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US 6,202,698 B1Granted
Multiple port diaphragm valve
AssigneeValco Instruments Company, L.P.
InventorFrank A. Stearns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure sets forth a diaphragm valve operative with N ports deployed in an upper head. The ports all connect to a diaphragm having a bead defining a flow path around the diaphragm connecting all the ports. In the cylinder below the upper head, there are upper and lower pistons which are forced apart to define a fluid receiving chamber. The fluid receiving chamber is enlarged on the introduction of fluid above a certain pressure thereby raising half of the piston rods bearing against the diaphragm and reduction of fluid pressure in the chamber lowers those push rods and raises an alternate set of push rods to accomplish diaphragm switching by deformation of the resilient material defining the diaphragm.
Claims29
A valve assembly comprising:
- (a) a valve body having a planar face area;
- (b) an upper valve head having a matching planar face area for contact against said valve body at the planar face thereof;
- (c) a seal member compressible therebetween;
- (d) a single tensioned fastener between said valve body and said head pulling said valve body and said upper valve head together to form a leakproof seal therebetween, wherein said single tension fastener comprises co-linear, opposing screws passing through a central opening in said upper valve head and a central open in a lower valve head and threading into a threaded central opening within said valve body;
- (e) at least two movable push rods of equal length operatively cooperating opposing pistons and with said seal member to operate said valve assembly;
- and
- (f) said opposing pistons are operatively moved by pressure applied through a single fitting port penetrating said valve body and in fluid communication with a chamber defined by said opposing pistons.
4 more elements
A valve assembly comprising:
- (a) a valve body;
- (b) an upper valve head contacted at an interface with said valve body;
- (c) N ports connected to a fluid flow passage defined between said body and said head at said interface;
- and
- (d) a diaphragm between said body and head movable between at least two positions to open a flow path between first and second ports along said passage;
- wherein
- (e) wherein said valve body encloses
- (i) first and second movable pistons responsive to forces applied thereto by pressure through a single fitting port within said valve body,
- (ii) first and second push rods of equal length and deployed for movement respectively by said first and second pistons so that said first and second push rods move with respect to said diaphragm and close at selected first and second locations said fluid flow passage on movement of said diaphragm in response to said first and second push rods, and
- (iii) said valve body is controllably clamped between said upper valve head and a lower valve head by means of co-linear, opposing screws passing through central passage ways within said upper and said lower valve heads and threading into a threaded central passage within said valve body.
7 more elements
A valve assembly comprising:
- (a) a valve body having a planar face area;
- (b) an upper valve head having a matching planar face area for contact against said valve body at the planar face area therefor;
- (c) a sheet seal member compressibly positioned between said valve body and said upper valve head;
- (d) at least two ports opening through passages on one side of said sheet seal member;
- (e) at least two push rods of equal length and operably positioned for sliding movement against and away from said sheet member wherein said push rods are positioned with respect to said sheet member and said passages to selectively control fluid communication between said passages, and further wherein said push rods accommodate varations in force bearing said sheet member, and further wherein said push rods operably move in opposite directions by means of pressure applied though a single fitting port penetrating said valve body;
- and
- (f) said sheet member is compressed by the positioning of co-linear opposing screws passing through central passage ways within said upper valve head and a lower valve heads and threading into a threaded central passage within said valve body.
4 more elements
A valve assembly comprising:
- (a) a valve body having a planar face area and defining an interior cylinder;
- (b) an upper valve head having a matching planar face area for contact against said valve body at the planar face area thereof;
- (c) a sheet seal member compressibly positioned between said planar face areas of said valve body and said valve head;
- (d) N port openings wherein each said port opening connects to a dedicated through passage in said valve head and on one side of said sheet seal member,
- (e) an upper and a lower piston operable within said cylinder, wherein
- (i) a lower face of said upper piston and an upper face of said lower piston define a chamber,
- (ii) said lower piston supports a skirt which extends centrally and internally around said upper face,
- (iii) said skirt defines an upper skirt face which contains N/2 notches therein;
- (f) N push rods of equal length and each having an upper and a lower end and each operably positioned for sliding movement, within said valve body, of said upper ends against and away from said sheet member wherein N is an even integer and wherein
- (i) said push rods are positioned with respect to said sheet member and said passages to selectively control fluid communication between said passages,
- (ii) said push rods accommodate variations in force bearing against said sheet member,
- (iii) with said upper piston contacting said lower piston, said lower ends of a first set of N/2 push rods contact said upper skirt face when said upper ends of said first set contact said sheet member, and
- (iv) with said upper piston contacting said lower piston, said lower ends of a second set of N/2 push rods pass through said notches and contact an upper face of said upper piston when said upper ends of said second set are moved away from said sheet member;
- and
- (g) lower valve head wherein said valve body is controllably clamped between said upper valve head and a lower valve head by means of co linear, opposing screws passing through central passage ways within said upper and said lower valve heads and threading into a threaded central passage within said valve body.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.