Automatic flow control valve system

Abstract

A fluid flow control system having a valve disposed in-line with a fluid conduit extending between a fluid container and a fluid receiver. The conduit and valve are designed to be used with a fluid infusion device such as a peristaltic pump. The valve is non-clamping and includes a rotatable member with an external handle for controlling the valve between flow and flow stop positions. The handle can be manually operated as well as automatically operated. Mounted to the infusion device is an automatic operating mechanism for cooperating with the pumping mechanism of the infusion device to control the position of the valve. In a disclosed embodiment, the operating mechanism is mounted to an access door of the pump which cannot be closed until the peristaltic mechanism is engaged with the tubing. When the door is closed, the operating mechanism automatically moves the valve to the flow position. When the access door is opened, the mechanism automatically moves the valve to the flow stop position. The pumping mechanism cannot be disengaged from the tubing without first opening the access door, which automatically closes the valve as described above. In one embodiment, the access door includes a retractor arm and a block for selectively operating the valve handle.