Patent ID: 8132783
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: F16K

Abstract:
1. In a fluid transmission line, a valve comprising: a housing, said housing establishing a lumen having an axial length for transmission of a fluid through said valve; a drive mechanism; a drive gear, said drive gear being mounted in said housing to be selectively driven in a first or second rotational direction by said drive mechanism, said drive gear having a central throughhole coaxial with an axis of said valve; a plurality of pins, said pins being circumferentially spaced around said central throughhole of said drive gear; a plurality of leaves, each of said leaves including a curvilinear portion and a pair of ends and being pivotally mounted on one of said pins at one of said ends, and each of said leaves being oriented to extend radially inward into said central throughhole; a fixed extension, said fixed extension having an annular aspect disposed in close cooperation with said throughhole of said drive gear, and said fixed extension having a plurality of engagement members, each of said engagement members being disposed to operatively engage one of said leaves at a position at the other of said ends of each of said leaves; said engagement members biasing said leaves to close an orifice when said drive gear rotates in said first direction and to open said orifice when said drive gear rotates in said second direction; and each of said leaves maintaining a substantially sealing engagement with each adjacent leaf throughout a range of motion of said plurality of leaves; wherein at least one of each of said leaves comprises a magnetic material and a respective adjacent leaf comprises a material attracted to the magnetic material for maintaining the substantially sealing engagement between said at least one of each of said leaves and said respective adjacent leaf throughout a range of motion of said at least one of each of said leaves and said respective adjacent leaf.