Universal flow limiter assembly

1 . A universal flow limiter assembly comprising:

a body configured to receive a portion of an intravenous (IV) tube, the body comprising:

two opposing side beams;

a hinge portion disposed at a first end of the body;

a control portion disposed at a second end of the body, wherein the control portion comprises a C-shaped control portion defined by mirrored ends of the opposing side beams, and wherein a control receptacle is disposed within the C-shaped control portion; and

a groove defined between the side beams and disposed between the hinge portion and the control portion; and

a control knob, comprising:

a control body configured to be disposed within the control receptacle;

a manual interface disposed on a first end of the control body, the manual interface configured to be manipulated by hand to rotate the control knob; and

a machine interface disposed on a second end of the control body, the machine interface configured to be manipulated by a motor to rotate the control knob, wherein the control knob comprises a stop member extending radially outward from the control body, the stop member configured to engage with a first stop surface of a first side beam when the control knob is in a closed position setting and to engage with a second stop surface of a second side beam when the control knob is in a fully open position setting,

wherein the universal flow limiter assembly is configured to regulate a flow rate of fluid flowing through the IV tube.

2 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hinge portion is a U-shaped joining of the opposing side beams.

3 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 2 , wherein the hinge portion comprises a hinge axis defined by an opening in the hinge portion, and wherein the hinge portion is configured to provide a biasing force on the opposing side beams towards each other.

4 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second side beam comprises a guide surface disposed between an end of the second side beam and the second stop surface, and wherein the stop member is configured to ride along the guide surface when the control knob is rotated.

5 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the body comprises a tube opening disposed between two end portions of the C-shaped control portion, wherein the tube opening is configured to slidably receive a portion of the IV tube.

6 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the groove comprises a plurality of tubing clamp slots.

7 . The universal flow limiter assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of tubing clamp slots defines a different groove width, and wherein a first tubing clamp slot with a widest groove width is disposed adjacent the control portion and a second tubing clamp slot with a narrowest groove width is disposed adjacent the hinge portion.

8 . An intravenous (IV) set comprising:

an IV tube;

an infusion component coupled to the IV tube; and

the universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 .

9 . A method of operating a universal flow limiter assembly, the method comprising:

inserting an IV tube laterally into a tube opening in the control portion at the second end of the body of the universal flow limiter assembly of claim 1 ;

sliding the IV tube into a tubing clamp slot of the groove having a smallest width that the IV tube fits into without compression of a fluid flow path within the IV tube;

coupling the control knob of the universal flow limiter assembly within a control receptacle of the control portion of the universal flow limiter assembly;

rotating the control knob by one of:

machine rotation by a motor, wherein the control knob is coupled to the motor; and

manual rotation by hand; and

adjusting, by rotation of the knob, a deflection between the side beams due to a biasing force of the hinge portion to one of expand and compress the IV tube to set a fluid flow rate through the IV tube to a determined rate.