US 4,044,989 AGranted

Pinch tube valve

OwnerDonald R. Basel, Raymond P. Kawolicsinventors

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Abstract

A pinch tube type valve adapted to be mounted to a liquid container receiver to accept an elongated flexible outlet tube protruding from a liquid container disposed in the receiver for selecting control of liquid flow through the tube from the container. The tube is passed through a passageway in the valve body for selective engagement by a stem which is reciprocable into and out of closing engagement therewith. The passageway is enlarged adjacent the inlet end of the valve body to permit easy insertion of the liquid container outlet tube therethrough. An apertured tube retaining area is disposed adjacent the outlet end of the valve body passageway to receive and retain the tube in a desired position relative to the container receiver to facilitate ease of liquid dispensing operations. The stem may also include a tube engaging protrusion arrangement when the valve is contemplated for use in pressurized liquid systems.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A pinch tube type valve adapted to receive an elongated flexible tube for selective control of liquid through said tube, said valve comprising;

a valve body having upper and lower surfaces, an inlet end, and outlet end, a first enclosed passageway interconnecting said inlet and outlet ends and a second enclosed passageway disposed generally transversely to and communicating with said first passageway between said ends, said valve body further including mounting means for mounting said valve in a desired position to a mounting surface;
means for closing said valve disposed in said second passageway, said closing means comprising a stem member selectively reciprocal within said second passageway into said first passageway, said stem having a first position extending into said first passageway and adapted to act against said tube to force said tube into a closed condition to prevent liquid flow therethrough and a second position withdrawn from engagement with said tube toward said second passageway to allow liquid flow through said tube, said closing means further including spring biasing means disposed in said second passageway operating against said stem to continuously urge said stem toward said first position;
and,
a distinct tube engaging protrusion extending outwardly from the outermost end of said stem wherein said protrusion has a width dimension as measured generally transverse of said first passageway and a thickness dimension as measured generally normal to said width dimension, said width being generally equal to the lateral dimension of said stem outermost end with said thickness being less than said width such that said protrusion comprises a generally rib-like area disposed transverse of said first passageway, said protrusion being cooperable with a distinct protrusion receiving area in the side wall of said first passageway opposite said second passageway with said receiving area having generally the same configuration as said protrusion and extending generally transversely across said first passageway whereby when said stem is in said first position, said distinct tube engaging protrusion engages said tube to force a portion thereof at least slightly into said distinct protrusion receiving area for more tightly closing said tube.

1 more element

A pinch tube type valve adapted to receive an elongated flexible tube for selective control of liquid through said tube, said valve comprising:

a valve body having upper and lower surfaces, an inlet end, an outlet end, a first enclosed passageway interconnecting said inlet and outlet ends and a second enclosed passageway disposed generally transversely to and communicating with said first passageway between said ends, said valve body further including mounting means for mounting said valve in a desired position to a mounting surface;
means for closing said valve disposed in said second passageway, said closing means comprising a stem member selectively reciprocal within said second passageway into said first passageway, said stem having a first position extending into said first passageway and adapted to act against said tube to force said tube into a closed condition to prevent liquid flow therethrough and a second position withdrawn from engagement with said tube toward said second passageway to allow liquid flow through said tube, said closing means further including spring biasing means disposed in said second passageway operating against said stem to continuously urge said stem toward said first position;
a distinct tube engaging protrusion extending outwardly from the outermost end of said stem cooperable with a distinct protrusion receiving area in the side wall of said first passageway opposite said second passageway with said protrusion and protrusion receiving area extending generally transversely across at least a portion of the width of said first passageway whereby when said stem is in said first position said distinct tube engaging protrusion engages said tube to force a portion thereof at least slightly into said distinct protrusion receiving area for more tightly closing said tube;
and,
means for guiding said tube engaging protrusion in a desired orientation relative to said protrusion receiving area as said valve stem is selectively moved between said first and second positions, said guiding means comprising cooperable means between said stem and valve body, said cooperable means being defined by said valve body having at least one slot area in the side wall of said first passageway extending generally transverse thereto and said stem including a portion thereof dimensioned to be slidably received in said at least one slot area.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.