# US 11,433,229 B2 · Two-way pressure relief valve for reservoir > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,433,229 B2 - Document ID: US11433229B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/891,173 - Filed: 2020-06-03 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2022-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2020-06-03 - Assignees: Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation - Applicants: Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation - Inventors: Takehiko Asada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11433229B2 ## CPC - A61M 39/24: Check- or non-return valves - A61M 39/228: {with a tubular diaphragm constrictable by radial fluid force} - A61M 39/26: Valves closing automatically on disconnecting the line and opening on reconnection thereof {(check valves A61M39/24)} - A61M 2039/2413: {designed to reduce and or shut-off the flow when a certain maximum flow limit is exceeded} - A61M 2039/248: {Ball-valve} - A61M 2039/267: {having a sealing sleeve around a tubular or solid stem portion of the connector} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A pressure relief valve for a reservoir has a main body with a central chamber defining an outer radial seat, a positive-pressure port with an inner radial seat, and a negative-pressure port comprising an internal passage spanning the outer seat. The sealing disk has an anchor body retained in the central chamber and a flexible diaphragm biased against the outer seat. An axial passage in the anchor body couples the central chamber to ambient atmospheric pressure. The sealing ball is biased against the inner seat. When a pressure inside the reservoir exceeds ambient by a positive-pressure threshold, then the sealing ball lifts off the inner radial seat to exhaust a gas through the positive-pressure port. When the pressure inside the reservoir is below ambient by a negative-pressure threshold, then the diaphragm is lifted off the outer seat to intake atmospheric gas into the reservoir. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A differential pressure relief valve for a medical reservoir, comprising: a main body adapted to mount to a wall of the reservoir, wherein the main body has a central chamber defining an outer radial seat, wherein the main body has a positive-pressure port at a center axis with an inner radial seat, and wherein the main body has a negative-pressure port comprising an internal passage spanning the outer radial seat; a sealing disk having an anchor body retained in the central chamber and a flexible diaphragm biased against the outer radial seat, wherein the anchor body defines an axial passage coupling the central chamber to an ambient pressure of an atmosphere outside the reservoir; and a sealing ball biased against the inner radial seat; wherein when a pressure inside the reservoir exceeds the ambient pressure by a positive-pressure threshold, then the sealing ball is lifted off the inner radial seat to exhaust a gas through the positive-pressure port and the axial passage to the atmosphere; and wherein when the pressure inside the reservoir is below the ambient pressure by a negative-pressure threshold, then the diaphragm is lifted off the outer radial seat to intake a gas from the atmosphere into the reservoir through the axial passage, the internal passage, and the negative-pressure port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the sealing ball is gravitationally biased against the inner radial seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 further comprising a compressible body biasing the sealing ball against the inner radial seat. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the inner radial seat is comprised of a frustoconical surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the sealing disk includes a plurality of axial protrusions limiting the lifting of the sealing ball to prevent blocking of the axial passage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the main body comprises a plurality of internal passages spanning the outer radial seat, wherein the internal passages include axial sections providing a plurality of openings for the negative-pressure port, and wherein the axial sections are annularly spaced and each has a respective opening coupled to an internal-pressure side of the diaphragm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the outer radial seat is comprised of an annular surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the annular surface extends perpendicular to the center axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the diaphragm is comprised of an annular flange extending from the anchor body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The valve of claim 9 wherein the annular flange has a frustoconical shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the main body defines axial wedges alternating with adjacent axial grooves, wherein the wedges bear against the sealing disk, and wherein the grooves fluidically couple an ambient-pressure side of the diaphragm to the ambient pressure via the axial passage of the sealing disk. ### Claim 12 A medical fluid reservoir system, comprising: a reservoir shell, the reservoir shell defining an interior space inside of the reservoir shell that is configured to contain a medical fluid and an exterior space that is outside of the reservoir shell; and a differential pressure relief valve that is coupled to the reservoir shell, the differential pressure relief valve comprising: a main body adapted to mount to a wall of the reservoir, wherein the main body has a central chamber defining an outer radial seat, wherein the main body has a positive-pressure port at a center axis with an inner radial seat, and wherein the main body has a negative-pressure port comprising an internal passage spanning the outer radial seat; a sealing disk having an anchor body retained in the central chamber and a flexible diaphragm biased against the outer radial seat, wherein the anchor body defines an axial passage coupling the central chamber to an ambient pressure of the exterior space; and a sealing ball biased against the inner radial seat; wherein when a pressure in the interior space exceeds the ambient pressure by a positive-pressure threshold, then the sealing ball is lifted off the inner radial seat to exhaust a gas through the positive-pressure port and the axial passage to the exterior space; and wherein when the pressure in the interior space is below the ambient pressure by a negative-pressure threshold, then the diaphragm is lifted off the outer radial seat to intake a gas from the atmosphere into the interior space through the axial passage, the internal passage, and the negative-pressure port. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 wherein the sealing ball is gravitationally biased against the inner radial seat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 further comprising a compressible body biasing the sealing ball against the inner radial seat. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 wherein the sealing disk includes a plurality of axial protrusions limiting the lifting of the sealing ball to prevent blocking of the axial passage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 wherein the main body comprises a plurality of internal passages spanning the outer radial seat, wherein the internal passages include axial sections providing a plurality of openings for the negative-pressure port, and wherein the axial sections are annularly spaced and each has a respective opening coupled to an internal-pressure side of the diaphragm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 wherein the outer radial seat is comprised of an annular surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The reservoir system of claim 17 wherein the diaphragm is comprised of an annular flange extending from the anchor body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The reservoir system of claim 18 wherein the annular flange has a frustoconical shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The reservoir system of claim 12 wherein the main body defines axial wedges alternating with adjacent axial grooves, wherein the wedges bear against the sealing disk, and wherein the grooves fluidically couple an ambient-pressure side of the diaphragm to the ambient pressure via the axial passage of the sealing disk.