Valve sealing system for a reagent package
AssigneeBayer HealthCare LLC
InventorsNicolae Dumitrescu, Joseph Carlucci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The valve sealing system for a reagent package includes an annular cylindrical gasket seated in a channel formed in the package. A rocker valve on the package pivots relative to the annular cylindrical gasket which surrounds an opening to the chamber of the reagent package. The annular channel includes a radially inner peripheral channel sidewall, a radially outer peripheral channel sidewall, and a bottom portion. An inclined peripheral wall portion of the channel intersects one of the channel sidewalls at an obtuse angle and the bottom portion of the channel. When the rocker valve is in a valve closed position it engages the annular cylindrical gasket to provide a substantially leak-tight seal.
Claims15
A reagent package comprising,
- a) a container having an inside chamber and an opening to said inside chamber,
- b) a rocker valve on said container at said opening, said rocker valve having a curved face portion and pivot means mounted on said container for pivotal movement of said curved face portion from a valve open position, wherein said rocker valve permits outside communication into the chamber through said container opening, to a valve closed position wherein said rocker valve closes said container opening to prevent outside communication into the chamber through the container opening,
- c) said container including an annular channel surrounding said container opening and a compressible annular cylindrical gasket seated in said channel, said annular cylindrical gasket having one annular end portion in annular sealing contact with the curved face portion of said rocker valve when the rocker valve is in the valve closed position,
- d) said annular channel including a radially inner peripheral channel sidewall and a radially outer peripheral channel sidewall, and a bottom portion,
- e) said channel further including an inclined peripheral wall that intersects one of said channel sidewalls at an obtuse angle.
A reagent package comprising,
- a) a container having an inside chamber and an opening to said inside chamber,
- b) a rocker valve on said container at said opening, said rocker valve having a curved face portion and pivot means mounted on said container for pivotal movement of said curved face portion from a valve open position, wherein said rocker valve permits outside communication into the chamber through said container opening, to a valve closed position wherein said rocker valve closes said container opening to prevent outside communication into the chamber through the container opening,
- c) said container including an annular channel surrounding said container opening and a compressible annular cylindrical gasket seated in said channel, said annular cylindrical gasket having an upper end portion engageable with the curved face portion of said rocker valve when the rocker valve is in the valve closed position,
- d) said annular channel including a radially inner peripheral channel sidewall and a radially outer peripheral channel sidewall, and a bottom portion,
- e) said channel further including an inclined peripheral wall that intersects the radially inner peripheral channel sidewall at an obtuse angle and also intersects the bottom portion of said channel.
A method of sealing a valve controlled opening with a rocker valve comprising,
- (a) supporting a rocker valve for pivotal movement at an opening in a hollow member such that the rocker valve is pivotable with respect to said hollow member from a valve-open position, wherein the rocker valve permits communication into the hollow member through the opening, and a valve-closed position, wherein the rocker valve closes the opening in the hollow member to prevent outside communication into the hollow member through the opening,
- (b) providing the rocker valve with a curved face portion that blocks the opening in the hollow member when the rocker valve is in the valve-closed position,
- (c) forming an annular channel in the hollow member to encircle the opening in the hollow member and providing the annular channel with a radially inner peripheral channel sidewall, a radially outer peripheral channel sidewall, a bottom portion and an inclined peripheral wall that intersects one of the channel sidewalls at an obtuse angle,
- (d) providing a compressible annular cylindrical gasket having opposite ends in the channel such that one end portion of the cylindrical gasket is at the bottom portion of the channel and the opposite end portion of the cylindrical gasket engages the curved face portion of the rocker valve when the rocker valve is in the valve-closed position, and
- (e) providing the ring gasket with an end-to-end height that enables the one end portion of the ring gasket to be urged against the inclined peripheral wall portion and the bottom portion of the channel, and the opposite end portion to engage against the curved-face portion of the rocker valve to form a leak-tight seal with the rocker valve around the opening in the hollow member.
The method of claim The 12 including selecting the end-to-end height of the annular cylindrical gasket to enable the annular cylindrical gasket to exert a predetermined force on the curved face of the rocker valve when the rocker valve is in the valve-closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.