Compact pinch valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9566795-B2
Application number	US-201514865317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A pinch valve includes first and second pinch arms pivotally mounted about respective pivot axes. A spring interconnects the first and second pinch arms to mutually bias the pinch arms towards each other and provide a pinching force for pinching respective first and second conduits. A cam engages with each of the pinch arms and provides an unpinching force for either one of the pinch arms against the bias of the sprint.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pinch valve comprising:
a body;
a cam rotatably mounted on the body about a cam axis;
a first pinch arm pivotally and rotatably mounted on the body about a first pivot axis parallel with the cam axis, the first pinch arm comprising a first cam follower for engagement with the cam and a first pinch element for pinching a first conduit, the first conduit being positioned between the first pinch element and the cam axis;
a second pinch arm pivotally and rotatably mounted on the body about a second pivot axis parallel with the cam axis, the second pinch arm comprising a second cam follower for engagement with the cam and a second pinch element for pinching a second conduit, the second conduit being positioned between the second pinch element and the cam axis; and
a resilient element linearly interconnecting the first and second pinch arms between respective first and second spring mount locations, the resilient element mutually biasing the first and second pinch arms towards each other such that movement of the first pinch arm alters a biasing force exerted on the second pinch arm,

wherein the cam is positioned between the resilient element and the pivot axes; and
wherein the mutual biasing of the first and second pinch arms towards each other provides a pinching force for pinching the first and second conduits.

2. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the resilient element comprises a tension spring.

3. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises first and second anvils, and wherein the resilient element provides a pinching force on a first conduit positioned between the first anvil and the first pinch element and a pinching force on a second conduit positioned between the second anvil and the second pinch element.

4. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pinch arms are symmetrically disposed about a plane containing the cam axis.

5. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein
a radial distance between the first pivot axis and the first spring mount location is greater than a radial distance between the first pivot axis and the first pinch element; and
a radial distance between the second pivot axis and the second spring mount location is greater than a radial distance between the second pivot axis and the second pinch element.

6. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the first pinch element is elongate and configured for pinching a plurality of first conduits, and the second pinch element is elongate and configured for pinching a plurality of second conduits.

7. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the cam provides an unpinching force for unpinching either the first conduit or the second conduit against the bias of the resilient element.

8. The pinch valve of claim 7 , wherein the cam is configured such that the first and second conduits are not both simultaneously unpinchable.

9. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the cam is mounted on a rotatable camshaft and the pinch valve further comprises a sensor for sensing a rotational position of the camshaft.

10. The pinch valve of claim 1 , wherein the first and second conduits extend transversely with respect to the cam axis.

11. The pinch valve of claim 1 comprising a first inlet corresponding to the first conduit, a second inlet corresponding to the second conduit and a common outlet, wherein the second conduit joins the first conduit downstream of the first pinch element and upstream of the common outlet.

12. An inkjet printer comprising:
an ink container;
a printhead;
an ink line interconnecting the ink container and the printhead;
an air line branched from the ink line; and
a pinch valve for pinching the air and/or ink lines, said pinch valve comprising:
a body;
a cam rotatably mounted on the body about a cam axis;
a first pinch arm pivotally and rotatably mounted on the body about a first pivot axis parallel with the cam axis, the first pinch arm comprising a first cam follower for engagement with the cam and a first pinch element for pinching the ink line, the first conduit being positioned between the first pinch element and the cam axis;
a second pinch arm pivotally and rotatably mounted on the body about a second pivot axis parallel with the cam axis, the second pinch arm comprising a second cam follower for engagement with the cam and a second pinch element for pinching the air line, the second conduit being positioned between the second pinch element and the cam axis; and
a resilient element linearly interconnecting the first and second pinch arms between respective first and second spring mount locations, the resilient element mutually biasing the first and second pinch arms towards each other such that movement of the first pinch arm alters a biasing force exerted on the second pinch arm,

wherein the cam is positioned between the resilient element and the pivot axes; and
wherein the mutual biasing of the first and second pinch arms towards each other provides a pinching force for pinching the ink and air lines.

13. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the resilient element comprises a tension spring.

14. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the body comprises first and second anvils, and wherein the resilient element provides a pinching force for the ink line positioned between the first anvil and the first pinch element and a pinching force for the air line positioned between the second anvil and the second pinch element.

15. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the first and second pinch arms are symmetrically disposed about a plane containing the cam axis.

16. The printer of claim 12 , wherein
a radial distance between the first pivot axis and the first spring mount location is greater than a radial distance between the first pivot axis and the first pinch element; and
a radial distance between the second pivot axis and the second spring mount location is greater than a radial distance between the second pivot axis and the second pinch element.

17. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the first pinch element is elongate and configured for pinching a plurality of ink lines, and the second pinch element is elongate and configured for pinching a plurality of air lines.

18. The pinch valve of claim 12 , wherein the cam provides an unpinching force for unpinching either the ink line or the air line against the bias of the resilient element.

19. The pinch valve of claim 18 , wherein the cam is configured such that the ink line and the air line are not both simultaneously unpinchable.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Dyer Geoffrey Philip
• Balala Rommel
• Knight Paul Charles
• Sanaei Kianoush Mir
• Jayatileke Saminda

Classifications

• F16K7/065

  Cam clamps · CPC title

• F16K7/06

  by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means {(F16K7/045 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B41J2/175

  Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor} · CPC title

• B41J2/17596 Primary

  Ink pumps, ink valves · CPC title

• B41J2/17523

  Ink connection · CPC title