# US 2021/0276780 A1 · Pressure Relief Valve with Wetting Fluid Reservoirs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276780 A1 - Document ID: US20210276780A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/809,870 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Plitek, L.L.C. - Inventors: Karl K. Hoffman; Robert C. Larsen, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276780A1 ## CPC - B65D 77/225: {Pressure relief-valves incorporated in a container wall, e.g. valves comprising at least one elastic element} - B65D 33/01: Ventilation or drainage of bags - F16K 15/144: {the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery} - F16K 24/04: for venting only (F16K24/02 takes precedence) - B65D 2205/00: Venting means - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - 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 One-way pressure relief valves with wetting fluid reservoirs are disclosed. Valves of the types described herein may be applied to a product package, for example a package containing dry roasted coffee, to allow gas to escape from the package while preventing entry of ambient air into the package. A wetting fluid is provided within the valve to facilitate formation of the seal blocking entry of ambient air through the valve and into the product package. The wetting fluid reservoirs hold wetting fluid to limit or prevent leakage of the wetting fluid from the valve providing benefits such as improved application of the valves to the packages, improved retention of the valves to the packages, and appearance improvements resulting from avoidance of leakage of wetting fluid onto the valve and the package to which the valve is attached. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure relief valve with wetting fluid reservoirs comprising: a base having a first side, a second side, an area, a peripheral edge, and a vent extending entirely through the base; a cover overlying the base, the cover having a first side, a second side, an area, a peripheral edge, and opposite end portions secured with respect to the base; a dry strap between the base and cover overlying the entire vent and having a second side facing and at least partially abutting the first side of the base; a textured surface on the second side of the dry strap facing the base, or on the first side of the base facing the dry strap, or on the both the first side of the base and the second side of the dry strap, the textured surface or surfaces defining fluid-holding reservoirs therein; and a wetting fluid disposed within a plurality of the reservoirs and between the dry strap and the base entirely around the vent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure relief valve of claim 1 wherein just the second side of the dry strap has the textured surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pressure relief valve of claim 1 wherein the textured surface has outer surface portions and inner surface portions and at least the inner surface portions define the reservoirs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the reservoirs defined by at least the inner surface portions have a volume. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the outer surface portions and the inner surface portions of the textured surface are irregular. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the outer surface portions and the inner surface portions of the textured surface are of a regular repeating pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the textured surface has a matte-finish appearance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The pressure relief valve of claim 7 wherein the matte-finish appearance is selected from the group consisting of a chemically-etched type, a plasma-treated type, and a laser-abladed type. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 further including an adhesive on the second side of the base and the adhesive is selected from the group consisting of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), heat-activated adhesives, ultra-violet cured adhesives, water-based adhesives, solvent-based adhesives, and rubber-based adhesives. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pressure relief valve of claim 9 wherein the adhesive is of an oleophobic type. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pressure relief valve of claim 10 wherein the wetting fluid is selected from the group consisting of silicone oil, graphite-impregnated oil, food grade oil, and food grade silicone grease. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The pressure relief valve of claim 11 wherein the wetting fluid is present in an amount of about 1.5 μL to about 2.3 μL. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The pressure relief valve of claim 11 wherein the wetting fluid has a viscosity of about 100 centipoise to about 350 centipoise. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pressure relief valve of claim 13 wherein the vent is defined by a plurality of aperture and barrier portions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pressure relief valve of claim 14 wherein the barrier portions defining the apertures are spaced apart by about 0.020 inches or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the base, the cover, and the dry strap each have a width with the width of the dry strap being less than the width of the base and cover and an adhesive secures the dry strap to the cover and the opposite ends of the cover to the first side of the base on opposite sides of the dry strap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The pressure relief valve of claim 16 wherein the dry strap has a length in a second direction sufficient to extend proximate opposite peripheral edges of the cover. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pressure relief valve of claim 17 wherein the peripheral edges of the base and the cover are aligned and the dry strap has a length sufficient to extend proximate the aligned opposite edges of both the cover and the base. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The pressure relief valve of claim 3 wherein the base, the dry strap, and the cover are of a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester.