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US 7,503,203 B2Granted
Rotary valve and analytical chromatographic system using the same
AssigneeMecanique Analytique Inc.
InventorsYves Gamache, André Fortier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided a rotary valve for fluid analytical systems. The present valve provides improved characteristics such as an extended lifetime. The valve can fulfil different fluid analytical functions and can be a multi-ports and/or multi-positions valve. The valve is provided with extra recesses in the rotor and extra ports in the stator. These recesses allow to cancel the effect of any possible leaks by evacuating them. Such a valve then prevents cross-port leaks and can advantageously be used in highly critical applications. Moreover, the present valve can be used in an analytical system which is advantageously self-diagnostic.
Claims26
A rotary valve comprising:
- a stator having a stator interface and a plurality of fluid open-ports, each of said ports having an opening lying at said stator interface;
- a rotor coaxial to said stator and rotatable about an axis with respect to said stator between each of a plurality of rotor positions, said rotor having a rotor interface lying against said stator interface and at least one fluid channel provided with an opening extending in said rotor interface for operatively interacting with the fluid open-ports of the stator;
- and
- a fluid circulation line comprising:
- a looped recessed fluid circuit extending in said rotor interface, said looped fluid circuit comprising an outer annular recess and an inner recess, each extending in said rotor interface, said fluid circuit further comprising a plurality of separation recesses radially extending in said rotor interface, each of said separation recesses being connected to each of said inner and outer recesses for defining a plurality of rotor interface portions isolated from each others, each of said rotor interface portions enclosing at the most one of the fluid channels, said plurality of separation recesses extending at a predetermined position so that at most one of said ports is in fluid communication with said looped fluid circuit for any relative orientation of the rotor with respect to the stator;
- and
- a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each having an opening lying at said stator interface, each of said inlet and outlet being in continuous fluid communication with a respective one of said inner and outer recesses for providing a continuous fluid flow in said looped recessed fluid circuit.
4 more elements
A rotary valve comprising:
- A stator having a stator interface and a plurality of fluid open-ports, each of said ports having an opening lying at said stator interface;
- a rotor coaxial to said stator and rotatable about an axis with respect to said stator between each of a plurality of rotor positions, said rotor having a rotor interface lying against said stator interface and at least one fluid channel provided with an opening extending in said rotor interface for operatively interacting with the fluid open-ports of the stator;
- and
- a fluid circulation line comprising:
- a looped recessed fluid circuit extending in said rotor interface, said looped fluid circuit comprising an outer annular recess and an inner recess, each extending in said rotor interface, said inner recess comprising an annular portion defining a central rotor interface portion therein, said fluid circuit further comprising a plurality of separation recesses radially extending in said rotor interface, each of said separation recesses being connected to each of said inner and outer recesses for defining a plurality of rotor interface portions isolated from each others, each of said rotor interface portions enclosing at the most one of the fluid channels, said fluid channel comprising first and second openings extending in said rotor interface, the first opening extending in said central rotor interface portion and providing a continuous fluid communication with a corresponding port aligned therewith, the second opening extending in one of the remaining rotor interface portions and providing a fluid communication with a corresponding port aligned therewith for a given rotor position, thereby providing a fluid flow path between the two ports in simultaneous fluid communication with said first and second openings;
- and
- a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each having an opening lying at said stator interface, each of said inlet and outlet being in continuous fluid communication with a respective one of said inner and outer recesses for providing a continuous fluid flow in said looped recessed fluid circuit.
4 more elements
A rotary valve comprising:
- a stator having a stator interface and a plurality of fluid open-ports, each of said ports having an opening lying at said stator interface;
- a rotor coaxial to said stator and rotatable about an axis with respect to said stator between each of a plurality of rotor positions, said rotor having a rotor interface lying against said stator interface and at least one fluid channel provided with an opening extending in said rotor interface for operatively interacting with the fluid open-ports of the stator;
- and
- a fluid circulation line comprising:
- a looped recessed fluid circuit extending in said rotor interface, said looped fluid circuit comprising an outer annular recess and an inner recess, each extending in said rotor interface, said fluid circuit further comprising a plurality of separation recesses radially extending in said rotor interface, each of said separation recesses being connected to each of said inner and outer recesses for defining a plurality of rotor interface portions isolated from each others, each of said rotor interface portions enclosing at the most one of the fluid channels;
- and
- a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, each having an opening lying at said stator interface, each of said inlet and outlet being in continuous fluid communication with a respective one of said inner and outer recesses for providing a continuous fluid flow in said looped recessed fluid circuit wherein said rotary valve further comprises at least one fin, each of said fins extending on an edge of one of the separation recesses.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.