Valve having integrated sensor and stabilized electrical connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025027579-A1
Application number	US-202418759594-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	May 21, 2018
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Rotary valve systems with integrated sensors are described that facilitate stabilizing electrical connection from a valve actuator. A valve system includes a rotary valve comprising one or more ports configured to receive one or more fluids. The valve system further includes an actuator attached to the rotary valve, wherein the actuator comprises a power connection fed from electronics associated with the actuator. The valve system further includes an actuator cap attached to the actuator, the actuator cap configured to allow the power connection to pass through, wherein the actuator cap comprises one or more apertures, a valve collar with an integrated press-on connector configured to be attached to the actuator cap, wherein the valve collar comprises an electronic feedthrough passage for the power connection, a retainer portion comprising one or more retainer pins, wherein the one or more retainer pins are configured to mate with the one or more apertures on the actuator cap, the retainer portion configured to allow electrical connection between the power connector and a sensor connector when the one or more retainer pins fit within the one or more apertures on the actuator cap, and a sensor housing adjacent to the rotary valve and configured to support one or more sensors disposed with respect to one or more fluid lines coupled to the one or more ports of the rotary valve, the sensor connector configured to transmit signals from the one or more sensors to the actuator.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A valve system, comprising:
a rotary valve comprising one or more ports configured to receive one or more fluids; an actuator cap configured to be coupled with an actuator to drive the rotary valve, the actuator cap configured to allow a power connection fed from electronics associated with the actuator or coupled to the actuator to pass through; a valve collar configured to be attached to the actuator cap, wherein the valve collar comprises an electronic feedthrough passage for the power connection; a sensor housing adjacent to the rotary valve and configured to support one or more sensors disposed with respect to one or more fluid lines coupled to the one or more ports of the rotary valve, the one or more sensors coupled with a sensor connector configured to transmit signals from the one or more sensors; and a retainer portion coupled with the rotary valve, the retainer portion configured to couple with the actuator cap through mating of the retainer portion and the actuator cap, the retainer portion configured to allow electrical connection between the power connector and the sensor connector when mated with the actuator cap to provide an anti-shear mechanism that causes the retainer portion to remain fixed with respect to the valve collar.

22 . The valve system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors configured to detect the presence of a sample in or relative to the rotary valve.

23 . The valve system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more sensors are capacitive sensors configured to detect the presence of a sample in or relative to the rotary valve.

24 . The valve system of claim 21 , wherein the retainer portion includes one or more retainer pins, and wherein the actuator cap defines one or more apertures configured to mate with the one or more retainer pins.

25 . The valve system of claim 24 , wherein the retainer portion includes two retainer pins.

26 . The valve system of claim 21 , wherein the actuator cap defines a recess to facilitate a physical pathway for the power connection to pass from the actuator via the actuator cap to the valve collar.

27 . The valve system of claim 21 , wherein the fluid lines comprise fittings having grooves formed therein.

28 . The valve system of claim 27 , wherein the sensor housing comprises a body and a cover, one or more of the body and the cover comprising protrusions to mate with the grooves of the fittings.

29 . A valve system, comprising:
a multiport rotary valve configured to receive one or more fluids; an actuator cap configured to be coupled with an actuator to drive the rotary valve, the actuator cap configured to allow a power connection fed from electronics associated with the actuator or coupled to the actuator to pass through; a valve collar configured to be attached to the actuator cap, wherein the valve collar comprises an electronic feedthrough passage for the power connection; and a retainer portion coupled with the multiport rotary valve, the retainer portion configured to couple with the actuator cap through mating of the retainer portion and the actuator cap, the retainer portion configured to allow electrical connection between the power connector and the sensor connector when mated with the actuator cap to provide an anti-shear mechanism that causes the retainer portion to remain fixed with respect to the valve collar.

30 . The valve system of claim 29 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of a sample in or relative to the multiport rotary valve.

31 . The valve system of claim 30 , wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors configured to detect the presence of a sample in or relative to the multiport rotary valve.

32 . The valve system of claim 30 , wherein the one or more sensors are capacitive sensors configured to detect the presence of a sample in or relative to the multiport rotary valve.

33 . The valve system of claim 29 , wherein the retainer portion includes one or more retainer pins, and wherein the actuator cap defines one or more apertures configured to mate with the one or more retainer pins.

34 . The valve system of claim 33 , wherein the retainer portion includes two retainer pins.

35 . The valve system of claim 29 , wherein the actuator cap defines a recess to facilitate a physical pathway for the power connection to pass from the actuator via the actuator cap to the valve collar.

Assignees

• Elemental Scientific Inc

Inventors

• Wiederin Daniel R
• Prucha Brad
• Meints Jeremiah
• Hein Jonathan

Classifications

• F16K27/045

  with pivotal obturating members · CPC title

• F16K11/0743 Primary

  with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates · CPC title

• F16K11/074

  with flat sealing faces · CPC title

• F16K37/0058

  Optical means, e.g. light transmission, observation ports (F16K37/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N35/1016

  Control of the volume dispensed or introduced · CPC title