Patent ID: 9433190
Filing Date: 2016-09-06
CPC Classification: A01K,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An animal watering valve for supplying water to an animal housed in a cage, the animal watering valve comprising: (A) a longitudinally extending housing having an upstream-most end and a downstream-most end, the housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, the bore having an upstream inlet and having a downstream outlet, the housing further having a flared opening formed therein having an upstream-most inlet located fluidicallly downstream of the outlet of the longitudinal bore and terminating at an outlet located at the downstream-most end of the housing, wherein the flared opening progressively increases in diameter from an upstream portion thereof to a downstream portion thereof; (B) a diaphragm positioned within the longitudinal bore and configured to allow water to flow therethrough; (C) a valve seat positioned within the longitudinal bore between the diaphragm and the outlet; (D) a valve stem comprising a valve head and a lever extending downstream from the valve head and into the longitudinal bore, the valve head having an upstream surface coupled to the diaphragm and a downstream surface coupled to the valve seat, wherein the lever is selectively deflectable by an animal to move the valve head from a seated position to an unseated position relative to the valve seat to open the animal watering valve; and (E) a shield configured to prevent an animal from lodging material into the housing and lodging the lever in a deflected position thereof, wherein at least a portion of the shield is located within the flared opening downstream of the outlet of the longitudinal bore and is resistant to being torn by the animal.