Rotary valves for managing fluid flows in medical systems
AssigneeFresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
InventorsJon F. Moss, Bert D. Egley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one aspect, a valve includes an interior channel for permitting a fluid to flow through the valve and an opening to the interior channel, the opening including a circular portion and a tapered portion adjacent the circular portion, the tapered portion having a maximum width that is less than a diameter of the circular portion, wherein the valve is rotatable about a central axis of the valve to adjust a position of a cross-sectional area of the opening with respect to a cross-sectional area of an inlet fluid line positioned to deliver the fluid to the rotary valve.
Claims16
A valve, comprising:
- an interior channel for permitting a fluid to flow through the valve;
- and
- an opening to the interior channel, the opening comprising a circular portion and a tapered portion adjacent the circular portion, the tapered portion having a maximum width that is less than a diameter of the circular portion,
- wherein the valve is rotatable about a central axis of the valve to adjust a position of a cross-sectional area of the opening with respect to a cross-sectional area of an inlet fluid line positioned to deliver the fluid to the rotary valve.
A medical system, comprising:
- a medical fluid pumping machine comprising an actuator;
- and
- a valve configured to be secured to the medical fluid pumping machine such that the valve is operable with the actuator, the valve comprising:
- an interior channel for permitting a fluid to flow through the valve, and
- an opening to the interior channel, the opening comprising a circular portion and a tapered portion adjacent the circular portion, the tapered portion having a maximum width that is less than a diameter of the circular portion,
- wherein the valve is rotatable about a central axis of the valve to adjust a position of a cross-sectional area of the opening with respect to a cross-sectional area of an inlet fluid line positioned to deliver the fluid to the rotary valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.