Automatic flow control valve system

An apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through a conduit which is operated on by a fluid infusion device to infuse a medical fluid to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a valve disposed in line with and in fluid communication with the conduit such that fluid flowing through the conduit flows through the valve, the valve comprising:
• a passage through which the fluid may flow;
• a movable flow control member mounted in the valve and being movable into a first position in which the flow control member is disposed in the passage to block flow through the passage, and a second position in which the flow control member does not block flow through the passage, the flow control member comprising a handle which controls the position of the flow control member and has first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of the flow control member;
• an infusion engagement member having an engaged position at which it controls the fluid infusion device to engage the conduit for infusing fluid to the patient and having a disengaged position at which the infusion engagement member controls the fluid infusion device to be disengaged from the conduit;
• and
• a positioning device mounted to the fluid infusion device which controls the position of the flow control member by selectively positioning the handle in the first and second positions and which interacts with the infusion engagement member so that the positioning device is restricted from setting the flow control member to the second position until after the infusion engagement member is in the engaged position, and so that the positioning device moves the flow control member to the first position before the infusion engagement member can be moved to the disengaged position.

An apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through a conduit which is operated on by a fluid infusion device to infuse a medical fluid to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a valve disposed in line with and in fluid communication with the conduit such that fluid flowing through the conduit flows through the valve, the valve comprising:
• a passage through which the fluid may flow;
• a rotatable member inserted in the passage, the rotatable member having a channel which when misaligned with the passage blocks the flow of fluid through the valve, and when aligned with the passage permits the flow of fluid through the valve, the first rotational member having a first position in which the channel is misaligned with the passage and a second position in which the channel is aligned with the passage, and wherein the flow control member further comprises a lever having first and second sides, the lever being attached to the movable flow control member to control the position of the flow control member, the lever having first and second positions corresponding to the first and second positions of the flow control member;
• an infusion engagement member having an engaged position at which it controls the fluid infusion device to engage the conduit for infusing fluid to the patient and having a disengaged position at which the infusion engagement member controls the fluid infusion device to be disengaged from the conduit;
• and
• a positioning device mounted to the fluid infusion device which controls the position of the flow control member and which interacts with the infusion engagement member so that the positioning device is restricted from setting the flow control member to the second position until after the infusion engagement member is in the engaged position, and so that the positioning device moves the flow control member to the first position before the infusion engagement member is moved to the disengaged position, the positioning device comprising first and second members wherein the first member contacts the first side of the lever to move the lever to the first position when the positioning device is moved in a first direction and the second member contacts the second side of the lever to move the lever to the second position when the positioning device is moved in a second direction.