Pinch valve system with extended life
OwnerJohn Tiwet, Rebecca Tiwetinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a pinch valve system for controlling a fluid flow in a fluid flow path. The pinch valve system has an elastic sleeve member having a pair of outwardly extending elliptical folds on the circumference. The sleeve member is novel because the elliptical folds provide additional axial lengths that match the circumferential extension of the sleeve member when the sleeve member is in a pinched condition, thereby allowing the sleeve member always to be in a stress-free state. The sleeve member is novel because the inner surface is coated with a fluorocarbon material having superior chemical inertness and high operating temperature, thereby providing the elastic sleeve member with a long service life.
Claims6
A pinch valve system for controlling flow in a fluid flow path comprising:
- a tubular elastic sleeve member, said sleeve member having a first and a second rims, said first and second rims are adapted to secure said sleeve member to the fluid flow path, said sleeve member including at least a pair of support tabs positioned at central position between said first and second rims, said support tabs having a small end and a large end;
- said sleeve member having a pair of outwardly extending contoured folds on the circumference, said contoured fold providing additional axial lengths that are adapted to match the circumferential extensions of said sleeve member when in a pinched condition, said additional lengths are maximum at center of pinch line and coincident with central axis and minimum at extreme opposing ends of said pinch line;
- a pair of pinch brackets, each pinch bracket comprising at one end a single flange and at the other end a double flange said brackets are positioned on the circumference of said sleeve member and equidistant from said first and second rims, said brackets are positioned in opposite direction and rotated 180° to each other, said brackets having a undercut slot and an aperture therethrough to said undercut slot;
- said brackets having a means for synchronous actuation to releasably pinch said sleeve member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.