Plastic valve with flexible tube and tube squeezing apparatus

[54] PLASTIC VALVE WITH FLEXIBLE TUBE AND TUBE SQUEEZING APPARATUS

[75] Inventors: Timothy R. Collins, Cologne; Robert T. Chinnock, Victoria; Dean T. Hamilton, Cologne, all of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Fluoroware, Inc., Chaska, Minn.

[21] Appl. No.: 92,690

[22] Filed: Jul. 16,1993

[51] Int. CI.5 F16K 7/00

[52] U.S. a 251/4; 251/9;

138/141

[58] Field of Search 251/4, 5, 9, 10;

138/128, 141

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,622.837 12/1952 Goodman 251/9

4,478,661 10/1984 Lewis 138/141 X

4,523,738 6/1985 Roftis et al 251/4

4,929,293 5/1990 Osgar .

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Crane Co., Resistoflex, TFE Clamp Valve, 1986, pp. 1-14.

Primary Examiner—John C. Fox

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Palmatier, Sjoquist & Helget

[57] ABSTRACT

A plastic valve comprising a valve body, integral plastic valving duct means with rigid tubular plastic end portions for attachment to flow ducts carrying liquids to be valved, and a collapsible and distensible tubular plastic valving portion welded to the tubular end portions, the valving portion have sidewalls of plastic film laminae free of each other, but welded to each other at edges to form resilient side rib portions, squeezing linkages traversing flexible wall portions and applying squeezing pressure onto the flexible wall portions to close the flow passage therebetween, tiltable squeeze bars extending along the flexible wall adjacent the squeezing linkages and progressively deforming the flexible wall portions during application of squeezing pressure, camming impeller portions applying and relieving squeezing pressure against the squeezing linkages and squeeze bars and camming against the camming surfaces of the body portion as a driving head moves the impeller portions in the valve body portion.

22 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets