# US 10,502,331 B2 · One way valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,331 B2 - Document ID: US10502331B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/628,380 - Filed: 2017-06-20 - Published: 2017-10-19 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-22 - Assignees: ViCentra B.V. - Applicants: ViCentra B.V. - Inventors: Joseph John Cefai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502331B2 ## CPC - F16K 15/14: with flexible valve members - F16K 15/144: {the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery} - F16K 99/0015: {Diaphragm or membrane valves} - F16K 99/0057: {the fluid being the circulating fluid itself, e.g. check valves} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract An one way valve comprising: a conical shaped valve seat (1); and a membrane (2) having a hole (3) that is located around the conical valve seat (1), such that a surface (60) of the valve seat (1) seals onto an inner periphery (61) of the hole in the membrane (2), wherein, in use, the membrane (2) is deflected from the surface (60) of the valve seat (1) to provide a fluid path across the membrane (2) and allowing fluid to flow from one side of the membrane (2) to the other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pump comprising a pumping chamber, an inlet valve arranged at an inlet of the pumping chamber, and an outlet valve arranged at an outlet of the pumping chamber, wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are each passive one-way valves comprising: a conical shaped valve seat having a conical surface and a base surrounding the conical surface; and a membrane having a hole that is located around the conical surface of the valve seat such that at least a portion of the valve seat projects through the hole, wherein an inner periphery of the hole is configured to seal against the conical surface of the valve seat when the valve is closed and the membrane is configured to deflect away from the conical surface to provide a fluid path across the membrane; wherein one or more apertures are formed in the base of the valve seat and form part of the fluid path across the membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the one-way valves each comprise an inlet side and an outlet side and the membrane is configured to deflect from the surface of the valve seat at a specific pressure difference between the inlet side and the outlet side. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the membrane is selectively supported around an outer peripheral portion of the membrane such that deflection is restricted to an inner portion of the membrane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A pump according to claim 3, wherein the inner portion of the membrane is deflected upwardly around the conical valve seat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the one-way valves each further comprise a first body portion having the valve seat, and a second body portion on an opposite side of the membrane to the first body portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A pump according to claim 5, wherein an outer peripheral portion of the membrane is held between the first body portion and the second body portion such that deflection of the membrane is restricted to only an inner portion of the membrane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A pump according to claim 5, wherein the second body portion has a chamber located over the valve seat and which accommodates the membrane when the membrane is deflected away from the conical surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises an elastomer which applies a force on the valve seat when the valve is closed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanical stop to restrict the deflection of the membrane towards the valve seat. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a micro pump and the passive one-way valves are micro valves. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pump is a liquid pump for pumping liquid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A pump according to claim 11, wherein the liquid pump is a pulsatile pump further comprising a piston arranged to move in reciprocating motion in the pumping chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A pump according to claim 12, wherein the piston is arranged to enter the pumping chamber and a volume swept by the piston entering the pumping chamber is substantially equivalent to a displaced volume of liquid which exits the pumping chamber via the outlet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A pump according to claim 13, wherein the displaced volume of liquid varies by no more than +/−2.5 nano-litres between a plurality of cycles of the piston entering the pumping chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A pump according to claim 12, wherein the piston is arranged to retract from the pumping chamber and a volume swept by the piston retracting from the pumping chamber is substantially equivalent to a volume of liquid which enters the pumping chamber via the inlet from a reservoir. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A pump according to claim 15, wherein the reservoir is held at substantially ambient atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A pump according to claim 13, wherein the piston substantially displaces all of a volume enclosed by the pumping chamber when the piston enters the pumping chamber. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A pump according to claim 1, wherein the pumping chamber has substantially rigid walls. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A medication delivery device incorporating the pump according to claim 1. ### Claim 20 A medication delivery device comprising: a pump, the pump comprising: a pumping chamber; an inlet valve arranged at an inlet of the pumping chamber; and an outlet valve arranged at an outlet of the pumping chamber; wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are each passive one-way valves comprising: a conical shaped valve seat; and a membrane having a hole that is located around a conical surface of the valve seat such that at least a portion of the valve seat projects through the hole, wherein an inner periphery of the hole is configured to seal against the conical surface of the valve seat when the valve is closed and the membrane is configured to deflect away from the conical surface to provide a fluid path across the membrane. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The medication delivery device according to claim 20, wherein the pump is a micro pump, and the inlet valve and the outlet valve are each passive one-way micro valves. ### Claim 22 A micro pump comprising: a pumping chamber; an inlet valve arranged at an inlet of the pumping chamber; and an outlet valve arranged at an outlet of the pumping chamber; wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are each passive one-way micro valves comprising: a conical shaped valve seat; and a membrane having a hole that is located around a conical surface of the valve seat such that at least a portion of the valve seat projects through the hole, wherein an inner periphery of the hole is configured to seal against the conical surface of the valve seat when the valve is closed and the membrane is configured to deflect away from the conical surface to provide a fluid path across the membrane. ### Claim 23 A micro pump for a medication delivery device, the micro pump comprising: a one-way micro valve, the one-way micro valve comprising: a conical shaped valve seat; and a membrane having a hole that is located around the conical valve seat, such that a surface of the valve seat seals onto an inner periphery of the hole in the membrane, wherein, in use, the membrane is deflected from the surface of the valve seat to provide a fluid path across the membrane and allowing fluid to flow from one side of the membrane to the other, wherein the conical valve seat protrudes through the hole and the surface of the valve seat seals onto an edge of the inner periphery of the hole in the membrane. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The micro pump according to claim 23, wherein the micro pump comprises a pumping chamber and the micro valve membrane has flexibility, and when the micro valve is closed the amount of flexibility of the membrane corresponds to a micro valve volume that is connected to the pumping chamber, wherein the micro valve volume does not expand by more than 2.0 nano-litres or contract by more than 2.5 nano-litres. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A medication delivery device comprising the micro pump according to claim 23. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The medication delivery device according to claim 25, wherein the one-way micro valve further comprises: a first body portion that includes the valve seat, the first body portion having a fluid conduit to provide an inlet of the one-way micro valve; an aperture formed at a base of the valve seat that forms part of the fluid path across the membrane; and a second body portion on an opposite side of the membrane to the first body portion, wherein a cavity is defined by a recess in the second body portion into which the membrane moves when the valve opens; and wherein the second body portion overlaps the membrane in the region of the aperture so as to restrict deflection of the membrane into the recess in the region of the aperture.