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US 8,561,637 B2Granted
Vent valve
AssigneeGirard Equipment, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Petrarca, Chris Lynch, Tim Girard, Michael Fernandez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve includes a housing configured to interengage with a container, a first and second poppets axially movable between open and closed positions, a first seal between the first poppet and the housing, a second seal between the first poppet and the second poppet, and first and second resilient members disposed within the housing and urging the first and second poppets toward the closed position.
Claims22
A valve comprising:
- an outer housing configured to interengage with a container, and having at least one axis and at least one aperture;
- a first poppet axially movable within said outer housing between a first closed position and a first open position;
- a second poppet axially movable within said first poppet between a second closed position and a second open position;
- a first seal between said first poppet and said housing;
- a second seal between said first poppet and said second poppet;
- an actuator movably supported within said outer housing, said actuator being operable for manually moving said first or second poppet to said first open position or said second open position, respectively;
- a first resilient member abutting said actuator and disposed within a first space between said outer housing and said first poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said first poppet in said first closed position such that said first poppet urges said first seal against said outer housing when a pressure differential axially across said first poppet is below a first point, and to allow said first poppet to move in said first direction to said first open position when said pressure differential exceeds said first point;
- and
- a second resilient member disposed within a second space between said first poppet and said second poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said second poppet in said closed position such that said second poppet urges said second seal against said first poppet when a pressure differential axially across said second poppet is below a second point, and to allow said second poppet to move in a second direction, different from said first direction, to said second open position when said pressure differential exceeds said second point.
6 more elements
An container assembly comprising:
- a container;
- and
- a vent valve connected to said container, said vent valve comprising at least:
- an outer housing a portion of which is interengaged with said container, and having at least one axis and at least one aperture;
- a first poppet axially movable within said outer housing between a first closed position and a first open position;
- a second poppet axially movable within said first poppet between a second closed position and a second open position;
- a first seal between said first poppet and said housing;
- a second seal between said first poppet and said second poppet;
- an actuator movably supported within said outer housing, said actuator being operable for manually moving said first or second poppet to said first open position or said second open position, respectively;
- a first resilient member abutting said actuator and disposed within a first space between said housing and said first poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said first poppet in said first closed position such that said first poppet urges said first seal against said housing when a pressure differential axially across said first poppet is below a first point, and to allow said first poppet to move in said first direction to said first open position when said pressure differential exceeds said first point;
- a second resilient member disposed within a second space between said first poppet and said second poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said second poppet in said closed position such that said second poppet urges said second seal against said first poppet when a pressure differential axially across said second poppet is below a second point, and to allow said second poppet to move in a second direction, different from said first direction, to said second open position when said pressure differential exceeds said second point.
8 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a unitary housing configured to interengage with a container, and having an outer-most portion and at least one axis and at least one aperture;
- a first poppet axially movable within said housing between a first closed position and a first open position;
- a second poppet axially movable within said first poppet between a second closed position and a second open position;
- a first seal between said first poppet and said housing;
- a second seal between said first poppet and said second poppet a discrete actuator wholly positioned within said unitary housing internally to said unitary housing's outer-most portion and being movably supported relative thereto, said actuator being operable for manually moving said first or second poppet to said first open position or said second open position, respectively;
- a first resilient member compressed within a first space between said actuator and said first poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said first poppet in said first closed position such that said first poppet urges said first seal against said housing when a pressure differential axially across said first poppet is below a first point, and to allow said first poppet to move in said first direction to said first open position when said pressure differential exceeds said first point;
- and
- a second resilient member disposed within a second space between said first poppet and said second poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said second poppet in said closed position such that said second poppet urges said second seal against said first poppet when a pressure differential axially across said second poppet is below a second point, and to allow said second poppet to move in a second direction, different from said first direction, to said second open position when said pressure differential exceeds said second point.
5 more elements
A valve comprising:
- an outer housing configured to interengage with a container, and having at least one axis and at least one aperture;
- a first poppet axially movable within said outer housing between a first closed position and a first open position;
- a second poppet axially movable within said first poppet between a second closed position and a second open position;
- a first seal between said first poppet and said housing;
- a second seal between said first poppet and said second poppet;
- an actuator supported within said outer housing to be movable between a first position internal to said housing, and a second position internal to said housing, said actuator being operable for manually moving said first or second poppet to said first open position or said second open position, respectively;
- a first resilient member compressed between said actuator and said first poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said first poppet in said first closed position such that said first poppet urges said first seal against said outer housing when a pressure differential axially across said first poppet is below a first point, and to allow said first poppet to move in said first direction to said first open position when said pressure differential exceeds said first point;
- and
- a second resilient member biasing said second poppet, and having a resilient force sufficient to hold said second poppet in said closed position such that said second poppet urges said second seal against said first poppet when a pressure differential axially across said second poppet is below a second point, and to allow said second poppet to move in a second direction, different from said first direction, to said second open position when said pressure differential exceeds said second point.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.