Patent ID: 7422030
Filing Date: 2008-09-09
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A one-way valve assembly for preventing the escape of gases from a system while permitting the venting of ambient air into the closed system under vacuum conditions, said valve assembly comprising: a) a valve body having an upper portion and a bottom portion for connection to and communication with the closed system, said upper portion having a plurality of radially positioned air inlet portions of a specified configuration communicating with the ambient environment, said radially positioned air inlet portions comprising vertically elongated openings having upwardly angled rounded bottom portions and upwardly angled tapered top portions for directing incoming air, said upwardly angled bottom and top portions each having an angle ranging up to 30 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, each said inlet opening further having a webbed structure extending across said vertically elongated inlet opening; b) a valve chamber positioned within said upper portion of said valve body, said valve chamber having a wall with openings communicating with each of said plurality of air inlet portions and said wall further having an upwardly extending valve seat and forming peripheral valve outlet portions between said valve seat and said valve body upper portion, said valve outlet portions being in communication with said valve body bottom portion; c) a vertically movable carrier structure having a flexible sealing member adapted for sealing said valve seat of said valve chamber, said carrier structure having a rigid peripheral air deflection member with a generally curved cross-sectional configuration for directing airflow into said valve outlet portions, said air deflection member having an inner periphery and said sealing member being mounted to said rigid inner periphery of said air deflection member; and d) a cap structure connected to said upper portion of said valve body, said cap structure having alignment means for said carrier structure for positioning said flexible sealing member for movement with respect to said valve seat of said valve chamber, whereby the cooperation of said radially positioned air inlet portions having said vertically elongated openings with upwardly angled bottom and top portions and said curved rigid peripheral air deflection member allows for increased incoming airflow velocity and a decreased airflow resistance to provide an efficient and responsive valve assembly.