Patent ID: 8919385

Claim:
A manifold plate comprising: a body having an exterior and a length, width, and thickness extending along x, y, and z directions, respectively, of a standard x, y, z coordinate system, wherein the exterior of the body includes an outwardly facing mounting region against which one or more fluid treatment units can be mounted, the mounting region generally lying in an x, y plane of the body, wherein the mounting region includes at least one first opening and at least one second opening arranged to fluidly communicate with fluid treatment units that can be mounted to the body, the first and second openings being fluidly isolated from one another; first and second fluid channels extending along the body spaced from the mounting region, wherein the first and second fluid channels are in close proximity to and fluidly isolated from one another and wherein each fluid channel has an outer surface that extends parallel to the mounting region and includes a port which opens onto the exterior of the body away from the mounting region; and at least one first passageway extending from the first opening to the first channel and at least one second passageway extending from the second opening to the second channel, wherein each passageway is defined by a wall and at least a portion of the wall extends at an angle less than 90° to die mounting region and wherein a projection parallel to the z direction from every point on the wall of each passageway intersects the corresponding opening in the mounting region without passing through the wall, such that the portion of the wall that extends at an angle less than 90° to the mounting region extends to the outer surface of the first channel or second channel.