USRE33219E - Clamp valves - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamp valve is made which comprises a hollow member open at one end and which has a pair of apertures through side walls thereof. A slide is movable in the hollow member and has a transverse aperture therethrough so that a conduit which has a pliable resilient wall can in use be passed through both of the apertures in the hollow member and the aperture in the slide. Biassing means are provided to bias the slide relative to the hollow member so that the conduit is in use normally clamped between an edge of the aperture in the slide and an edge of one of the apertures in the hollow member so that the conduit is normally closed to fluid flow.

Description

This invention relates to a clamp valves.

In many applications, a squeeze clamp is used for controlling the flow of fluids through a tube. In some applications, especially medical, it is essential that the fluid only flows when the operator is in attendance and operating the valve. One available clamp which serves this function, uses a stainless steel leaf spring as a functional member, which although effective in use is costly in production which is clearly disadvantgeous.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp valve which will go at least some distance towards meeting the foregoing desiderata or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly the invention consists in a clamp valve comprising a hollow member open at one end and having a pair of apertures through the side walls thereof, a slide movable in said hollow member and having a transverse aperture therethrough so that a conduit having a pliable resilient wall can in use be passed through both said apertures in said hollow member and said aperture in said slide, and biasing means to bias said slide relative to said hollow member so that said conduit is in use normally clamped between an edge of said aperture in said slide and an edge of at least one said aperture in said hollow member so that said conduit is normally closed to fluid flow.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of a clamp valve according to the preferred form of the invention with the valve in the open position;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a clamp valve according to the invention in a substantially closed position; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating one particular use of the clamp valve of the invention the clamp being upside down with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings a clamp valve 1 is provided which comprises a hollow member 2 open atend 3 and substantially closed, preferably completely closed, at theother end 4.

The hollow member 2 preferably provides nearend 4 or atend 4 as shown in the drawings aplate 5 which may be strengthened bybuttresses 6 between theplate 5 and the body of the hollow member 2. Theplate 5 extends outwardly of the hollow member 2 and provides a hand or finger grip in use.

The hollow member 2 also preferably includes an inwardly extending step at 7 which may be circumferential or be provided around only part of the circumference as shown in the drawings.

Within the hollow member 2 is provided a slide 8 which moves in the hollow member 2 between theend 3 and the step 7. The slide 8 preferably has an enlarged head orbutton 9 at itsoutward end 10 and preferably also further includes a spigot 11 at its inner end so that a biasing means preferably acompression spring 12 may be positioned between the slide 8 and theend 4 of the hollow member 2, the spigot 11 forming a location member for thespring 12.

The hollow member 2 has a pair of apertures therein preferably oppositely spaced comprising afirst aperture 13 and asecond aperture 14. The slide 8 also has anaperture 15 therethrough and theapertures 13, 14 and 15 are desirably aligned so that with theinward end 16 of the slide adjacent the step 7 theapertures 13, 14 and 15 are substantially in alignment so that in use aconduit 17 can be passed therethrough for example as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the construction illustrated theaperture 13 is longer (in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the clamp 1) than theapertures 14 and 15 andaperture 15 is wider thanaperture 14.Aperture 15 is desirably of size little greater than the diameter of theconduit 17 which it is desired to clamp.

Means are provided to retain the clamp substantially in this position and this may comprise a pair offurther apertures 18 in the hollow member 2 as well as afurther aperture 19 in the slide 8 which can be aligned (with the clamp substantially in the open position) so that apin 20 or the like can be passed through thealigned apertures 18 and 19.

In order for the clamp valve to clamp the conduit 17 a clamping action substantially as shown in FIG. 2 is achieved between at least oneedge 21 of theaperture 15 and at least one edge of one of the apertures in the hollow member 2, preferably theaperture 14.

To increase this clamping action theedge 21 is preferably provided on arib 22 for example substantially of triangular cross section such as a right angled triangle substantially as shown for example in the drawings in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The hollow member is preferably provided with a flat, such as atsurface 23 and the slide 8 is preferably provided with a corresponding flat 24, so that in use rotation of the slide 8 with respect to the hollow member 2 is substantially prevented.

The use of the invention is as follows.

In use the clamp valve is preferably provided in the open position substantially as shown in FIG. 1 with apin 20 through the alignedapertures 18 and 19. Aconduit 17 having a pliable resilient wall can then be passed therethrough theconduit 17 being positioned for example between afluid pack 25 and ahumidifier device 26.

Once theconduit 17 has been passed through theapertures 13, 14 and 15 thepin 20 is removed and thespring 12 forces the slide 8 to the position substantially shown in FIG. 2 in which theconduit 17 becomes clamped to substantially close theconduit 17 to fluid flow.

If it is desired to open the conduit thebutton 9 is pressed relative to the body 2 and this can be achieved for example by placing the fingers of the user about theflange 5 and pushing against thebutton 9 with the thumb, or otherwise as desired.

Thus it can be seen that a clamp valve is provided which at least in the preferred form of the invention provides a pinched tube liquid "on/off" valve that is normally in the "off" position or has a dead-man characteristic. That is to say the clamp valve will return to the off position when an operators hand is removed from the clamp valve.

At least the preferred form of the present invention has the advantage that a reliable cut-off is provided without substantial damage to the conduit being clamped. The clamp valve can be opened by hand pressure and the construction allows low cost part and tool manufacture to be effected. The storage condition, that is to say normally open when a pin is inserted in the further apertures substantially prevents permanent conduit or tube welding before use.

Claims (6)

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp valve comprising a hollow member open at one end and having a side wall with a pair of apertures therethrough, a slide movable in said hollow member and having a transverse aperture therethrough so that a conduit having a pliable resilient wall can in use be passed through both said apertures in said wall of said hollow member and through said aperture through said slide, said aperture through said slide having an outer edge .Iadd.shaped to provide a rib extending inwardly of said aperture and .Iaddend.juxtaposed to an inner edge of one of the apertures in said wall for clamping said conduit between said edges, and biasing means to bias said slide relative to said hollow member to a position for clamping said conduit between said edges so that said conduit is normally closed to fluid flow. .[.

2. A clamp valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said edge of said aperture through in said slide is shaped to provide a rib extending inwardly of said aperture..].

3. A clamp valve as claimed in claim .[.2.]. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said rib is substantially triangular in cross section.

4. A clamp valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprise a compression spring between the end of said slide and a closed end of said hollow member opposite the one end.

5. A clamp valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein further apertures are provided in said hollow member and said slide arranged so that a pin or the like can be positioned through said further apertures when aligned to retain said clamp in a substantially open position.

6. A clamp valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow member and said slide each have a flat thereon to substantially prevent relative rotation between said hollow member and said slide.

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