Flow restriction devices, methods, and systems
AssigneeNxStage Medical, Inc.
InventorEric Zoglio
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flow restrictor includes a flexible tube held in a housing and a linear actuator connected through an intermediate link to a distal link via a first revolute joint proximate the linear actuator and a second revolute joint connecting the intermediate and distal links. The distal link has a distal end adjacent the flexible tube and the intermediate and distal links are constrained to move such that when the linear actuator moves the first revolute joint toward the linear actuator, the distal end of the distal link is driven into the side of the tube thereby progressively occluding the flexible tube.
Claims6
A flow restrictor, comprising:
- a flexible tube held in a housing;
- a linear actuator connected through an intermediate link to a distal link via a first revolute joint proximate the linear actuator and a second revolute joint connecting the intermediate link and the distal link;
- the distal link having a distal end adjacent the flexible tube;
- and
- the intermediate link and the distal link being constrained to move such that when the linear actuator moves the first revolute joint toward the linear actuator, the distal end of the distal link is driven into a side of the flexible tube thereby progressively occluding the flexible tube, wherein
- the first revolute joint and the second revolute joint each have a roller guided by walls of a chamber thereby constraining movement of the intermediate link and the distal link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.