# US 5,332,000 A · Low pressure sensitive valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,332,000 A - Document ID: US5332000A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/000,669 - Filed: 1993-01-05 - Granted: 1994-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 1993-01-05 - Assignees: Gassner GmbH - Inventors: Paul B. Gassner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5332000A ## CPC - F16K 15/026: {the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open} - F16K 17/0466: {with a special seating surface} - Y10T 137/7939: Head between spring and guide - 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)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A close tolerance fluid pressure relief or check valve includes a one-piece silicone poppet within a valve body. The poppet makes line contact with a concave seat surface at the inlet end of the body when the poppet is closed. A stem of the poppet extends into an inlet passage of the body to guide poppet movement centrally between open and closed positions. The poppet is biased to its closed position by a spring within the body, the pressure setting of which is controlled by a threaded nut or fitting defining an outlet passage and closing the outlet end of the body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid pressure responsive valve comprising: a valve body defining an internal chamber, inlet and outlet fluid passages communicating with the chamber at opposite inlet and outlet ends of the body; a valve poppet within the chamber for controlling fluid communication between the inlet passage and the chamber; the poppet including a stem projecting into the inlet passage to guide the poppet between open and closed positions; the poppet including a lip for making line contact with a valve seat surface at the inlet end when the poppet is in the closed position; the seat surface being spherically tapered; the poppet comprising a one-piece member composed of a monolithic resilient sealing material, the member including an annular integral said sealing lip for engaging the seat surface at the inlet end and sealing the chamber from fluid communication with the inlet passage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the valve includes biasing means in the chamber for biasing the poppet to a closed position wherein the chamber is sealed against fluid flow from the inlet passage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The valve of claim 2 wherein the biasing means includes means for applying a variable biasing force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The valve of claim 2 wherein the biasing means includes a spring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The valve of claim 4 wherein the spring engages a closure at the outlet end and the poppet at the inlet end to urge the popper toward the closed position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The valve of claim 2 wherein the poppet defines a seat for receiving the bias means. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The valve of claim 1 wherein the valve body has the outlet end closed by a threaded closure defining an outlet passage therethrough. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the closure adjusts a relief pressure setting of the valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The valve of claim 8 wherein the closure includes means for locking the closure in an adjusted position to provide a predetermined relief pressure setting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the closure vents the valve chamber to atmosphere. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the closure comprises an inline fitting for connection to means defining a fluid passage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The valve of claim 7 wherein the closure is adjustably threaded to the valve body to provide a desired relief pressure setting and the valve body includes means for detecting whether a threaded connection of the closure to the body in an adjusted position has been altered. ### Claim 13 A fluid pressure responsive valve comprising: a valve body defining an internal chamber, inlet and outlet fluid passages communicating with the chamber at opposite inlet and outlet ends of the body; a valve poppet within the chamber for controlling fluid communication between the inlet passage and the chamber; the poppet including a stem projecting into the inlet passage to guide the poppet between open and closed positions; the poppet including a lip for making line contact with a valve seat surface at the inlet end when the poppet is in the closed position; the seat surface being spherically tapered; wherein fluid pressure at the inlet end urges the lip into sealing engagement with the seat surface when the poppet is in its closed position. ### Claim 14 A valve body defining an internal chamber, inlet and outlet fluid passages communicating with the chamber at opposite inlet and outlet ends of the body; a valve poppet within the chamber for controlling fluid communication between the inlet passage and the chamber; the poppet including a stem projecting into the inlet passage to guide the poppet between open and closed positions; the poppet including a lip for making line contact with a valve seat surface at the inlet end when the poppet is in the closed position; the seat surface being spherically tapered; wherein the lip has an inner surface that is concavely curved in a direction toward the inlet end. ### Claim 15 A fluid pressure responsive valve comprising: a valve body defining an internal chamber, inlet and outlet passages communicating with the chamber at opposite inlet and outlet ends of the body; a valve poppet within the chamber for controlling fluid communication between the inlet passage and the chamber; the poppet including a stem projecting into the inlet passage to guide the poppet between open and closed positions; the poppet including a lip for making line contact with a valve seat surface at the inlet end when the poppet is in the closed position; the lip having an inner surface that is concavely curved in a direction toward the inlet end; the seat surface being concavely curved in a direction toward the outlet end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The valve of claim 15 wherein the poppet is a one-piece poppet composed of a monolithic elastomeric sealing material, the material having a hardness in a range of about 30-70 durometer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The valve of claim 16 wherein the material is a silicone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The valve of claim 15 wherein the seat surface tapers inwardly toward the inlet end. ### Claim 19 A low fluid pressure responsive valve for close tolerance critical pressure applications as a relief or check valve, comprising: a valve body defining an internal chamber, inlet and outlet fluid passages communicating with the chamber at opposite inlet and outlet ends of the body, and a valve seat surface adjacent the inlet end; a valve poppet within the chamber having open and closed positions for controlling fluid communication between the inlet passage and the outlet passage; the poppet comprising a one-piece member composed of a monolithic elastomeric sealing material having an integral annular sealing lip for making line contact with the valve seat surface when the poppet is in a closed position, the poppet further including a stem projecting into the inlet passage such that the wall of the inlet passage guides the poppet between open and closed positions; the seat surface being tapered inwardly in a direction toward the inlet passage; the lip and seat surface being cooperatively shaped such that a closing force exerted against the poppet from within the chamber causes the lip to be deflected inwardly toward the inlet passage upon contact with the seat surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The valve of claim 19 wherein the lip has an inner surface that is concavely curved in a direction toward the inlet end and the seat surface is concavely curved in a direction toward the outlet end. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The valve of claim 19 wherein fluid pressure at the inlet end urges the lip into sealing engagement with the seat surface when the poppet is in its closed position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The valve of claim 19 including a coil spring within the chamber engaging an annular spring seat on the poppet to bias the poppet to a closed position, the spring seat being in substantial axial alignment with the annular lip. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The valve of claim 22 wherein the valve body has a threaded closure defining the outlet fluid passage therethrough, the spring extending between the poppet and the closure and being in direct engagement with both the poppet and the closure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The valve of claim 23 wherein threaded adjustment of the closure adjusts the spring force applied to the poppet to provide the poppet with an adjustable relief pressure setting. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The valve of claim 24 wherein the valve body includes means for detecting whether a threaded connection of the closure to the body in an adjusted position has been altered.