Linear slide valve

Abstract

Multi-port linear slide valve, comprising a port plate (1) with at least three linear ports (100;101;102) that are arranged in a first direction (X), and extending through the port plate from a front surface to a back surface, a connection plate (2) with a common port (200), extending through the connection plate from the a frontal contact surface to a back surface, wherein the connection plate lies on the port plate, allowing a relative movement of the connection plate with respect to the port plate, a first drive (3), with which a relative movement in the first direction between the port plate and the connection plate can be effected, and a second drive (4), with which a relative movement in a second direction (Y) between the port plate and the connection plate can be effected.

Description

[0001] LINEAR SLIDE VALVE

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The current invention relates to linear slide valves , in particular to multi-port linear slide valves .

[0004] DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0005] Known embodiments of multi-port linear slide valves comprise a stationary port plate with at least three linear ports that are arranged on a line in a first direction, wherein all ports extend through the port plate from a front surface to a back surface , and a connection plate with a common port , which extends through the connection plate from a frontal contact surface to a back surface . The connection plate lies with its contact surface on the back surface of the port plate , allowing a relative movement of the connection plate with respect to the port plate in a plane defined by the back surface of the port plate and the contact surface of the connection plate , a first drive , with which a relative movement in the first direction between the port plate and the connection plate can be ef fected . Such multi-port linear slide valves have the disadvantage that a speci fic linear port cannot be bypassed . For example , when moving the common port from a first linear port to a third linear port , the second linear port cannot be bypassed . Thus , when switching from the first linear port to the third linear port , the common port can be contaminated by substances from the second linear port .

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is a task of current invention to provide a multi-port linear slide valve where speci fic linear ports can be bypassed when switching between to non-neighboring linear ports .

[0008] This task is solved by a multi-port linear slide valve with the features of claim 1 . Further embodiments of such a multi-port linear slide valve , as well as a method for operating such a multi-port linear slide valve are defined by the features of further claims .

[0009] A multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention comprises a port plate with at least three linear ports that are arranged in a line in a first direction, wherein all linear ports extending through the port plate from a front surface to a back surface , a connection plate with a common port , which extends through the connection plate from a frontal contact surface to a back surface . The connection plate lies with its contact surface on the back surface of the port plate , allowing for a relative movement of the connection plate with respect to the port plate in a plane defined by the back surface of the port plate and the contact surface of the connection plate . A first drive is provided, with which a relative movement in the first direction between the port plate and the connection plate can be ef fected, and a second drive is provided, with which a relative movement in a second direction between the port plate and the connection plate can be ef fected, wherein the second direction is oriented at an angle of greater than 0 degrees with respect to the first direction . With such a design it is possible to switch between non-neighbouring linear ports whilst bypassing intermediary linear ports .

[0010] In one embodiment , the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction . Other speci fic angles , such as 30 degrees , 45 degrees or 60 degrees are also possible . In general , any angle bigger than 0 degrees and up to 90 degrees would be possible .

[0011] In one embodiment , the port plate is static, and the connection plate is movable in the first direction and in the second direction . Alternatively, the port plate is movable in the first direction and the connection plate is movable in the second direction . Alternatively, the port plate is movable in the second direction and the connection plate is movable in the first direction . Alternatively, the port plate is movable in the first direction and in the second direction and the connection plate is static .

[0012] In one embodiment , the first drive and the second drive are linear actuators . Alternatively, rotary drives can b used, such as an eccentric cam to ef fect a linear motion without necessarily being a linear actuator .

[0013] The features of the above-mentioned embodiments of the multi-port linear slide valve can be used in any combination within the scope of the claims , provided they do not contradict each other . A method for operating a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention comprises the steps of : ef fecting a relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate with the second drive , in the second direction; and ef fecting a relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate with the first drive , in the first direction .

[0014] In one embodiment , the relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate is a linear movement or a pivoting movement .

[0015] In one embodiment , the ef fecting of the relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate is done simultaneously or sequentially .

[0016] In one embodiment , the method for operating a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention comprises the steps of : ef fecting a first relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate with the second drive , in the second direction; subsequently, ef fecting a relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate with the first drive , in the first direction; and subsequently, a second relative movement between the port plate and the connection plate with the second drive , opposite to the second direction . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Embodiments of the current invention are described in more detail in the following with reference to the figures .

[0018] These are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting .

[0019] Fig . 1 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention;

[0020] Fig . 2 is a schematic top view of the multi-port linear slide valve of figure 1 ; and

[0021] Fig . 3 is a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention .

