ONE-WAY VALVE

• US 20140238497A1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Oxford Nanopore Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Jones, Anthony, Upsdell, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 10,054,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 25/00 Details relating to contact between valve members and seats movement of valve members other than for opening and closing F16K29/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/17 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

A one-way valve, comprises a valve housing; a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm with a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other; a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm; and a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm; wherein the configuration of the diaphragm and the valve housing biases the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest.

Claims

1. A one-way valve, comprising:

a valve housing;

a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm with a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other;

a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm; and

a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm;

wherein the configuration of the diaphragm and the valve housing biases the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest,

wherein the housing further comprises a valve seat, on the first side of the diaphragm, against which the diaphragm forms a seal at rest, and

wherein;

the valve seat further comprises a projection formed in relief on the valve seat, such that a sealing surface of the projection contacts the diaphragm at rest to form the seal, and/or

the diaphragm further comprises a projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal.

2. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve inlet is annular.

3. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve inlet comprises two or more openings, each radially offset from the diaphragm orifice.

4. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve outlet is provided coaxially with the diaphragm orifice.

5. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat biases the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest.

6. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein, at rest, the valve seat causes local compression of the diaphragm on the first side of the diaphragm.

7. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein said projection is formed on the diaphragm and the seat has a recess arranged to cooperate with the projection to form a seal.

8. A one-way valve according to claim 7, wherein the width of the recess is narrower than the width of the projection.

9. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the radial distance between the edge of the diaphragm orifice and the inner edge of the projection is less than or equal to twice the height of the projection, optionally less than or equal to once the height of the projection.

10. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the projection is formed in an annulus that surrounds the diaphragm orifice.

11. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the sealing surface is curved with a radius of curvature of 1 mm or less.

12. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm comprises silicone.

13. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm comprises or consists of a material with a hardness of 95 Shore A or less.

14. A one-way valve according claim 1, wherein the valve member has a rest height in isolation of 10 mm or less.

15. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the diaphragm around the orifice is thicker than a portion of the diaphragm closer to the perimeter of the diaphragm.

16. A one-way valve according to claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the diaphragm is clamped within the valve housing.

17. A method of operating a valve having a valve seat, on a first side of a diaphragm, against which valve seat the diaphragm forms a seal at rest, and wherein the valve seat further comprises a projection formed in relief on the valve seat, such that a sealing surface of the projection contacts the diaphragm at rest to form the seal, and/or the diaphragm further comprises a projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal, the method comprising:

arranging the diaphragm with a central orifice in a valve housing, so that the configuration of the diaphragm and the housing biases the diaphragm to seal an inlet to the valve chamber, when there is no pressure differential across the diaphragm; and

creating a pressure differential across the valve chamber, wherein the pressure at the inlet is greater than the pressure in the valve chamber, and wherein the pressure deforms the diaphragm to unseal the inlet.

18. A method of operating a valve according to claim 17, further comprising returning the diaphragm to the sealed position by releasing removing the pressure differential across the valve chamber.