Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus is included in a system for controlling the flow of intravenous fluid from a source to a patient. Such apparatus is manually adjustable to vary the rate of such fluid flow. Desired rates of fluid flow may also be set in such system when the apparatus is included in the system. The system then overrides any previous manual adjustment of such apparatus and adjusts the rate of fluid flow in accordance with any such setting. When a desired rate of fluid flow has been preset into the system, the system then operates to adjust the rate of fluid flow in an instantaneous basis so that the desired rate of fluid flow maintained. The apparatus is removably disposed in the system for controlling the flow of fluid to the patient. Even after the adjustment by the system of the rate of fluid flow in accordance with any setting, the apparatus may be removed from the system to provide a rate of fluid flow in accordance with the manual adjustment of the apparatus. A plug member in the apparatus defines a passage communicating at a first position with an inlet line and, at a displaced position in a particular direction, with an outlet line. A resilient member such as a diaphragm may be disposed in the particular direction in the passage and may be displaced in a transverse direction from the inlet and outlet lines. A rod constrains the diaphragm in the transverse direction.

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First Claim