Fluid delivery valve system and method
First Claim
23. A valve assembly for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal, the valve assembly comprising:
- an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member, said upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough;
a base having a base fluid channel defined therethrough, wherein said base is designed to be matingly coupled to said upper member;
a stem member designed and dimensioned to be disposed in part within said base fluid channel, said stem member having an actuation portion and having a top portion having a lower surface; and
a sealing member integrally formed with said upper member and disposed in said base fluid channel, said sealing member having a flow aperture and a sealing member bottom surface, said sealing member being designed and dimensioned to facilitate sealing of said flow apertures when said sealing member bottom surface abuts a top surface of said stem member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming a valve assembly for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal can include forming, in an injection molding machine, an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member. The upper member has a fluid channel defined therethrough; and forms, in an injection molding machine, a base having a flange member and a base fluid channel defined therethrough. The base is designed to be matingly coupled to the upper member. The method can further include forming, in an injection molding machine, a stem member designed and dimensioned to be disposed in part within the base fluid channel. The stem member has an actuation portion extending through a spring element. The stem member has a top portion having a lower surface.
52 Citations
56 Claims
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23. A valve assembly for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal, the valve assembly comprising:
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an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member, said upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough;
a base having a base fluid channel defined therethrough, wherein said base is designed to be matingly coupled to said upper member;
a stem member designed and dimensioned to be disposed in part within said base fluid channel, said stem member having an actuation portion and having a top portion having a lower surface; and
a sealing member integrally formed with said upper member and disposed in said base fluid channel, said sealing member having a flow aperture and a sealing member bottom surface, said sealing member being designed and dimensioned to facilitate sealing of said flow apertures when said sealing member bottom surface abuts a top surface of said stem member. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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36-1. The valve assembly of claim 34, wherein said spring member has an outer diameter of about 0.188 inches.
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43. A valve assembly comprising:
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an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member, said upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough;
a base having a base fluid channel defined therethrough, wherein said base is designed to be matingly coupled to said upper member;
a stem member designed and dimensioned to be disposed in part within said base fluid channel, said stem member having an actuation portion and having a top portion having a lower surface;
a sealing member integrally formed with said upper member and disposed in said base fluid channel, said sealing member having a flow aperture and a sealing member bottom surface, said sealing member being designed and dimensioned to facilitate sealing of said flow apertures when said sealing member bottom surface abuts a top surface of said stem member; and
a spring element disposed within said base fluid channel;
wherein a portion of said spring element abuts said lower surface to apply a biasing force to said stem member.
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44. A valve assembly for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal, the valve assembly comprising:
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an upper member having a piercing member and a connecting member, said upper member having a fluid channel defined therethrough;
a base having a base fluid channel defined therethrough, wherein said base is designed to be matingly coupled to said upper member;
a stem member designed and dimensioned to be disposed in part within said base fluid channel, said stem member having an actuation portion and having a top portion having a lower surface; and
a spring element disposed within said base fluid channel;
wherein a portion of said spring element abuts said lower surface to apply a biasing force to said stem member, and said spring element comprises at least one group of dead coils, thereby facilitating prevention of a tangling of a plurality of spring members when said spring members are arranged during the assembly process. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of assembling a valve assembly for delivering a fluid from a fluid bag to an animal caging system for housing an animal, the method comprising:
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coupling an upper member having a piercing member to a base having a base fluid channel defined therethrough;
disposing a stem member in part within said base fluid channel, said stem member having an actuation portion and a top portion having a lower surface;
disposing a sealing member in said base fluid channel, said sealing member having a flow aperture and a sealing member bottom surface, said sealing member being designed and dimensioned to facilitate sealing of said flow apertures when said sealing member bottom surface abuts a top surface of said stem member. disposing a spring element within said base fluid channel, wherein a portion of said spring element abuts said lower surface to apply a biasing force to said stem member, and wherein said spring element comprises at least one group of dead coils, thereby facilitating prevention of a tangling of a plurality of spring members when said spring members are arranged during the assembly process. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification