Administration feeding set

1. An administration feeding set for use with a flow control apparatus to deliver fluid from at least one fluid source to a patient, the flow control apparatus comprising a recess, a sensing device disposed proximate to the recess for detecting magnetic components or magnetically-susceptible metallic components, and a microprocessor operatively associated with a software subsystem, the administration feeding set comprising:

a tubing for flow of fluid along a fluid pathway;

a mounting member on the tubing receivable in the recess of said flow control apparatus, said mounting member having upper and lower receiving portions co-axial with said fluid pathway, each receiving portion being adapted to receive an identification member; and

one or more upper and lower identification members selectively positioned on one or more of said upper and lower receiving portions of the mounting member, each identification member comprising a magnetic component or a magnetically-susceptible metallic component;

the arrangement being such that when the administration set is loaded on the flow control apparatus with the mounting member properly positioned in said recess, the sensing device is positioned for detecting any respective upper and lower identification members on the receiving portions of the mounting member to permit identification of the administration feeding set as having a particular functional configuration different from another functional configuration, wherein said particular functional configuration comprises one of a feeding configuration, a flushing configuration and a re-certification configuration and said another functional configuration comprises another of a feeding configuration, a flushing configuration and a re-certification configuration.

2. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein a first identification member is mounted on one of said receiving portions and a second identification member is mounted on another of said receiving portions.

3. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein the identification members can be arranged to indicate up to three separate functional configurations.

4. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein the identification members can be arranged to indicate up to seven separate functional configurations.

5. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fluid pathway extends through the mounting member from one end of the mounting member to an opposite end of the mounting member.

6. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tubing comprises a first tubing connected to a first of said receiving portions and a second tubing connected to a second of said receiving portions.

7. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fluid pathway extends through the mounting member, and wherein each of said at least two receiving portions of the mounting member surrounds said fluid pathway.

8. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 7 wherein said tubing comprises a first tubing connected to a first of said receiving portions and a second tubing connected to a second of said receiving portions.

9. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first tubing is stretchable and adapted to stretch when the administration feeding set is installed on said flow control apparatus.

10. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting member comprises at least three co-axial receiving portions each adapted to receive an identification member.

11. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 10 wherein a first identification member is mounted on a first of said receiving portions, a second identification member is mounted on a second of said receiving portions, and a third identification member is mounted on a third of said receiving portions.

12. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein the administration set further comprises a valve mechanism upstream from said mounting member for control of fluid flow through said tubing, the valve mechanism being adapted to engage said flow control apparatus, and wherein said valve mechanism is movable between at least two positions including an open position permitting fluid flow and a closed position preventing fluid flow, and wherein the valve mechanism is configured such that the valve mechanism can be disengaged from the flow control apparatus when in said closed position but cannot be disengaged from the flow control apparatus when in said open position.

13. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein a polarity of at least one of said upper and lower identification members is reversed to provide an additional means for indicating a particular functional configuration.

14. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a feeding configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a re-certification configuration.

15. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a flushing configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a feeding configuration and a re-certification configuration.

16. The administration feeding set as set forth in claim 1 wherein said particular functional configuration is a re-certification configuration and said another functional configuration is one of a flushing configuration and a feeding configuration.