Valve

Claim 2

A bistable double-acting valve for permitting fluid flow through either of two sections of resiliently deformable tubing, but not permitting flow through both at once, comprising a valve body defining first and second oppositely disposed compression surfaces, a lever secured to said valve body for angular motion about a pivot axis and between two extreme positions, and having a handle on one side of said pivot axis and a spring-receiving portion on the other side of said pivot axis, and an elongated spring element disposed between said compression surfaces and having a first end secured to said springreceiving portion of the lever, and a second end secured to said valve body, the length of said spring element being such that a smooth curve is formed between said two ends in each of two bistable positions, said valve body having positioning means for positioning a portion of each section of tubing along a corresponding said compression surface for compression between said spring element and that compression surface, whereby when said lever is in said first extreme position, said spring element compresses said first section of tubing against said first compression surface, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough, while permitting fluid flow through said second section, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses said second section of tubing against said second compression surface, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough, while permitting fluid flow through said first section.

Claim 3

The valve of claim 1 wherein said spring element has first and second compression sides, the surface dimension of each compression side perpendicular to the length of said spring being at least as great as the larger diameter of said tubing when constricted, said spring element being disposed between said compression surfaces with at least a portion of each compression side parallel to a said compression surface, the length of said spring element being sufficient to form a smooth curve extending from said first to said second end and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said first compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said first extreme position, and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said second compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said second extreme position, whereby when said lever is in first said extreme positioN, said spring element compresses first said section of tubing against said first compression surface at said tangent point, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses second said section of tubing against said second compression surface at said second tangent point.

Claim 4

The valve of claim 2 wherein said compression sides of said spring element and said compression surfaces of said valve body are generally flat.

Claim 5

The valve of claim 2 wherein said pivot axis and said second end of said spring element are parallel and define a plane, and said first and second compression surface are generally parallel to and equally spaced from said plane.

Claim 6

A bistable double-acting valve for permitting fluid flow through either of two sections of resiliently deformable tubing, but not permitting flow through both at once, comprising a valve body defining first and second compression surfaces, a lever secured to said valve body for angular motion about a pivot axis and between two extreme positions, and having a handle on one side of said pivot axis and a spring-receiving portion on the other side of said pivot axis, and an elongated spring element having first and second compression sides, the surface dimension of each compression side perpendicular to the length of said spring being at least as great as the larger diameter of said tubing when constricted, said spring element being disposed between said compression surfaces with at least a portion of each compression side parallel to a said compression surface, and having a first end secured to said spring-receiving portion of said lever, and a second end secured to said valve body, the length of said spring element being sufficient to form a smooth curve extending from said first to said second end and having at least a tangent point, within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said first compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said first extreme position, and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said second compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said second extreme position, said valve body having positioning means for positioning a portion of each said section of tubing for compression between said spring element and said compression surface and generally parallel thereto, and said two sections of tubing being connected by a T-connector to a third section of tubing, whereby when said lever is in first said extreme position, said spring element compresses first said section of tubing against said first compression surface at said tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the second and third said sections of tubing, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses second said section of tubing against said second compression surface at said second tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the first and third said sections of tubing.

Claim 7

A bistable double-acting valve for permitting fluid flow through either of two sections of resiliently deformable tubing, but not permitting flow through both at once, comprising a valve body defining first and second compression surfaces, a lever secured to said valve body for angular motion about a pivot axis and between two extreme positions, and having a handle on one side of said pivot axis and a spring-receiving portion on the other side of said pivot axis, and an elongated spring element having first and second compression sides, the surface dimension of each compression side perpendicular to the length of said spring being at least as great as the larger diameter of said tubing when constricted, said spring element being disposed between said compression surfaces with at least a portion of each compression side parallel to a said compression surface, and having a first end secured to said spring-receiving portion of said lever, and a second end secured to said valve body, the length of said spring element being sufficient to form a smooth curve extending from said first to said second end and having at least a tangent point, within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said first compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said first extreme position, and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said second compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said second extreme position, said valve body having positioning means for positioning a portion of each said section of tubing for compression between said spring element and said compression surface and generally parallel thereto, and said two sections of tubing being connected by a T-connector to a third section of tubing, whereby when said lever is in first said extreme position, said spring element compresses first said section of tubing against said first compression surface at said tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the second and third said sections of tubing, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses second said section of tubing against said second compression surface at said second tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the first and third said sections of tubing.

Claim 8

A bistable double-acting valve for permitting fluid flow through either of two sections of resiliently deformable tubing, but not permitting flow through both at once, comprising a valve body defining first and second compression surfaces, a lever secured to said valve body for angular motion about a pivot axis and between two extreme positions, and having a handle on one side of said pivot axis and a spring-receiving portion on the other side of said pivot axis, and an elongated spring element, having two generally flat compression sides, the width of each compression side being at least as great as the larger diameter of said tubing when constricted, said spring element being disposed between said compression surfaces with at least a portion of each compression side paRallel to a said compression surface, and having a first end secured to said spring-receiving portion of said lever, and a second end pivotally secured to said valve body, said pivot axis and said second end being parallel and defining a plane, and said first and second compression surfaces being generally parallel to and equally spaced from said planes, the length of said spring element being sufficient to form a smooth curve extending from said first to said second end and having at least a tangent point, within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said first compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said first extreme position, and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said second compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said second extreme position, said valve body having positioning means for positioning a portion of each said section of tubing for compression between said spring element and a said compression surface and generally parallel thereto, and said two sections of tubing being connected by a T-connector to a third section of tubing downstream of said portions, whereby when said lever is in first said extreme position, said spring element compresses first said section of tubing against said first compression surface at said tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the second said section of tubing, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses second said section of tubing against said second compression surface at said second tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the first said section of tubing.

Claim 9

A bistable double-acting valve for permitting fluid flow through either of two sections of resiliently deformable tubing, but not permitting flow through both at once, comprising a valve body defining first and second compression surfaces, a lever secured to said valve body for angular motion about a pivot axis and between two extreme positions, and having a handle on one side of said pivot axis and a spring-receiving portion on the other side of said pivot axis, and an elongated spring element, having two generally flat compression sides, the width of each compression side being at least as great as the larger diameter of said tubing when constricted, said spring element being disposed between said compression surfaces with at least a portion of each compression side paRallel to a said compression surface, and having a first end secured to said spring-receiving portion of said lever, and a second end pivotally secured to said valve body, said pivot axis and said second end being parallel and defining a plane, and said first and second compression surfaces being generally parallel to and equally spaced from said planes, the length of said spring element being sufficient to form a smooth curve extending from said first to said second end and having at least a tangent point, within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said first compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said first extreme position, and having at least a tangent point within said parallel portion of the compression side proximate to said second compression surface tangent to said surface when said lever is in said second extreme position, said valve body having positioning means for positioning a portion of each said section of tubing for compression between said spring element and a said compression surface and generally parallel thereto, and said two sections of tubing being connected by a T-connector to a third section of tubing downstream of said portions, whereby when said lever is in first said extreme position, said spring element compresses first said section of tubing against said first compression surface at said tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the second said section of tubing, and when said lever is pivoted to said second extreme position, said spring element compresses second said section of tubing against said second compression surface at said second tangent point, constricting said tubing and preventing fluid flow therethrough while permitting fluid flow through the first said section of tubing.