Siphon priming device and method

A priming device comprising:

• a container containing a liquid and having at least one flexible sidewall and an opening;
• a seal having longitudinal channel defined therethrough and having a bore defined thereon having a channel defined therethrough, the seal being positionable in and/or about the opening of the container;
• and
• a unidirectional gate valve sized, shaped and positioned in the channel and configured to permit unidirectional flow of a fluid into the container;
• wherein the unidirectional gate valve prevents the fluid from exiting the container when pressure within the container exceeds an ambient pressure outside of the container, and allows the fluid to enter into the container when pressure within the container is equal to or less than the ambient pressure outside of the container, wherein pressure within the container is increased by compressing the at least one flexible sidewall of the container using only the flexibility of the at least one flexible sidewall as a source of pressure.

A priming device comprising:

• a container containing a liquid and having at least one flexible sidewall and an opening;
• a seal positionable in and/or about the opening of the container and having a longitudinal channel defined therethrough and having a bore defined thereon having a stepped channel defined therethrough, a first fluid path for the liquid being defined along the longitudinal channel, and a second fluid path for the fluid being defined along the channel and at least a part of the longitudinal channel, the first and second fluid paths being separate from each other and configured to permit the liquid and the fluid to respectively separately move therealong;
• and
• a unidirectional gate valve sized, shaped and positioned in the channel and configured to permit unidirectional flow of the fluid into the container, the unidirectional gate valve being in one of a first position and second position;
• wherein the unidirectional gate valve prevents the fluid from exiting the container when pressure within the container exceeds an ambient pressure outside of the container, and allows the fluid to enter into the container when pressure within the container is equal to or less than the ambient pressure outside of the container, wherein pressure within the container is increased by compressing the at least one flexible sidewall of the container using only the flexibility of at least one flexible sidewall as a source of pressure.