Patent ID: 9346663
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: B67D

Claim Text:
1. A coupler useful for transferring a liquid from a first reservoir to a second reservoir, comprising: a) a base having a central bore and a shrouding enclosure disposed about said central bore, said shrouding enclosure comprising an interior volume and having a vapor outlet tube attached thereto; b) a cover having an inner wall, attached to said base; c) a quasi-cylindrical sleeve having an interior wall surface, an exterior wall surface, a hollow interior, an open bottom, and an open top, said open top having a seat, wherein said quasi-cylindrical sleeve is slidably disposed within said cover, d) a poppet within said cover centrally located with respect to said seat, said poppet having a periphery and being configured and disposed to provide a selectively-engageable seal with said seat, said seal between said open top and said periphery being maintained by at least one of said sleeve and said poppet being effectively biased by a spring towards a normally-closed position with respect to the other, said sleeve being configured and disposed sufficiently to enable, upon application of force to at least one of said sleeve and said poppet against said spring, the first opening of a first passage suitable for flow of vapor therethrough, and the subsequent opening of a second passage that is separate and distinct from said first passage suitable for flow of a liquid therethrough, said first passage being bounded by said exterior wall surface, said second passage being through said interior of said sleeve, and wherein said exterior wall surface is in fluid communication with said interior volume of said enclosure, said central bore including a transition between a first diameter present in said central bore and a dimension of said interior wall surface of said sleeve, said transition comprising a tapered segment disposed adjacent to said interior wall surface at said open bottom of said sleeve.