Rotation valve for sample injection
View Patent ↗A rotary valve adapted for injection of a fluid sample into a flow path. According to the invention one and the same valve can be used to input flow from a system pump, a sample pump and a syringe. A loop could be filled from both the sample pump and the syringe and the loop can be emptied by the system pump whereby for example a column is filled. Furthermore the sample pump can be used to pump directly to the column.
1. A rotary valve ( 10 ) adapted for injection of a fluid sample into a flow path, the valve comprising a stator ( 11 ) and a rotor ( 12 ), said stator ( 11 ) comprising a number of connection ports protruding into the stator and each ending in an orifice on an inner stator face ( 11 a ), which is a face of the stator making contact in a fluid tight manner with an inner rotor face ( 12 a ) of the rotor ( 12 ), said inner rotor face ( 12 a ) being rotatably movable around a rotational axis (RA) relative to the inner stator face ( 11 a ),
wherein said inner stator face ( 11 a ) comprises:
a first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) communicating with a first inlet port ( 31 a ) to the stator, said first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) being positioned essentially centrally in the inner stator face ( 11 a ), which center coincides essentially with the rotary axis (RA) of the valve,
a second inlet orifice ( 36 b ) communicating with a second inlet port ( 36 a ) to the stator,
a third inlet orifice ( 37 b ) communicating with a third inlet port ( 37 a ) to the stator,
a first outlet orifice ( 34 b ) communicating with a first outlet port ( 34 a ) of the stator,
a second outlet orifice ( 33 b ) communicating with a second outlet port ( 33 a ) of the stator,
a third outlet orifice ( 38 b ) communicating with a third outlet port ( 38 a ) of the stator,
a first connection orifice ( 32 b ) communicating with a first connection port ( 32 a ) of the stator,
a second connection orifice ( 35 b ) communicating with a second connection port ( 35 a ) of the stator, and
wherein said second and third inlet orifices ( 36 b , 37 b ), said first, second and third outlet orifices ( 34 b , 33 b , 38 b ) and said first and second connection orifices ( 32 b , 35 b ) are distributed substantially on a circle around the center of the inner stator face ( 11 a ), said circle having a radius (R),
and further wherein:
said inner rotor face ( 12 a ) comprises a first groove ( 41 ), a second groove ( 42 ), a third groove ( 43 ), a fourth groove ( 44 ) and a fifth groove ( 45 ) so arranged that,
in a first rotary position of the rotor:
the first groove ( 41 ) connects the first connection orifice ( 32 b ) with the second outlet orifice ( 33 b ),
the second groove ( 42 ) connects the first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) with the first outlet orifice ( 34 b ), and
the third groove ( 43 ) connects the second connection orifice ( 35 b ) with the third inlet orifice ( 37 b ),
in a second rotary position of the rotor:
the second groove ( 42 ) connects the first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) with the first connection orifice ( 32 b ),
the fourth groove ( 44 ) connects the first outlet orifice ( 34 b ) with the second connection orifice ( 35 b ), and
the fifth groove ( 45 ) connects the second inlet orifice ( 36 b ) with the third outlet orifice ( 38 b ),
in a third rotary position of the rotor:
the fourth groove ( 44 ) connects the second outlet orifice ( 33 b ) with the first connection orifice ( 32 b ), and
the fifth groove ( 45 ) connects the second inlet orifice ( 36 b ) with the second connection orifice ( 35 b ).
2. The rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the stator further comprises a stator groove ( 39 ), said stator groove ( 39 ) having both its ends positioned substantially on the radial distance R from the center of the inner stator face and wherein the rotor grooves further are so arranged that in the third rotary position of the rotor:
the second groove ( 42 ) connects the first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) with the stator groove ( 39 ) and
the third groove ( 43 ) connects the first outlet orifice ( 34 b ) with the stator groove ( 39 ).
3. The rotary valve of claim 2 , wherein the rotor could be positioned in a fourth rotary position where the second groove ( 42 ) connects the first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) with the second outlet orifice ( 33 b ).
4. The rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the rotor could be positioned in a fourth rotary position where the second groove ( 42 ) connects the first inlet orifice ( 31 b ) with the second outlet orifice ( 33 b ).