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US 11,371,906 B1Granted
One-way valve tester and method of using same
AssigneePrecision Diving Equipment LLC
InventorsKris Garfin, David Novelli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for testing one-way or non-return valves, for example, those used during diving, that can be used to determine whether air is able to be sucked through the one-way or non-return valve and provides a visual confirmation of the test and outcome. The present invention also includes an improved method of testing one-way or non-return valves and a device for carrying out this method to make testing the one-way or non-return valve prior to diving safer and more effective.
Claims19
An apparatus for testing a one-way or non-return valve on an underwater diving helmet, comprising:
- a) a manifold that includes a fitting that is connectable to a male oxygen fitting that is connected to the one-way or non-return valve of the underwater diving helmet that is to be tested;
- b) the manifold including a compressible bulb having a bulb interior, a bulb air inlet and a bulb air outlet;
- c) a first flow line directly connecting said fitting and said bulb air outlet;
- d) a second flow line extending from said bulb air inlet;
- e) said second flow line having a test valve, said test valve having a valving member that is movable between open flow and closed flow positions;
- f) wherein in the closed flow position, air is unable to flow into or out of the test valve into the manifold;
- g) wherein said bulb is movable between relaxed and compressed positions, the compressed position forming a vacuum in said bulb interior;
- h) wherein when said bulb is moved from the relaxed position to the compressed position and said test valve is in the closed flow position, the one-way or non-return valve is functioning properly if the bulb maintains a vacuum on said test valve and does not return to the relaxed position thus providing a visual confirmation of proper function of said one-way or non-return valve;
- and
- i) wherein when said bulb is moved from the relaxed position to the compressed position and said test valve is in the closed flow position, the one-way or non-return valve is not functioning properly if air flows from the one-way or non-return valve to the bulb removing said vacuum and the bulb moves from the compressed to the relaxed position.
7 more elements
A method of testing a one-way or non-return valve on an underwater diving helmet, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a testing manifold that includes:
- i) a fitting that is connectable to the one-way or non-return valve of the underwater diving helmet that is to be tested;
- ii) a compressible bulb having an air containing interior, a bulb air inlet and a bulb air outlet;
- iii) a first flow line between said fitting and said bulb;
- iv) a second flow line extending from said bulb air inlet;
- v) said second flow line having a test valve, said test valve having a valving member that is movable between open flow and closed flow positions;
- vi) wherein in the closed flow position, air is unable to flow into or out of the test valve into the testing manifold;
- vii) wherein said bulb is movable between relaxed and compressed positions, wherein the compressed position enables formation of a vacuum in said testing manifold when the test valve is in the closed flow position;
- and
- viii) wherein when said bulb is moved from the relaxed to the compressed position and said test valve is in the closed flow position, the one-way or non-return valve is functioning properly if the bulb does not lose the vacuum and return to the relaxed position;
- b) attaching the testing manifold of step “a” to the one-way or non-return valve to be tested by connecting the fitting to the one-way or non-return valve;
- c) closing the test valve;
- d) compressing the bulb to move the bulb from the relaxed to the compressed position;
- and
- e) wherein the bulb remaining in the compressed position of step “d” indicates that there is a vacuum in the testing manifold and the one-way or non-return valve to be tested is operating properly.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.