US 2026/0218800 A1 · METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR DETERMINING FLUID PATH CONNECTIVITY

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of determining fluid path connectivity for a fluidic device having a static member (214) and a moveable member (224), whereby the static member has a first channel (248) with a first port opening (249) that is interconnectable with a second port opening (250b) of a second channel (250) in the moveable member, and whereby said channels are interconnectable so as to create at least part of a fluid path (280). The method comprises steps of: —generating an acoustic signal at one end of the fluid path; —receiving the generated acoustic signal at an opposite end of the fluid path; —measuring an acoustic intensity of the received signal; and —moving the moveable member relative to the static member, such that the first and second port openings move into and out of alignment with each other. The step of measuring the acoustic intensity is performed during step of moving and fluid path connectivity is determined by correlating the measured acoustic intensity with a center-to-center alignment of the first and second port openings

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of determining fluid path connectivity for a fluidic device (10, 210, 400, 500) having a static member (14, 214, 402, 502) and a moveable member (24, 224, 401, 501), wherein:

the static member is provided with a first channel (48, 248, PB1, PB2, PB3, 550) having a first port opening (249);
the moveable member is provided with a second channel (50, 250, PA, 521, 522, 523) having a second port opening (250b);
and
the first and second channels are interconnectable so as to create at least part of a fluid path (280), the method comprising steps of:
generating an acoustic signal at one end of the fluid path;
receiving the generated acoustic signal at an opposite end of the fluid path;
measuring an acoustic intensity of the received signal;
and
moving the moveable member relative to the static member, such that the first and second port openings move into and out of alignment with each other;
wherein the step of measuring the acoustic intensity is performed during the step of moving the moveable member and wherein the method comprises a further step of correlating the measured acoustic intensity with a center-to-center alignment of the first and second port openings.

7 more elements

An apparatus for testing and calibration of a rotary valve (10, 210), the rotary valve comprising a rotor member (24, 224) having a rotor channel (50, 250), the rotor member being provided with a rotary encoder (34, 234), the valve further comprising a stator assembly (14, 214) having a central stator channel (46, 246) and plurality of selectable stator channels (48, 248), whereby a plurality of fluid paths are creatable by rotating a port opening (250b) of the rotor channel into alignment with a port opening (249) of a selected stator channel (48, 248), whereby the apparatus comprises an analysis device (370) and a measurement fixture (360) which has a central opening (264, 265) that is connectable to the central stator channel (46, 246) and a corresponding plurality of outer openings (366, 367), each of which is connectable to a corresponding stator channel (48, 248), wherein:

the central opening of the measuring fixture (360) is provided with one of an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver (281, 282);
each outer opening of the measuring fixture is provided with the other of an acoustic receiver and an acoustic transmitter, such that an acoustic signal associated with each created fluid path is measurable;
and
the analysis device (370) is configured to measure the acoustic intensity of the received signal during rotation of the rotor port opening (250b) past each selectable stator port opening (249).

1 more element

An apparatus for testing and calibrating a linear valve, the linear valve comprising a movable member (401, 501) which is drivingly linearly movable, relative to a static member (402, 502), and a position encoder for providing a position signal indicative of the linear position of the moveable member relative to the static member, wherein one of the movable and the static member is provided with a primary channel (PA, 550) the other one of the movable or the static member is provided with a plurality of selectable secondary channels (PB1, PB2, PB3, 521, 522, 523) and a plurality of fluid paths is creatable by linearly moving a port opening (551) of the primary channel into alignment with a port opening of a selected secondary channel or vice-versa, the apparatus comprising a measurement fixture (560) having a static fixture (562) for holding the static member of the valve and a moving fixture (561) for holding the moveable member of the valve, wherein the measurement fixture (560) comprises:

one of an acoustic transmitter (281) and an acoustic receiver (282), arranged in closed connection with the primary channel;
the other of an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver, arranged in closed connection with each selectable secondary channel;
and wherein the apparatus further comprises an analysis device (370) configured to measure the acoustic intensity of the received signal associated with each created fluid path during linear displacement of the moveable member (401, 501).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and arrangement for determining fluid path connectivity

Life of this patent

Method and arrangement for determining fluid path connectivity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19