Non-return valves
AssigneeBritish Aerospace Public Limited Company
InventorColin C. Johnson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-return valve comprises a valve body 1 which supports the upstream end of a valve closure means 2 formed by a sleeve of flexible but impermeable material. Closure support means 3 of a skeletal structure are positioned within the valve closure means 2. Forward flow through the valve is relatively unimpeded, but reverse flow causes the valve closure means 2 substantially sealingly to collapse upon the closure support means 3. In one of the principal applications of this non-return valve, the valve body 1 is the efflux duct of a fan.
Claims9
A non-return valve which comprises a relatively inflexible valve body, valve closure means formed by an inflatable sleeve of relatively thin flexible but impermeable sheet material and closure support means, the valve body supporting the upstream end of the valve closure means, the valve body and the valve closure means together defining a fluid passage, the closure support means being of open-frame skeletal structure and arranged wholly within the fluid passage with a major portion of the valve closure means lying downstream of the closure support means, so that forward flow from the upstream end of the valve closure means to the downstream end causes the valve closure means to inflate and allow relatively unimpeded flow therethrough whilst reverse flow causes the valve closure means substantially sealingly to collapse upon itself and the closure support means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.