Combination umbrella and inverted bi-directional valve
AssigneeVernay Laboratories, Inc.
InventorJames Christopher Bailey
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Abstract
A combination valve including a valve body having an inverted bi-directional valve portion and an umbrella portion is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a combination valve includes a valve body with a substantially cylindrical portion defining a flow path, a resilient umbrella valve portion extending annularly from the valve body and an inverted bi-directional valve portion provided in the flow path. The inverted bi-directional valve portion includes an interior surface, an exterior surface and at least one normally closed slit extending therebetween, wherein the exterior surface of the inverted bi-directional valve portion includes a generally concave curved portion when the slit is closed.
Claims13
A combination valve comprising:
- a substantially cylindrical valve body having a central longitudinal axis and defining a flow path through said valve, a resilient umbrella portion extending annularly from the valve body and the valve body terminating at an end thereof in a slit valve portion;
- the slit valve portion having a curved contour about an axis of curvature extending substantially perpendicularly to and intersecting said central longitudinal axis;
- said slit valve portion having a linear contour perpendicular to said central longitudinal axis such that the slit valve portion is radially asymmetrical about the central longitudinal axis;
- at least one normally closed slit formed in the slit valve portion;
- the slit valve portion including an exterior surface having a generally concave curved orientation when the slit is closed;
- and
- the valve body, umbrella portion and slit valve portions being formed of elastomeric material such that the slit opens to permit flow through the slit valve portion in a first direction at or above a first predetermined pressure level and said umbrella valve portion flexibly responds to a second predetermined pressure level to permit flow in a second direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.