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention and figure 2 shows a schematic top view of the multi-port linear slide valve of figure 1 . The multiport linear slide valve comprises a port plate 1 with at least three linear ports 100 ; 101 ; 102 that are arranged in a line in a first direction X . All linear ports 100 ; 101 ; 102 extend through the port plate 1 from a front surface 10 to a back surface . The multi-port linear slide valve further comprises a connection plate 2 with a common port 200 , which extends through the connection plate 2 from a frontal contact surface 20 to a back surface 21 . The connection plate 2 lies with its contact surface 20 on the back surface 11 of the port plate 1 , allowing a relative movement of the connection plate 2 with respect to the port plate 1 in a plane defined by the back surface 11 of the port plate 1 and the contact surface 20 of the connection plate 2 . The two plates may be spring-loaded together to ensure a good fluidic or pneumatic seal . The port plate 1 is static and the connection plate 2 is movable . A first drive 3 is provided, with which the connection plate 2 can be moved in the first direction X . A second drive 4 is provided, with which the connection plate 2 can be moved in a second direction Y, wherein the second direction Y is at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the first direction X . When switching from the first linear port 100 to the third linear port 102 , whilst bypassing the second linear port 101 , the connection plate 2 is moved by the second drive 4 in a positive second direction +Y . Subsequently, the connection plate 2 is moved by the first drive 3 in a positive first direction X . After passing the second linear port 101 and after an alignment of the common port 200 with the third linear port 102 in the first direction X, the connection plate 2 is moved bey the second drive 4 in a negative second direction -Y .

[0024] Figure 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of a multi-port linear slide valve according to the invention . The linear ports 100 ; 101 ; 102 extend through the port plate 1 , wherein all linear ports have a connecting part that extends perpendicular to the front surface 10 and wherein some of the linear ports have a channel part that extends collinear to the connecting part , whereas some of the linear ports have a channel part that extends at an angle with respect to the connecting part . This reduces the distance between the channel openings of linear ports in the back surface 11 of the port plate 1 in the first direction X . Consequently, a smaller relative movement between the port plate 1 and the connection plate 2 is required for switching between the linear ports . A flow-through cell 201 is combined with the connection plate 2 . For gene sequencing, the first linear port 100 can provide a solution with DNA fragments , and the other linear ports 101 ; 102 can provide reagents , such as fluorescence labeled nucleic acids . A pump 5 can be provided at an end of the flow-through cell 201 , opposite the port plate 1 , with which a slight negative pressure can be applied to the flow-through cell 201 . Alternatively, the source fluid reservoirs can be pressuri zed to induce flow when connected through the valve .

[0025] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0026] 1 port plate 201 flow-through cell

[0027] 10 front surface 21 back surface

[0028] 100 first linear port 3 first drive

[0029] 101 second linear port 4 second drive

[0030] 102 third linear port 5 pump

[0031] 11 back surface

[0032] 2 connection plate X first direction

[0033] 20 contact surface Y second direction

[0034] 200 common port

Claims

CLAIMS1. Multi-port linear slide valve, comprising a port plate (1) with at least three linear ports ( 100 ; 101 ; 102 ) that are arranged in a line in a first direction (X) , wherein all linear ports ( 100 ; 101 ; 102 ) extending through the port plate (1) from a front surface (10) to a back surface (11) , a connection plate (2) with a common port (200) , which extends through the connection plate (2) from the a frontal contact surface (20) to a back surface (21) , wherein the connection plate (2) lies with its contact surface (20) on the back surface (11) of the port plate (1) , allowing a relative movement of the connection plate (2) with respect to the port plate (1) in a plane defined by the back surface (11) of the port plate (1) and the contact surface (20) of the connection plate (2) , a first drive (3) , with which a relative movement in the first direction (X) between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) can be effected, and a second drive (4) , with which a relative movement in a second direction (Y) between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) can be effected, wherein the second direction (Y) is at an angle of greater than 0 degrees to the first direction (X) .

2. The multi-port linear slide valve according to claim1, wherein the second direction (Y) is perpendicular to the first direction (X) .The multi-port linear slide valve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the port plate (1) is static, and theconnection plate (2) is movable in the first direction (X) and in the second direction (Y) , or wherein the port plate (1) is movable in the first direction (X) and the connection plate (2) is movable in the second direction (Y) , or wherein the port plate (1) is movable in the second direction (Y) and the connection plate (2) is movable in the first direction (X) , or wherein the port plate (1) is movable in the first direction (X) and in the second direction (Y) and the connection plate (2) is static.

4. The multi-port linear slide valve according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first drive (3) and the second drive (4) are linear actuators.

5. The multi-port linear slide valve according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a flow-through cell (201) is combined with the connection plate (2) .

6. A method for operating the multi-port linear slide valve according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: effecting a relative movement between the port plate(1) and the connection plate (2) with the second drive(4) , in the second direction (Y) ; andeffecting a relative movement between the port plate(1) and the connection plate (2) with the first drive (3) , in the first direction (X) .

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the relative movement between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) is a linear movement or a pivoting movement.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the effecting of the relative movement between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) is done simultaneously or sequentially .

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising the steps of : effecting a first relative movement between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) with the second drive (4) , in the second direction (Y) ; subsequently, effecting a relative movement between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) with the first drive (3) , in the first direction (X) ; and subsequently, a second relative movement between the port plate (1) and the connection plate (2) with the second drive (4) , opposite to the second direction (Y) .

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