Pinch flow regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378663-B2
Application number	US-201816148992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2018
Priority date	Jun 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A valve for regulating fluid flow includes a housing base defining a lower cavity and comprising a pinch structure within the lower cavity, a gas inlet providing external access to the lower cavity, a base fluid inlet, and a base fluid outlet. A housing cover defines an upper cavity and comprises a cover fluid inlet and a cover fluid outlet. The cover fluid inlet is in fluidic communication with the base fluid outlet between the upper cavity and the lower cavity, and the cover fluid outlet provides external access from the upper cavity. A diaphragm is disposed between the housing base and the housing cover. A pinch plate is disposed in the lower cavity and comprises a pinch point disposed opposite the pinch structure. A pinch tube is in fluidic communication between the base fluid inlet and the base fluid outlet in the lower cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve comprising:
a housing base defining a lower cavity and comprising a pinch structure within the lower cavity, a gas inlet providing external access to the lower cavity, a base fluid inlet, and a base fluid outlet;
a housing cover defining an upper cavity and comprising a cover fluid inlet and a cover fluid outlet, the cover fluid inlet in fluidic communication with the base fluid outlet between the upper cavity and the lower cavity, the cover fluid outlet providing external access from the upper cavity, the housing cover further defines a fluid path formed on a surface of the housing cover disposed opposite a surface of the housing cover defining the upper cavity, a plurality of openings defined in the housing cover along the fluid path and providing fluidic communication through the plurality of openings between the fluid path and the upper cavity;
a fluid path cover covering the fluid path;
a diaphragm disposed between the housing base and the housing cover and fluidically separating the lower cavity from the upper cavity;
a pinch plate disposed in the lower cavity and comprising a pinch point disposed opposite the pinch structure; and
a pinch tube in fluidic communication between the base fluid inlet and the base fluid outlet in the lower cavity, the pinch tube extending between the pinch structure and the pinch point.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm is to motivate the pinch point relative to the pinch structure in response to a difference between a fluid pressure in the upper cavity and a gas pressure in the lower cavity.

3. The valve of claim 2 , wherein the diaphragm is to motivate the pinch point toward the pinch structure in response to an increase in the fluid pressure within the upper cavity relative to the gas pressure in the lower cavity to restrict fluid flow in the pinch tube.

4. The valve of claim 1 , further comprising a resilient structure in contact with and providing lateral support to the pinch plate.

5. The valve of claim 4 , wherein the pinch plate includes at least one pair of posts positioned on laterally opposite sides of the pinch plate, the resilient structure engaging the at least one pair of posts to provide the lateral support.

6. The valve or system of claim 4 , wherein the resilient structure includes a spring.

7. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path defines a lateral channel and a circular channel.

8. The valve of claim 7 , wherein the circular channel defines a plurality of grooved vertical channels.

9. The valve of claim 7 , wherein the lateral channel defines an inner island.

10. The valve of claim 9 , wherein the inner island defines a plurality of grooved vertical channels.

11. The valve of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure distributor disposed in the upper cavity and disposed over the circular channel and the lateral channel and allows fluidic communication between the fluid path and the pressure distributor.

12. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path has a spiral configuration extending from the cover fluid inlet and the cover fluid outlet.

13. The valve of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure distributor disposed in the upper cavity.

14. The valve of claim 1 , wherein a fluid pressure at the cover fluid outlet responds linearly on a gas pressure in the lower cavity for a first range of the gas pressure to a fluid pressure at the base fluid inlet.

15. A system comprising:
at least two reservoirs, each reservoir of the at least two reservoirs including a reagent solution;
a fluid pathway in fluidic communication with each of the at least two reservoirs;
a biosensor including a sensor fluid inlet and a sensor fluid outlet, the sensor fluid inlet of the biosensor in fluidic communication with the fluid pathway; and
a valve in fluidic communication with the sensor fluid outlet of the biosensor, the valve comprising:
a housing base defining a lower cavity and comprising a pinch structure within the lower cavity, a gas inlet providing external access to the lower cavity, a base fluid inlet, and a base fluid outlet;
a housing cover defining an upper cavity and comprising a cover fluid inlet and a cover fluid outlet, the cover fluid inlet in fluidic communication with the base fluid outlet between the upper cavity and the lower cavity, the cover fluid outlet providing external access from the upper cavity, the housing cover further defines a fluid path formed on a surface of the housing cover disposed opposite a surface of the housing cover defining the upper cavity, a plurality of openings defined in the housing cover along the fluid path and providing fluidic communication through the plurality of openings between the fluid path and the upper cavity;
a fluid path cover covering the fluid path;
a diaphragm disposed between the housing base and the housing cover and fluidically separating the lower cavity from the upper cavity;
a pinch plate disposed in the lower cavity and comprising a pinch point disposed opposite the pinch structure; and
a pinch tube in fluidic communication between the base fluid inlet and the base fluid outlet in the lower cavity, the pinch tube extending between the pinch structure and the pinch point.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the diaphragm is to motivate the pinch point relative to the pinch structure in response to a difference between a fluid pressure in the upper cavity and a gas pressure in the lower cavity.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the diaphragm is to motivate the pinch point toward the pinch structure in response to an increase in the fluid pressure within the upper cavity relative to the gas pressure in the lower cavity to restrict fluid flow in the pinch tube.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a resilient structure in contact with and providing lateral support to the pinch plate.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the pinch plate includes at least one pair of posts positioned on laterally opposite sides of the pinch plate, the resilient structure engaging the at least one pair of posts to provide the lateral support.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a pressure distributor disposed in the upper cavity.

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Schultz Jonathan

Classifications

• G05D16/185

  using membranes within the main valve · CPC title

• G05D16/0638

  characterised by the form of the obturator · CPC title

• F16K7/07 Primary

  by means of fluid pressure · CPC title

• F16K7/04 Primary

  constrictable by external radial force · CPC title

• B01L2200/06

  Fluid handling related problems · CPC title