Multiprogrammable pinch valve module
First Claim
1. A pinch valve module comprising means for defining plural paths for plural flexible conduits, multiple cam and follower means operable selectively upon ones of said flexible conduits alternatively to compress and to release same, means defining an annular path for said cam means proximate to said flexible conduits and said follower means mounted at selected locations along the annular path of said cam means and drivable thereby against portions of said flexible conduits to compress same during passage of said cam means along said annular path and means for driving said cam means, and pins are disposed along said path, selected ones of said pins mounting said followers means being located at the same radial distance from the center of said annular path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pinch valve module comprising a housing, a cylindrical cavity formed in the housing, plural passageways leading from the cavity to the exterior of the housing and spaced about the cavity and a coaxial rotor rotatable within said cavity. The rotor has a diameter less than the diameter of the cavity defining a chamber between its outer wall and the inner cavity wall. Plural spaced pins are located within the chamber and are spaced about the rotor periphery. The rotor has unitary outwardly extending radial protrusions in the form of lobes extending into the chamber. Generally cylindrical tubular rollers or rings are loosely seated about selected ones of said pins within the chamber. Flexible conduits are threaded through said passageways and are disposed along arcuate sections of the chamber walls between the pins and the chamber wall. A stepping motor is coupled to said rotor to translate the lobes past the rings forcing selected ones of the rings against the flexible conduit to pinch same preventing fluid passage therethrough. The valve is programmable by prepositioning the pins and the rings placed thereon. Where rings are absent, no compression is exerted on the conduit. The rotor has an exposed outer disc surface carrying plural spaced arrays of recesses cooperative with microswitches or the like which can control functional operation of the testing system with which the module is associated.
128 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. A pinch valve module comprising means for defining plural paths for plural flexible conduits, multiple cam and follower means operable selectively upon ones of said flexible conduits alternatively to compress and to release same, means defining an annular path for said cam means proximate to said flexible conduits and said follower means mounted at selected locations along the annular path of said cam means and drivable thereby against portions of said flexible conduits to compress same during passage of said cam means along said annular path and means for driving said cam means, and pins are disposed along said path, selected ones of said pins mounting said followers means being located at the same radial distance from the center of said annular path.
Specification