# US 2014/0191146 A1 · Rotary Shear Valve with a Two-pin Drive Shaft for Liquid Chromatography Applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191146 A1 - Document ID: US20140191146A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/117,397 - Filed: 2012-06-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-17 - Assignees: Waters Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Mark W. Moeller; Robert A. Jencks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191146A1 ## CPC - F16K 5/00: {Plug valves;} Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary (taps of the lift-valve type F16K1/00) - F16K 11/0743: {with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates} - G01N 2030/202: {rotary valves} - 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)} - 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) ## Abstract A rotary shear valve assembly for liquid chromatography applications comprises a rotor assembly having a rotor and a drive shaft with a head portion. The rotor has a substantially planar surface with one or more rotor grooves and a pair of holes. The head portion has two pins. The pins are disposed substantially diametrically opposite of each other on a line through a center of the head portion. Each pin mates with one of the holes in the rotor. The rotor assembly can further comprise means for urging the rotor surface against the stator surface such that each rotor groove aligns with and provides a fluidic channel between two of the stator openings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary shear valve assembly, comprising: a rotor assembly having a rotor and a drive shaft with a head portion, the rotor having a substantially planar surface with one or more rotor grooves and a pair of holes, the head portion having two pins, the pins being disposed substantially diametrically opposite of each other on a line through a center of the head portion, each pin mating with one of the holes in the rotor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the pins is smaller in diameter than the other pin. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 2, wherein one of the holes in the rotor is sized to receive closely the smaller-diameter pin and the other of the holes in the rotor is a slot for receiving the other pin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the holes in the rotor is sized to receive closely one of the pins and the other of the holes in the rotor is a slot for receiving the other pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a housing for the rotor assembly, one end of the drive shaft extending through an opening at a base of the housing; and a clamp secured to the end of the drive shaft extending through the opening at a base of the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a stator with a plurality of ports and a substantially planar surface with openings to the ports; and wherein the rotor assembly further comprises means for urging the rotor surface against the stator surface such that each rotor groove aligns with and provides a channel between two of the ports of the stator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 6, wherein the means for urging includes a plurality of clover springs around the drive shaft, the clover springs being compressed to produce an axial force. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 6, wherein a seal formed between the surfaces of the rotor and the stator substantially prevents fluidic leakage up to 20,000 psi. ### Claim 9 A rotary shear valve assembly, comprising: a rotor assembly having a drive shaft and a rotor, the drive shaft having a head portion with only two pins extending orthogonally from a distal surface of the head portion, the rotor having a substantially planar surface with one or more rotor grooves, a first hole for tightly receiving one of the two pins of the head portion, and a slot for receiving the other of the two pins. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 9, wherein one of the pins is smaller in diameter than the other pin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 10, wherein one of the holes in the rotor is sized to receive closely the smaller-diameter pin and the other of the holes in the rotor is a slot for receiving the other pin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the pins are disposed substantially diametrically opposite of each other on a line through a center of the head portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a housing for the rotor assembly, one end of the drive shaft extending through an opening at a base of the housing; and a clamp secured to the end of the drive shaft extending through the opening at a base of the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 9, further comprising a stator with a plurality of ports and a substantially planar surface with openings to the ports; and wherein the rotor assembly further comprises means for urging the rotor surface against the stator surface such that each rotor groove aligns with and provides a fluidic channel between two of the stator openings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 14, wherein the means for urging includes a plurality of clover springs around the drive shaft and compressed to provide an axial force. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The rotary shear valve assembly of claim 15, wherein a seal formed between the surfaces of the rotor and the stator substantially prevents fluidic leakage up to 20,000 psi.