The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 1978
Filed:
Nov. 29, 1976
Gordon E Mehaffy, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
Kenneth B Sawa, Yorba Linda, CA (US);
Beckman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, CA (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for switching a fluid stream, either gaseous or liquid, between a first path and a second path is disclosed. A pair of enclosures are formed by two depressions in a first plate (each depression having an inlet and an outlet) and an elastomeric diaphragm covering the depressions. The diaphragm is held in place by a second plate having a first control inlet opposite one depression and a second control inlet opposite the other depression. A fluid to be switched is connected into the inlets of the first plate in common. By alternately applying a control fluid to one control inlet and then the other of the second plate, the fluid to be switched is switched from one outlet to the other by the diaphragm alternately being deformed into one depression and then the other by the control fluid so as to seal the inlet and outlet and, thereby, block the flow of fluid therethrough from the inlet to the outlet. A plurality of such switching pairs are shown interconnected to provide a plurality of switching actions from a single control fluid switched source. A preferred embodiment for switching three inputs and three outputs is disclosed particularly adapted for sample loop switching in apparatus such as gas chromatographs.