IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0721492
(2010-03-10)
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등록번호 |
US-8333214
(2012-12-18)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
26 |
초록
▼
A manifold for accommodating at least one fluid is constructed of a plurality of modules that can be interconnected and configured to create a customized manifold. Couplers interconnecting a flow cavity of each module can be selected to determine fluid flow characteristics between module flow caviti
A manifold for accommodating at least one fluid is constructed of a plurality of modules that can be interconnected and configured to create a customized manifold. Couplers interconnecting a flow cavity of each module can be selected to determine fluid flow characteristics between module flow cavities. Each module has one or more valve ports. Valves or other flow accommodating apparatus are attached to the manifold via adapters. A first end of each adapter is sized and configured to engage a valve port, and a second end engages the attached apparatus.
대표청구항
▼
1. A fluid flow system, comprising: a manifold defining a chamber therewithin and having first and second ports formed through a side of the manifold and positioned generally adjacent one another, the ports each having an engagement surface comprising a wall having a non-circular port geometric shap
1. A fluid flow system, comprising: a manifold defining a chamber therewithin and having first and second ports formed through a side of the manifold and positioned generally adjacent one another, the ports each having an engagement surface comprising a wall having a non-circular port geometric shape as viewed along an axis of the port;a plurality of adapters, each adapter having a port engagement region, an attachment engagement region, and an elongate passage extending from the port engagement region to the attachment engagement region, each port engagement region having a non-circular adapter geometric shape as viewed along an axis of the adapter;wherein the adapter geometric shape is sized generally complementary to the port engagement shape so that the adapter engagement region can be inserted into the port when the port engagement region and adapter engagement surface are aligned; andwherein when the adapter engagement region is engaged with the port engagement surface, the port and adapter geometric shapes are engaged so as to prevent rotation relative to one another; anda locking system configured to releasably lock the adapter port engagement region in engagement with the port engagement surface. 2. The fluid flow system of claim 1, wherein the port geometric shape is generally symmetrical about a plane through the port axis. 3. The fluid flow system of claim 2, wherein the port and adapter geometric shapes are configured so that when the adapter axis is generally aligned with the port axis the port and adapter geometric shapes can be perfectly aligned by rotating the adapter no more than 90° in any rotational direction about the aligned axes. 4. The fluid flow system of claim 2, wherein the port and adapter geometric shapes are configured so that when the adapter axis is generally aligned with the port axis the port and adapter geometric shapes can be perfectly aligned by rotating the adapter no more than 75° in any rotational direction about the aligned axes. 5. The fluid flow system of claim 2, wherein the port and adapter geometric shapes are configured so that when the adapter axis is generally aligned with the port axis the port and adapter geometric shapes can be perfectly aligned by rotating the adapter no more than 60° in any rotational direction about the aligned axes. 6. The fluid flow system of claim 5, wherein the port geometric shape is generally hexagonal. 7. The fluid flow system of claim 3, wherein the locking system is configured so that the adapter can be releasably locked into and unlocked from the port independently of another adapter in an adjacent port. 8. The fluid flow system of claim 7, wherein the port engagement regions of each of the plurality of adapters is substantially the same so that each of the plurality of adapters fits into each of the ports, and wherein at least one of the adapters has an attachment engagement region that is configured differently than the attachment engagement regions of others of the adapters. 9. A method of attaching a fluid management device to a manifold, comprising: providing a manifold having a port with an engagement surface comprising a non-circular port geometric shape as viewed along an axis of the port;providing an adapter having a port engagement region, an attachment engagement region and an elongate passage from the port engagement region to the attachment engagement region, the adapter port engagement region having a non-circular adapter geometric shape as viewed along an axis of the adapter, the port geometric shape and adapter geometric shape being generally complementary to one another;threadingly attaching the attachment region of the adapter to a threaded connector of a fluid management device and rotating the adapter and apparatus relative one another until the adapter and device are sealingly attached;additionally rotating the fluid management device relative to the adapter in a tightening direction and rotating the adapter about its axis until the adapter geometric shape is aligned with the port geometric shape and the fluid management device is in a desired orientation relative to the manifold;advancing the attached adapter and fluid management device along the port axis sufficient to engage the adapter port engagement region with the port so that the port engagement shape is engaged with the adapter engagement shape such that the adapter is prevented from rotating relative to the manifold; andwhen the adapter engagement shape and the port engagement shape are engaged, locking the axial position of the adapter relative to the manifold so that the adapter engagement shape and the port engagement shape remain engaged. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of additionally rotating the fluid management device relative the adapter in a tightening direction after the adapter and device are already sealingly attached comprises rotating no more than about 90° from any rotational position on the adapter attachment region. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fluid management device comprises a valve. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of additionally rotating the fluid management device relative the adapter in a tightening direction after the adapter and device are already sealingly attached comprises rotating no more than about 75° from any rotational position on the adapter attachment region. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of additionally rotating the fluid management device relative the adapter in a tightening direction after the adapter and device are already sealingly attached comprises rotating no more than about 60° from any rotational position on the adapter attachment region. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the port engagement shape is generally hexagonal. 15. A fluid flow system, comprising: at least one valve;at least one valve adapter having a valve engagement region and a manifold engagement region, wherein the valve engagement region is coupled to the valve;at least one locking member;a manifold body comprising; a cavity;at least one module comprising an outer wall with at least one port formed therethrough, the port having a port wall configured to engage the manifold engagement region of the valve adapter, wherein the port is configured to be in fluid communication with the cavity; andat least one pocket corresponding to the at least one port, and the pocket is between the port wall and the outer wall of the at least one module;wherein when the valve adapter is releasably coupled to the manifold body the port wall engages the manifold engagement region such that the valve adapter is prevented from rotational movement;wherein the at least one locking member engages the at least one pocket and spans across at least part of the valve adapter such that the valve adapter is restricted from being decoupled from the manifold body without first disengaging the locking member;wherein the valve is in fluid communication with the cavity through the adapter. 16. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one plate coupled to the manifold body, wherein the at least one pocket is defined between the plate and the manifold body. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the at least one ports is an inlet port configured to be in fluid communication with the cavity. 18. The system of claim 17 further comprising a fluid source, wherein the fluid source is coupled to the inlet port and is in fluid communication with the cavity. 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the manifold engagement region has a generally hexagonally shaped region, and wherein the port wall has a substantially hexagonally shaped region, and the respective hexagonally shaped regions register with one another when the valve adapter is releasably coupled to the manifold body. 20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a control system configured to control the operation of the at least one valve.
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