US 12,140,232 B2
Rocker valve comprising a sealing element
Clemens Plachetka, Malsch (DE)
Assigned to Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/793,010
Filed by Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 28, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/050672
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/152500, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 102 297.2 (DE), filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0046809 A1, Feb. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. F16K 31/52 (2006.01); F16K 11/02 (2006.01); F16K 11/052 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 11/022 (2013.01) [F16K 11/052 (2013.01); F16K 31/52 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solvent supply unit for supplying one or more solvents to a high-performance chromatography system, the solvent supply unit comprising:
one or more rocker valves, each rocker valve comprising an input side configured to be fluidly connected to a solvent supply for supplying the one or more solvents, and an output side configured to be fluidly connected to a pump for moving the one or more solvents as a mobile phase in the high-performance chromatography system, and each rocker valve further comprising:
at least one sealable opening;
a valve chamber defining a fluid path through the valve chamber and to or from the at least one sealable opening;
a pivotally mounted rocker switch located outside the valve chamber and the fluid path, wherein the rocker switch is pivotable between a first position at which the at least one sealable opening is open to the valve chamber and a second position at which the at least one sealable opening is closed to the valve chamber;
a membrane surface located between the rocker switch and the at least one sealable opening and movable in response to pivoting of the rocker switch; and
a sealing element,
wherein, at the second position, the sealing element is located between the membrane surface and the at least one sealable opening and defines a fluid-tight seal preventing fluid flow between the at least one sealable opening and the valve chamber; and
a control unit configured to control the one or more rocker valves to selectively supply the pump with the one or more solvents.