# US 10,865,375 B2 · Switching valve and suction-discharge device including the same

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- Number: US 10,865,375 B2
- Document ID: US10865375B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/918,642
- Filed: 2018-03-12
- Published: 2018-07-19
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-14
- Assignees: Rorze Lifescience Inc.; Rorze Corporation
- Applicants: Rorze Lifescience Inc.; Rorze Corporation
- Inventors: Teruyoshi Munakata; Atsuyoshi Tanioka; Yukito Yamasaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865375B2

## CPC

- C12M 29/14: {Pressurized fluid}
- G01N 35/1009: {Characterised by arrangements for controlling the aspiration or dispense of liquids}
- B01J 4/02: for feeding measured {, i.e. prescribed} quantities of reagents
- C12M 1/00: Apparatus for enzymology or microbiology
- C12M 29/00: {Means for introduction, extraction or recirculation of materials, e.g. pumps (pumps per se F04B)}
- C12M 29/26: {Conditioning fluids entering or exiting the reaction vessel}
- C12M 33/04: {by injection or suction, e.g. using pipettes, syringes, needles (pipettes in general B01L3/02)}
- C12M 41/48: {Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00)}
- F16K 7/045: {by electric or magnetic means}
- F16K 7/06: by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means {(F16K7/045 takes precedence)}
- G01N 1/00: Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
- G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)}
- G01N 2035/00277: {Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)}
- G01N 2035/00425: {Heating or cooling means associated with pipettes or the like, e.g. for supplying sample/reagent at given temperature}
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

Since a drive unit is disposed in a body of a switching valve included in a suction-discharge device in the related art and a sample flows in the body of the switching valve, a treatment, such as autoclave sterilization, could not be performed. For this reason, a contamination cause, such as bacteria, could not be completely removed. Since a switching valve of the invention is formed of a mechanism for blocking tubes by pressing the tubes, in which a sample flows, from the outside, a contamination cause, such as bacteria, is not spread to the switching valve. Further, tubes and a syringe pump, which are installed on a suction-discharge device of the invention, form an assembly that can be easily replaced even though contamination is generated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A switching valve comprising: a rotor
that includes a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on both ends thereof;
a rotor drive unit that rotationally drives the rotor;
a pair of pressing members, each of the pair of pressing members being provided at a position where each of the pair of pressing members cooperates with each of the pair of rollers outside a revolution orbit of each of the pair of rollers revolving by rotation of the rotor; and
a pair of tubes, each of the pair of tubes being disposed between the revolution orbit of each of the pair of rollers and each of the pair of pressing members,
wherein a gap between each of the pair of pressing members and the revolution orbit of each of the pair of rollers is narrow, and a pair of pressing areas where the pair of rollers and the pair of pressing members cooperate with each other to press and block one or both of the pair of tubes is formed by revolution of the pair of rollers,
the pair of rollers is rotationally movable among a position where the pair of tubes is both blocked, a position where only one of the pair of tubes is blocked, and a position where flows in the pair of tubes are both allowed,
the pair of tubes is selectively blocked and opened from an outside by the pair of rollers and the pair of pressing members by the revolution of the pair of rollers,
a rotation center axis of the rotor is disposed at a position deviating from a straight line connecting centers of rotation of the pair of rollers, and
the pair of pressing members has the pair of pressing areas that is symmetrical with respect to a straight line passing through center of rotation of the rotor and extending a horizontal direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A suction-discharge device comprising:
the switching valve according to claim 1;
a syringe pump to which each of end portions of the pair of tubes is connected; and
a pump drive unit that moves a piston part of the syringe pump forward or backward with respect to a cylinder part,
wherein the pump drive unit cooperates with the rotor drive unit to allow a sample to flow in the pair of tubes.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A culture medium replacement apparatus comprising:
the suction-discharge device according to claim 2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

A dispensing apparatus comprising:
the suction-discharge device according to claim 2.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

An automatic culture system comprising:
the culture medium replacement apparatus according to claim 3;
a culture apparatus that receives a vessel, which receives a sample, in a constant-temperature chamber adjusted to a predetermined environment; and
a transport mechanism that transports the vessel between the culture medium replacement apparatus and the culture apparatus.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

An automatic culture system comprising:
the dispensing apparatus according to claim 4;
a culture apparatus that receives a vessel, which receives a sample, in a constant-temperature chamber adjusted to a predetermined environment; and
a transport mechanism that transports the vessel between the culture medium replacement apparatus and the culture apparatus.