US 7,320,322 B2
Valve for conducting hyperpolarized gas
John Manhard, Durham, N.C. (US)
Assigned to Medi-Physics, Inc., Princeton, N.J. (US)
Filed on Apr. 21, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/829,001.
Prior Publication US 2005/0022814 A1, Feb. 03, 2005
Int. Cl. A62B 9/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 128—205.24  [128/204.18] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve assembly for conducting hyperpolarized gas, comprising:a valve cover defining first, second, and third cover control gas ports;a valve body defining
first, second, and third stepped piston bores opening on one major surface of said valve body, each said stepped piston bore defining a stem bore portion and a head bore portion;
first, second, and third body gas control ports in fluid communication with the head bore portion of said first, second, and third stepped piston bores, respectively,
first, second, and third air breathing ports in fluid communication with the stem bore portion of said first, second, and third stepped piston bores, respectively, and
an elongate fluid passageway opening on said valve body and in fluid communication with the stem bore portion of said first, second, and third stepped piston bores; and
a first, second, and third piston slideably supported in said first, second, and third stepped piston bore, respectively, each said piston including
a piston head received in the head bore portion of one of said first, second, and third stepped piston bores, said piston head sealing each said cover control gas port from its corresponding said body control gas port; and
an elongate piston stem received in the stem bore portion of said one of said stepped piston bores, said piston stem sealing each said body control gas port from its corresponding said breathing air port.