Patent ID: 7673653
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: A61M,F16K,F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A check valve for liquid applications comprising: a first hose connector housing defining an entry passage extending into an entry space at least partially defined by an annular valve seat; a second hose connector housing coupled with the first hose connector housing, the second hose connector housing defining an exit passage, an outer rim, a plurality of supporting surfaces spaced circumferentially about the exit passage the supporting surfaces defining recesses therebetween, and at least one groove fluidly connecting at least one recess with the exit passage, the second hose connector housing defining a series of discontinuous protrusions spaced circumferentially about the exit passage and extending generally toward the entry passage; and a generally flexible membrane disk clamped between the first and second hose connector housings such that the membrane disk engages the protrusions and selectively engages the valve seat, the membrane disk defining at least one opening located radially outwardly from the valve seat, where the membrane disk is configured to be movable between a seated position, where the entry space and the exit passage are fluidly sealed from each other by the membrane disk, and an unseated position, where the entry space and the exit passage are fluidly connected via the at least one opening; wherein the valve seat is located radially outwardly from the protrusions such that the protrusions about the exit passage circumferentially support the membrane disk toward the entry space and pretensions the membrane disk against the valve seat such that an unseating pressure required to move the membrane disk from the seated position to the unseated position is at least partially determined by the radial distances between the valve seat and the protrusions, and wherein the supporting surfaces each define a first radial portion extending substantially along the radial distance between the exit passage and the outer rim and a second radial portion connected to the first radial portion adjacent the exit passage and extending across a portion of the radial distance between the exit passage and the outer rim, thereby defining a second recess between the first radial portion and second radial portion fluidly connected to the recess between supporting surfaces, wherein the membrane disk opening overlies a recess between the first and second radial portions such that the membrane disk at the unseated position under high differential pressures engages the first and second radial portions.