Patent ID: 8590567

Claim:
A valve block assembly comprising: a fluidics stack assembly comprising: an input/output (I/O) plate comprising an inlet port hole extending through the I/O plate and an outlet port hole extending through the I/O plate; a fluidics plate comprising: a first surface comprising an inlet channel formed in the first surface and an outlet hole extending through the fluidics plate, wherein the inlet channel includes an inlet hole extending through the fluidics plate; and a second surface comprising the inlet hole, the outlet hole, and a first channel formed in the second surface; and a seal plate comprising a first hole extending through the seal plate and a second hole extending through the seal plate; a membrane; and a pressure cup plate comprising a pressure cup, wherein the pressure cup comprises: an o-ring; a channel formed in a surface of the pressure cup plate to surround a first portion of the surface, wherein the channel is configured to hold the o-ring; and a first pressure port extending through a body and opening into the first portion of the surface; and wherein the fluidics stack assembly, the membrane and the surface of the pressure cup plate are aligned and mounted to form a sealing surface between the I/O plate and the fluidics plate, between the fluidics plate and the seal plate, between the seal plate and the membrane, and between the membrane and the surface of the pressure cup plate; and further wherein, when aligned, the inlet port hole aligns with the inlet channel, the inlet hole aligns with the first hole, the outlet port hole aligns with the outlet hole, and the second hole aligns with the first channel, and the first portion of the surface of the pressure cup plate surrounds the first hole and the second hole to support fluid communication between the inlet port hole and the outlet port hole under control of pressure changes within the first pressure port.