Patent ID: 8573253
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: F17C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A valve assembly for a gas container having a storage space, the valve assembly being disposed at the gas container, the valve assembly comprising: a filling passage to fill the storage space of the gas container with gas and a discharge passage to discharge the gas from the storage space, the passages, which both extend into the storage space of the gas container, allow the inside of the gas container to communicate with the outside; a filling-side valve disposed at the filling passage, the filling-side valve configured to shut off the filling passage and prevent flow in a downstream direction, the downstream direction being the direction in which the gas flows into the gas container when the gas container is being filled from the outside; a discharge-side valve disposed at the discharge passage, the discharge-side valve configured to shut off the discharge passage; a communication path between the discharge passage and the filling passage, wherein the discharge passage connects to the communication path by a first continuously-open connection portion at a downstream side of the discharge-side valve, wherein the filling passage connects to the communication path by a second continuously-open connection portion to a downstream side of the filling-side valve; a single shut-off valve in the communication path; and a bypass path that forms when the shut-off valve in the communication path is opened with the filling-side valve closed, the bypass path allowing the gas stored inside the gas container to flow backwards through at least a portion of the filling passage, through the communication path, through at least a portion of the discharge passage, and to the exterior of the valve assembly.