US 12,460,731 B2
Valve assembly with directional flow path
Michael C. Gagne, Carson City, NV (US); Steven V. Cates, Lakewood, CA (US); Dean C. Richards, Simi Valley, CA (US); and Scott Bendon, Wales (GB)
Assigned to Repligen Corporation, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed by Repligen Corporation, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/405,525.
Application 18/405,525 is a continuation of application No. 16/930,300, filed on Jul. 15, 2020, granted, now 11,898,645.
Application 16/930,300 is a continuation of application No. 15/763,057, granted, now 10,738,900, issued on Aug. 11, 2020, previously published as PCT/US2016/055016, filed on Sep. 30, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/236,007, filed on Oct. 1, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133472 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. F16K 11/22 (2006.01); B29C 45/14 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01); F16K 7/06 (2006.01); F16K 7/07 (2006.01); F16K 27/00 (2006.01); F16K 27/02 (2006.01); F16B 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 11/22 (2013.01) [B29C 45/14614 (2013.01); B29C 66/01 (2013.01); F16K 7/06 (2013.01); F16K 7/07 (2013.01); F16K 27/003 (2013.01); F16K 27/0236 (2013.01); F16B 13/00 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve assembly with a multidirectional flow path comprising:
a valve body comprising a first body portion and a second body portion connected to one another at one or more hinges, the first body portion and the second body portion defining passageways extending through the valve body when in a closed state;
a flexible conduit having at least a portion thereof extending through the passageways of the valve body, the flexible conduit comprising:
a first branch comprising a first tee segment;
a second branch;
a third branch comprising a second tee segment;
a fourth branch; and
a connector segment between the second branch and the fourth branch;
wherein a loop portion is connected to the first tee segment of the first branch via first and second overmolded connectors, and is connected to the second tee segment of the third branch via third and fourth overmolded connectors;
a plurality of valves disposed on the valve body, each of the plurality of valves including an associated pinching element; and
a plurality of actuators associated with the plurality of valves, the plurality of actuators configured to actuate the pinching element associated with each of the plurality of valves to move the pinching element through a respective aperture in the first or second body portion and into one of the passageways;
wherein:
the plurality of valves includes a first valve including a first actuator associated with a first pinching element, a second valve including a second actuator associated with a second pinching element, a third valve including a third actuator associated with a third pinching element, a fourth valve including a fourth actuator associated with a fourth pinching element, and a fifth valve including a fifth actuator associated with a fifth pinching element;
the first pinching element configured to pinch the flexible conduit loop between the first branch and the second branch at a location in the flexible conduit positioned between the first overmolded connector and the third overmolded connector;
the second pinching element configured to pinch the flexible conduit loop between the second branch and the third branch at a location in the flexible conduit positioned between the first overmolded connector and the third overmolded connector;
the third pinching element configured to pinch the flexible conduit loop between the third branch and the fourth branch at a location in the flexible conduit positioned between the second overmolded connector and the fourth overmolded connector;
the fourth pinching element configured to pinch the flexible conduit loop between the fourth branch and the first branch at a location in the flexible conduit positioned between the second overmolded connector and the fourth overmolded connector; and
the fifth pinching element configured to pinch the flexible conduit in the connector segment.