Pinch valve

Claim 2

An improved pinch valve for controlling the flow of fluids in an unrestricted manner in, at least, two flexible tubes, said valve comprising: a. a solenoid housing including 1. an outer cylindrical wall, and an inner cylindrical core including a centrally disposed longitudinally extending opening having a first and second end, said core centrally disposed within said outer cylindrical wall, b. a solenoid coil disposed about said core and between said core and said outer cylindrical wall, said coil terminating in a pair of wires, c. an armature member including centrally disposed openings on opposite faces of said armature member, d. a tube retention member including a body portion and having 1. a centrally disposed first opening extending a portion of the longitudinal length of said body portion thereof, 2. a second opening disposed at right angles to said first opening, and passing through the sidewall of said body portion at at least one point, 3. third and fourth openings disposed at right angles to both said first and second openings in said tube retention member, said third and fourth openings sized to receive separate flexible tube members, said body portion further including means for fixedly connecting said tube retention member to said solenoid housing when said valve is assembled, e. a pin member, f. a plunger member including

Claim 3

a body portion sized and shaped to nest in said first opening of said tube retention member when said valve is assembled, said body portion including a longitudinally extending slotted opening, said body portion having an arcuate segment removed therefrom to create an opening at right angles to both the longitudinal axis of said plunger member and said slotted opening, 2. a first centrally disposed protruding portion extending longitudinally from one end of said body portion, 3. a second protrouding portion extending axially from the opposite end of said body portion, said plunger member nesting in said first opening of said tube retention member, said plunger member slideably captured in said first opening by said pin member, said pin member passing through said longitudinally extending slotted opening said body portion when said plunger member is assembled into the second opening of said tube retention member, said pin member retentively held in the second opening of said tube retention member, the first protruding portion of said plunger member retentatively positioned in one opening in said armature member, g. means disposed between said second end of the longitudinally extending opening in said inner cylindrical core and the second opening in said armature member, for urging said armature member away from the first end of said inner cylindrical core to a first position when said tube retention member is secured to said solenoid housing, and when said solenoid coil is unenergized, said armature member attracted towards said first end of said inner cylindrical core to a second position, when said solenoid coil is energized, the first and second of said flexible tubes disposed in said third and fourth openings in said tube retention member respectively, said second flexible tube compressed between said second protruding portion of said plunger member and the body portion of said tube retention member, when said armature member is in said first position, whereby said first flexible tube is unrestricted, said first flexible tube compressed between the body portion of said plunger member and said pin member when said solenoid coil is energized and said armature member is in said second position, said plunger member coaxially aligned with said armature member and said core of said solenoid housing, such that said flexible tubes are alternatingly compressed at a point on the axis of said valve.

Claim 4

a body portion sized and shaped to nest in said first opening of said tube retention member when said valve is assembled, said body portion including a longitudinally extending slotted opening, said body portion having an arcuate segment removed therefrom to create an opening at right angles to both the longitudinal axis of said plunger member and said slotted opening, 2. a first centrally disposed protruding portion extending longitudinally from one end of said body portion, 3. a second protrouding portion extending axially from the opposite end of said body portion, said plunger member nesting in said first opening of said tube retention member, said plunger member slideably captured in said first opening by said pin member, said pin member passing through said longitudinally extending slotted opening said body portion when said plunger member is assembled into the second opening of said tube retention member, said pin member retentively held in the second opening of said tube retention member, the first protruding portion of said plunger member retentatively positioned in one opening in said armature member, g. means disposed between said second end of the longitudinally extending opening in said inner cylindrical core and the second opening in said armature member, for urging said armature member away from the first end of said inner cylindrical core to a first position when said tube retention member is secured to said solenoid housing, and when said solenoid coil is unenergized, said armature member attracted towards said first end of said inner cylindrical core to a second position, when said solenoid coil is energized, the first and second of said flexible tubes disposed in said third and fourth openings in said tube retention member respectively, said second flexible tube compressed between said second protruding portion of said plunger member and the body portion of said tube retention member, when said armature member is in said first position, whereby said first flexible tube is unrestricted, said first flexible tube compressed between the body portion of said plunger member and said pin member when said solenoid coil is energized and said armature member is in said second position, said plunger member coaxially aligned with said armature member and said core of said solenoid housing, such that said flexible tubes are alternatingly compressed at a point on the axis of said valve.

Claim 5

The improved valve claimed in claim 1 wherein the first end of the longitudinally extending opening in the cylindrical core has a tapered conical shape, said armature member including a truncated conical shape portion having the second of said centrally disposed openings therein, on the truncated face, whereby the amount of armature movement between its unenergized position and its energized position is increased per unit of power consumed.

Claim 6

An improved pinch valve for controlling the flow of fluids in an unrestricted manner, in at least, two flexible tubes, said valve comprising: a. a solenoid housing including 1. an outer cylindrical wall, and 2. an inner cylindrical core including a centrally disposed longitudinally extending opening having a first and second end, said core centrally disposed within said outer cylindrical wall, said first end having a tapered conical shape, b. a solenoid coil disposed about said core and between said core and said outer cylindrical wall, said coil terminating in a pair of wires, c. an armature member including a conically shaped portion centrally disposed on a disc-shaped portion, said armature member including centrally disposed openings in each of said conically shaped and said disc-shaped portions, d. a tube retention member including a body portion and having 1. a centrally disposed first opening extending a portion of the longitudinal length of said body portion thereof, 2. a second opening disposed at right angles to said first opening, and passing through the sidewall of said body portion at at least one point, 3. third and fourth openings disposed at right angles to both said first and second openings in said tube retention member, said third and fourth openings sized to receive separate flexible tube members, said body portion further including means for fixedly connecting said tube retention member to said solenoid housing when said valve is assembled, e. a pin member, f. a plunger member including 1. a body portion sized and shaped to nest in said first opening of said tube retention member when said valve is assembled, said body portion including a longitudinally extending slotted opening, said body portion having an arcuate segment removed therefrom to create an opening at right angles to both the longitudinal axis of said plunger member and said slotted opening,

