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Isolation valves

  • US 6,308,932 B1
  • Filed: 02/22/2000
  • Issued: 10/30/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An isolation valve comprising:

  • a housing defining a channel between a first port and a second port; and

    a gate disposed within the housing and displaceable between a stowed position in which communication is permitted between the first port and the second port, and a deployed position in which the gate separates the first port from the second port, the gate including;

    (a) a first sealing member and a second sealing member;

    (b) a first post and a first centering block coupled to the first post, and a second post and a second centering block coupled to the second post, the first and second centering blocks being disposed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member;

    (c) at least one spring biasing the first sealing member and the second sealing member toward the first and second centering blocks;

    (d) an actuator that selectively moves the gate between the stowed and deployed positions;

    (e) a frame that couples the actuator to the gate, the frame comprising a transverse cross-member coupled to the actuator and having first and second ends, wherein the first and second posts are coupled to the first and second ends of the cross-member, respectively; and

    (f) an expandable member disposed between the first and second centering blocks and the first sealing member and the second sealing member, the expandable member being expandable from a first condition, wherein the gate is moveable between the stowed and deployed positions, to a second condition, wherein the gate is in the deployed position and the first sealing member and the second sealing member are biased apart from each other by expansion of the expandable member so that the first sealing member is sealingly engaged to the first port.

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