Valve-manifold laboratory glassware with electrically motorized moveable-gate valves for chemical laboratory automation and other applications
An article of laboratory glassware for directing the flow of chemical materials is described. The article includes a manifold having a plurality of input ports and at least one output port, and a plurality of stopcocks. Each stopcock has an inlet port and an outlet port connected by a passageway through the plug. Each of the stopcock output ports is connected to one of the manifold input ports, and each of the stopcock input ports is connected with one end of a hollow glass tube, and the other end of the hollow glass tube is connected to a ground glass joint. The output ports of the manifold are terminated to a ground glass joint. Each stopcock is fitted with a plug comprising a longitudinally-movable gate whose position is driven by a stepper or D.C. electrical motor where the gate position can be monitored by a sensor and can be computer-controlled.
1. An article of laboratory glassware for directing a flow of chemical materials, the article of laboratory glassware comprising:
a glass manifold having a plurality of first ports and at least one second port and a plurality of stopcock housings, each of the plurality of stopcock housings having an inlet port and an outlet port for carrying the flow of and controlling the flow of chemical materials, wherein one of the inlet port or the outlet port of each of the plurality of stopcock housings is connected to one of the plurality of first ports;
a plurality of rotating plugs, each of the plurality of rotating plugs associated with one of the plurality of stopcock housings and rotationally fitted into the associated one of the plurality of stopcock housings;
a plurality of electrically-operated motors, each of the plurality of electrically-operated motors associated with one of the plurality of rotating plugs and its associated one of the plurality of stopcock housings, each of the plurality of rotating plugs further comprising a longitudinally-movable gate, the longitudinally-movable gate movable to a position determined by its associated one of the plurality of electrically-operated motor,
wherein the inlet port of each of the plurality of stopcock housings is connected with one end of one of a plurality of hollow glass tubes, and
wherein another end of each of the plurality of hollow glass tubes is connected to one of a plurality of first ground glass joints,
wherein the longitudinally-movable gate of each of the plurality of rotating plugs define an area for carrying the flow of the chemical materials, and
wherein the at least one second port of the glass manifold is terminated to at least one of a second ground glass joint.
2. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-operated motors comprise stepper motors.
3. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the electrically-operated motors comprise a Direct Current (D.C.) motors.
4. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the position of the longitudinally-movable gate is monitored by a sensor.
5. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the position of the longitudinally-movable gate of at least one of the plurality of rotating plugs is controlled by a computer.
6. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the longitudinally-movable gate varies with respect to the inlet port and the outlet port of the stopcock housing when the at least one of the plurality of rotating plugs is rotated.
7. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotating plugs is fabricated from a polymer.
8. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of rotating plugs is fabricated from glass.
9. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of first ground glass joints or the at least one of the second ground glass joint is a conically tapered ground glass joint.
10. The article of laboratory glassware of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first ground glass joints or the at least one of the second ground glass joint is a spherical ground glass joint.