Pinch valve

摘要

A pneumatic pinch valve having a main body, a piston supporting a plunger, and a detachable headpiece for receiving a portion of compressible tubing between the plunger and a contoured surface of the headpiece is disclosed. A first safety cap which may restrict access to the plunger when the valve is operated and a manual override handle which may open the plunger are also provided. The pneumatic pinch valve is opened by the injection of gas through an air inlet port to a pneumatic chamber. The headpiece and plunger are configured to compress a portion of flexible tubing in a manner which reduces or eliminates damage to the tubing even after repeated open/close cycles. Further, the pinch valve may be installed onto an existing process system without disruption of fluid flow. Also disclosed is a manual version of the pinch valve.

主权项

1. A pneumatic pinch valve for compressing tubing formed of compressible material, the pinch valve comprising:
a housing comprising:
a pneumatic chamber which contains a piston rod having a first piston rod end, a second piston rod end, a piston plate disposed about a middle portion of the piston rod, and a plunger disposed at the first piston rod end, andat least one spring; and a headpiece having a first headpiece end, a second headpiece end, and a headpiece slot for receiving a portion of tubing formed of compressible material, wherein the first headpiece end is removeably attached to the housing so that the plunger resides within the headpiece slot, the headpiece slot including a headpiece surface at the second headpiece end against which the portion of tubing is compressed by the plunger when in a closed position, wherein the at least one spring urges the plunger into the closed position by exerting a force on the piston plate and a gas injected into the pneumatic chamber urges the plunger into an open position by exerting an opposing force on the piston plate and compressing the at least one spring to relieve compression of the portion of tubing, and wherein the portion of tubing is removeably held in the headpiece slot by the headpiece surface when the plunger is in the open position.