each of the plurality of inflatable arms defining a triangular shape when inflated,
• wherein the flow restrictor is selectively inflatable to control the flow rate of the medicinal fluid over a range of flow rates,
• wherein the indicia comprise a series of numbers representing the range of flow rates selectable using the flow rate control device, and
• wherein each of the plurality of inflatable arms is spaced 45 degrees from each other.