Claim 7

An improved pinch valve for controlling the flow of fluids in an unrestricted manner, in at least, two flexible tubes, said valve comprising: a. a solenoid housing including 1. an outer cylindrical wall, and 2. an inner cylindrical core including a centrally disposed longitudinally extending opening having a first and second end, said core centrally disposed within said outer cylindrical wall, said first end having a tapered conical shape, b. a solenoid coil disposed about said core and between said core and said outer cylindrical wall, said coil terminating in a pair of wires, c. an armature member including a conically shaped portion centrally disposed on a disc-shaped portion, said armature member including centrally disposed openings in each of said conically shaped and said disc-shaped portions, d. a tube retention member including a body portion and having 1. a centrally disposed first opening extending a portion of the longitudinal length of said body portion thereof, 2. a second opening disposed at right angles to said first opening, and passing through the sidewall of said body portion at at least one point, 3. third and fourth openings disposed at right angles to both said first and second openings in said tube retention member, said third and fourth openings sized to receive separate flexible tube members, said body portion further including means for fixedly connecting said tube retention member to said solenoid housing when said valve is assembled, e. a pin member, f. a plunger member including 1. a body portion sized and shaped to nest in said first opening of said tube retention member when said valve is assembled, said body portion including a longitudinally extending slotted opening, said body portion having an arcuate segment removed therefrom to create an opening at right angles to both the longitudinal axis of said plunger member and said slotted opening,

Claim 8

a first centrally disposed protruding portion extending longitudinally from one end of said body portion, 3. a second protruding portion extending axially from the opposite end of said body portion, said plunger member nesting in said first opening of said retention member, said plunger member slideably captured in said first opening by said pin member, said pin member passing through said longitudinally extending slotted opening in said body portion when said plunger member is assembled into the second opening of said tube retention member, said pin member retentively held in the second opening of said tube retention member, the first protruding portion of said plunger member retentatively positioned in the opening in said disc-shaped portion of said armature member, g. means, disposed between said second end of the longitudinally extending opening in said inner cylindrical core and the opening in said conically shaped portion of said armature member, for urging said armature member away from the tapered conically shaped end of said inner cylindrical core to a first position when said tube retention member is secured to said solenoid housing, and when said solenoid coil is unenergized, said armature member attracted towards said tapered conically shaped end of said inner cylindrical core to a second position, when said solenoid coil is energized, the first and second of said flexible tubes disposed in said third and fourth openings in said tube retention member respectively, said second flexible tube compressed between said second protruding portion of said plunger member, and the body portion of said tube retention member when said armature member is in said first position, whereby said first flexible tube is unrestricted, said first flexible tube compressed between the body portion of said plunger member and said pin member, when said solenoid coil is energized and said armature member is in said second position, said plunger member coaxially aligned with said armature member and said core of said solenoid housing, such that said flexible tubes are alternatingly compressed at a point on the axis of said valve.

Claim 9

a first centrally disposed protruding portion extending longitudinally from one end of said body portion, 3. a second protruding portion extending axially from the opposite end of said body portion, said plunger member nesting in said first opening of said retention member, said plunger member slideably captured in said first opening by said pin member, said pin member passing through said longitudinally extending slotted opening in said body portion when said plunger member is assembled into the second opening of said tube retention member, said pin member retentively held in the second opening of said tube retention member, the first protruding portion of said plunger member retentatively positioned in the opening in said disc-shaped portion of said armature member, g. means, disposed between said second end of the longitudinally extending opening in said inner cylindrical core and the opening in said conically shaped portion of said armature member, for urging said armature member away from the tapered conically shaped end of said inner cylindrical core to a first position when said tube retention member is secured to said solenoid housing, and when said solenoid coil is unenergized, said armature member attracted towards said tapered conically shaped end of said inner cylindrical core to a second position, when said solenoid coil is energized, the first and second of said flexible tubes disposed in said third and fourth openings in said tube retention member respectively, said second flexible tube compressed between said second protruding portion of said plunger member, and the body portion of said tube retention member when said armature member is in said first position, whereby said first flexible tube is unrestricted, said first flexible tube compressed between the body portion of said plunger member and said pin member, when said solenoid coil is energized and said armature member is in said second position, said plunger member coaxially aligned with said armature member and said core of said solenoid housing, such that said flexible tubes are alternatingly compressed at a point on the axis of said valve.

Claim 10

The valve claimed in either claim 1 or claim 3 wherein the tube retention member and the plunger member, at least, are fabricated from plastic material.

Claim 11

The valve claimed in either claim 1 or claim 3 wherein said first protruding portion of said plunger member threadingly engages the corresponding opening in said armature member, whereby said plunger member can be axially displaced in relation to said tube retention member to thereby alter the restricting pressure exerted on the second flexible tube in said fourth opening when said solenoid coil is unenergized.

Claim 12

The valve claimed in either claim 1 or claim 3 wherein said means for fixedly connecting said tube retention member to said solenoid housing, include corresponding threaded portions of each, whereby said tube retention member can be axially displaced in relation to said solenoid housing to thereby alter the restricting pressure exerted on the first flexible tube in said third opening when said solenoid coil is energized.