Pinch valve formed from a wire helix
OwnerCalvin E. Osborne, Sr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wire helix having adjacent turns normally spaced so that the wall of a flexible tubing will be pinched closed when placed between them has at least one pair of turns spaced far enough apart to allow the tubing to pass between them without being pinched; valving action takes place when the tubing is twisted around the helix to move it between the unobstructed position to the pinched position. In a modified form, there are two locations in the helix where the tubing may pass outwardly and then reenter the helix without being obstructed; in this form, the looped portion of the tubing lying outside the helix may be rotated about the helix in either direction to pinch it closed.
Claims17
In a valve of the type which includes a length of flexible tubing, the opposite sides of the wall of the tubing being pinched together to control the flow of fluid therethrough, the improvement which comprises a resilient wire helix having spacing between adjacent turns which is variable between a first pair of adjacent turns and a second pair of adjacent turns such that the opposite walls of said tubing, when engaged between said first pair of turns, will be pinched to stop the flow of fluid, and, when engaged between said second pair of turns, will be substantially undistorted to allow substantially free flow of fluid, and means to mount said wire helix on said tubing for movement between said first and second pair of turns.
Method of forming a valve of the type which includes a flexible tubing and a pinch-valving element for use with the tubing for compressing the opposite sides of the wall thereof to stop the flow of fluid, comprising the steps of:
- a. applying axially directed force in tension to a pair of adjacent turns of a resilient multi-turn wire helix the normal spacing between adjacent turns of said helix being such that said tubing will be pinched closed when positioned therebetween, said axially directed force being sufficient to deform said adjacent turns beyond the elastic limit of said wire such that when said tension is released the distance between said pair of turns will be sufficient to permit said tubing to pass therebetween without being pinched to any substantial degree;
- b. releasing said tension;
- c. bending at least one turn of wire of said helix angularly with respect to the rest of the helix to form a stop means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.