An expansion valve includes a valve body that is designed as a converging-diverging nozzle that tapers from an inlet end and an outlet end thereof towards a throat. The valve body includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a refrigerant flow path that are co-axial, the refrigerant flow path extending through the valve body from the inlet opening to the outlet opening. A portion of the valve body is flexible and configured to be adjusted by application of an external force to throttle the valve body at the throat and thereby control a flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant flow path. Further, the expansion valve includes a force applying assembly that is coupled to the flexible portion of the valve body to apply the external force thereon. The force applying assembly is disposed external to the refrigerant flow path and removably coupled to the valve body.

A gypsum slurry modifier device is provided for use with a gypsum mixer outlet boot having at least one tubular outlet leg, and includes a support bracket mountable to the outlet boot; at least one clamp member associated with the support bracket and constructed and arranged for engaging the at least one tubular outlet leg of the outlet boot. Each at least one clamp member is constructed and arranged for exerting a vertical compression force on the associated at least one tubular outlet leg for expanding a slurry outlet flow from the at least one leg laterally beyond an exterior surface of the leg.

A flow meter, and related system and method are provided. The flow meter includes a coupler, a support member, an image sensor, a valve, and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view. The one or more processors are operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive image data therefrom and to the actuator to actuate the valve. The one or more processors are configured to estimate a flow of fluid through the drip chamber and to actuate the valve to control the flow of fluid through the drip chamber to achieve a target flow rate.

A device is disclosed comprising a pinchable hose with an inner wall and an outer wall. The hose comprises a flexible material and one or more springs. A central axis of the one or more springs is contained within a space between the inner wall and the outer wall of the hose.

An apparatus and method for crimping coupling rings are provided. The apparatus generally has a lower clamp head and an upper clamp head that may be drawn together by a fastener. The lower and upper clamp heads are designed to receive a first portion and a second portion of a coupling ring, respectively. A first and second post holds the clamp heads adjacent to each other. The upper clamp head is secured to the first post such that the upper clamp head may rotate in a generally circular motion to switch the apparatus from a closed to an open configuration, or vice versa. When the apparatus is placed in a closed configuration, the fastener may be engaged to draw the clamp heads together to increase the compressive force imposed on a coupling ring until the coupling ring becomes crimped.

A stable flow regulator assembly includes a body having an aperture that received a tube. The assembly also includes a worm gear that extends through, and is rotationally movable relative to, the body. A worm wheel is rotationally positioned within the body and is pivotably moved within the body by engagement with the worm gear. The worm wheel also includes a slot, configured to align with the aperture, through which a tube may be extended, and as the worm wheel is moved within the body, the slot and the aperture are moved out of and into alignment to compress and release compression upon the tube.

A pinch valve having a valve housing, wherein the valve housing has a valve inlet and a valve outlet and a sleeve arranged between the valve inlet and the valve outlet, wherein the sleeve is connected to the valve inlet and the valve outlet and forms a valve channel, which valve channel can be flowed through in a conveyed direction by a conveyed medium, wherein the pinch valve further has a pinch bar, which moves back and forth in a closing direction between an open position and a closed position, wherein the pinch bar is in contact with the sleeve at least in the closed position, such that the pinch bar exerts a closing force on the sleeve in the closing direction, such that a channel cross-section of the valve channel perpendicular to the conveyed direction between the valve inlet and the valve outlet can be reduced and/or closed, wherein the sleeve has at least two material layers between which a first textile fabric, preferably a mesh, is arranged.

A method of controlling flow through a flexible tube includes providing a pinch clamp mechanism including a pinching element and a pinching surface configured to apply a force on the flexible tube when the flexible tube is positioned between the pinching element and the pinching surface. The method also includes displacing the pinching element relative to the pinching surface with a mechanical drive unit and biasing the pinching element toward the pinching surface with a spring.

The invention relates to a pinch valve comprising at least a body having connecting flanges, a sleeve made of elastic material and an actuator, wherein said pinch valve comprises first pinching means that is movable towards the sleeve, wherein as a response to an operation of the actuator, said first pinching means squeezes the sleeve at least partially to control a flow in said sleeve. In the pinch valve, the sleeve is curved, and said connecting flanges are not parallel, whereupon said sleeve is fixed to the body in such a manner that openings of said sleeve are not parallel either.

A tube clamp closes a flexible tube by applying a pinching force to walls of the flexible tube. The clamp includes a housing connected to a circular flange, the circular flange including a tubular wall surrounding a central bore and including at least one slot in the tubular wall sized to accept the flexible tube. A pinching element is positioned inside the central bore and is rotatable about a central axis of the circular flange. The pinching element includes a pinching projection that has a cross-sectional shape bound by a partial circle, and the partial circle has a radius substantially same as an inner radius of the tubular wall.