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Systems and methods for the accurate delivery of flow materials

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of and Paris Convention priority of U.S. Utility application Ser. Nos. 11/343,817, filed 31 Jan. 2006; 11/462,962, filed 7 Aug. 2006; 11/694,841, filed 30 Mar. 2007; 11/744,819, filed 4 May 2007; 12/020,498, filed 25 Jan. 2008; and 12/039,693, filed 28 Feb. 2008, the contents of which are each incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This disclosure relates to an apparatus and associated methods for dispensing flow materials, such as fluids or gasses at known, measurable, and adjustable rates. Additionally, the present disclosure relates to flow regulators, flow restrictors having reshapable lumina which reshape as a function of pressure, which results in an increase in the flow rate by about a fourth order of magnitude, as well as clamps that are adjustable based on the observed flow rate.

Pumps and flow regulators provide relatively constant and known flow volume over time while maintaining isolation of the flow material. The pumps of the present disclosure provide real time monitoring of the volume of flow material delivered over time, and provides for adjustment of the pump or flow regulators to modulate the flow rate. Thus, flow may be substantially modeled to a desired flow profile with real time adjustments of the flow rates.

The above-mentioned features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a sequence of the devices of the present disclosure in the direction of the flow of a flow material;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the interrelationship of the devices of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pump of the present disclosure having three chambers;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pump of the present disclosure having two chambers;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pump of the present disclosure having two chambers;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pump of the present disclosure having two chambers;

FIGS. 7A to 7C are graphs of an embodiment illustrating the relationship of volume of the chambers of a three chamber pump as flow material flows by action of the pump;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of an embodiment of a flow regulator;

FIG. 9 is a side view of an embodiment of a flow regulator; and

FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating the combined flow potential of the combination of the flow regulators and pump of the present disclosure that provide for relatively accurate flow over time of a flow material based on the flow rate feedback provided from the pump.