Block manifold for fluid control systems and method of making the same

Abstract

Abstract A mold is prepared with separable side and top walls having plugs, pipe couplings or barbed tube connectors seated in the walls thereof. The ends of tubes, preferably of flexible plastic material, are slipped over the ends of these plugs, pipe couplings or barbed tube connectors within the mold cavity. A protective coating or ''''release coating'''' is placed on the inner surface of the mold to prevent adhesion of plastic to the mold walls, whereupon synthetic plastic, preferably transparent, in a fluid state is poured into the mold cavity - preferably the two epoxy resin fluids which, when combined and allowed to set produce a solid transparent epoxy resin body. The synthetic plastic material in which the tubes are thus embedded is permitted to solidify, after which the walls of the mold are withdrawn, leaving the preferably transparent synthetic plastic block with the ends of the tubes or the couplings attached thereto exposed at the sides of the block. Tee couplings connected to such tubes may optionally be embedded in the plastic body. The various conduits of a fluid system as well as valves may then be connected to the tubes or mounted on and secured to the block in communication with the ports provided by the exposed open ends of certain of the tubes, thereby compressing into a very small space tube circuits which would otherwise occupy a much larger space. Changes in the circuit are easily made by shifting the external circuit tubes between different sets of connections, couplings or ports.

Inventors

• 👤 Jerry Kirsch

Bibliographic Details