Encapsulated valve system and method of use
An encapsulated valve system includes a first housing portion having a first facing surface, the first facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the first facing surface. The valve system further includes a second housing portion having a second facing surface, the second facing surface comprising a plurality of branch pathways formed as a recess within the second facing surface. A disposable conduit is configured to be interposed between the first and second housing portions and disposed within the recess of the first facing surface and the recess of the second facing surface. The disposable conduit is thus sandwiched between the first and second facing surfaces. A plurality of pinch valve actuators are mounted on one or both of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the plurality of pinch valve actuators configured to pinch the disposable conduit at selective branch pathways.
1. An encapsulated valve system for pharmaceutical or biological liquid fluids, said encapsulated valve system comprising:
a housing including a first end, a second end, and first and second lateral sides extending between the first and second ends, the housing comprising:
a first housing portion having a first facing surface; and
a second housing portion having a second facing surface and configured to be separably coupleable with said first housing portion;
wherein:
said first facing surface includes a first common passageway, a first inlet passageway, and a first plurality of branch passageways formed within said first facing surface;
said second facing surface includes a second common passageway, a second inlet passageway, and a second plurality of branch passageways within said second facing surface;
said first and second common passageways, said first and second inlet passageways, and said first and second plurality of branch passageways are shaped and configured to form a conduit passageway shaped and configured to encapsulate a flexible conduit having an inlet conduit, a common conduit, and a plurality of branch conduits;
the first housing portion includes at least one aperture dimensioned to receive a first valve element therein such that the first valve element is engageable with the flexible conduit to control a fluid flow through the flexible conduit;
the second housing portion includes at least one aperture dimensioned to receive a second valve element therein such that the second valve element is engageable with the flexible conduit to control the fluid flow through the flexible conduit; and
wherein each of the plurality of branch conduits extend from the housing through only the first lateral side thereof.
2. The encapsulated system of claim 1 , further comprising the flexible conduit sized and shaped to be encapsulated within said conduit passageway.
3. The encapsulated system of claim 2 , wherein the flexible conduit is formed of an unreinforced silicone tubing.
4. The encapsulated system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture formed in the first and second housing portions comprise a plurality of apertures formed in the first and second housing portions, and wherein each of said plurality of apertures is positioned with a respective one of said plurality of branch conduits.
5. The encapsulated system of claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of valves, each of said plurality of valves extending into a respective one of said plurality of apertures.
6. The encapsulated system of claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of valves is a pinch valve.
7. The encapsulated system of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of valves is a pinch valve having a pinching element extending within said respective one of said plurality of apertures for engaging a respective one of said plurality of branch conduits to control fluid flow through the respective one of said plurality of branch conduits.
8. The encapsulated system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of branch conduits of said flexible conduit extend perpendicular to said common conduit.
9. The encapsulated system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first branch pinch valve with a pinching element extending into one of said at least one aperture formed in the first housing portion;
a second branch pinch valve with a pinching element extending into one of said at least one aperture formed in the second housing portion;
wherein:
said first branch pinch valve is positioned to control fluid flow through a first branch conduit of said plurality of branch conduits; and
said second pinch valve is positioned to control fluid flow through a second branch conduit of said plurality of branch conduits.
10. The encapsulated system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second branch pinch valves are manually-controlled pinch valves.
11. The encapsulated system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of branch conduits of said flexible conduit includes at least two branch conduits fluidly connected to said common conduit and oriented perpendicular to said common conduit.
12. The encapsulated system of claim 11 , further comprising first and second pinch valves disposed in respective first and second apertures disposed in at least one of the first and second housing portion, the first and second pinch valves configured to engage a respective one of said at least two branch conduits to control flow through said at least two branch conduits.
13. An encapsulated valve system for pharmaceutical or biological liquid fluids, said encapsulated valve system comprising:
a first housing portion having a first facing surface; and
a second housing portion having a second facing surface and configured to be separably coupleable with said first housing portion;
wherein:
said first facing surface includes a first inlet passageway, a first common passageway, and a first plurality of branch passageways formed as a first recess within said first facing surface;
said second facing surface includes a second inlet passageway, a second common passageway, and a second plurality of branch passageways formed as a second recess within said second facing surface;
said first recess and said second recess are shaped and configured to form a conduit passageway shaped and configured to encapsulate a flexible conduit having a plurality of branch conduits; and
the first housing portion includes a plurality of apertures, each of said plurality of apertures formed in the first housing portion configured to receive a valve element therein such that the valve element is engageable with the flexible conduit to control the fluid flow through the flexible conduit;
the second housing portion includes a plurality of apertures, each of said plurality of apertures formed in the second housing portion configured to receive a valve element therein such that the valve element is engageable with the flexible conduit to control the fluid flow through the flexible conduit; and
wherein each of the plurality of branch conduits extends from the first and second housing portions through only a first lateral side thereof.
14. The encapsulated system of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures is associated with a respective one of said plurality of branch conduits.
15. The encapsulated system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of branch conduits of said flexible conduit are fluidly connected to a common conduit positioned within the first and second common passageways defined by the first and second housing portions, the plurality of branch conduits extending perpendicular to said common conduit.
16. The encapsulated system of claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of apertures is associated with a respective one of said plurality of branch conduits.
17. An encapsulated valve system for pharmaceutical or biological liquid fluids, said encapsulated valve system comprising:
a first housing portion having a first facing surface; and
a second housing portion having a second facing surface and configured to be separably coupleable with said first housing portion;
wherein the first facing surface includes a first inlet passageway, a first common passageway, and a first plurality of branch passageways formed as a first recess within said first facing surface;
wherein the second facing surface includes a second inlet passageway, a second common passageway, and a second plurality of branch passageways formed as a second recess within said second facing surface;
wherein the first and second recesses are shaped and configured to form a conduit passageway shaped and configured to encapsulate a flexible conduit having an inlet conduit, a common conduit, and a plurality of branch conduits;
wherein the first and second housing portions each include a plurality of apertures, each of said plurality of apertures associated with a respective one of said plurality of branch conduits, each of said plurality of apertures configured to receive a valve element therein such that the valve element is engageable with the flexible conduit to control the fluid flow through the flexible conduit; and
wherein the inlet conduit and the plurality of branch conduits are fluidly connected to the common conduit; and
wherein each of the plurality of branch conduits extends from the first and second housing portions through only a first lateral side thereof.