Abstract:
A valve ( 20 ) for an inflatable product. One valve includes a cap ( 56 ) that provides a double seal ( 58, 60 ). An inner seal ( 58 ) closes an opening ( 66 ) for the valve ( 20 ). The inner seal ( 58 ) and the opening ( 66 ) are mounted in a chamber, and the chamber is closed by a second, outer seal ( 60 ) that provides a backup in case of failure of the inner seal ( 58 ). A flapper valve ( 22 ) may be used as another seal. Another embodiment of a valve ( 120 ) includes a rigid cap ( 124 ). Still another embodiment of a valve ( 220 ) includes a plug ( 232 ) that is attached to a valve opening. Moving the valve opening forward and backward plugs a rear opening ( 230 ) in the valve, closing the valve ( 220 ).

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of PCT/US06/61352, filed Nov. 29, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/741,988, filed Dec. 1, 2005, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to inflatable products, and more specifically to a valve for an inflatable product. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An airbed is a large rectangular rubber or plastic bag that is filled with air so that it may be used as a bed. An air mat is similar in construction to an airbed, but is used as a float so that an individual may lie on the air mat in the water. Both products fall under the broad category of “inflatable” products. Other nonlimiting examples of inflatable products include rafts, inflatable furniture, inflatable pools, and inflatable boats. 
         [0004]    One thing inflatable products have in common is that they must be inflated for use. To this end, a valve or valves are supplied on an inflatable product for a user to provide air or another gas into the inflatable product. To inflate an inflatable product, a user may utilize his or her breath, i.e., by blowing into a valve or valves, may utilize a manual or electric pump, or may use an air compressor, as examples. 
         [0005]    A variety of different valves are presently used for inflatable products. These valves have a common goal: to permit the user to easily inflate and deflate the product, while minimizing escaped air when the user tries to seal the product. Examples of conventional valves are the pinch valve, the Boston valve, and a double lock valve sold by the assignee of the present invention, The Coleman Company, Inc. 
         [0006]    While present valves work well for their intended purpose, very few valves are useful in both allowing simple inflation and deflation of the product and allowing quick closure so that air is not lost from the inflatable product after the inflatable product is full. That is, for most prior art valves, when a user has inflated a product, a cap or other structure must be placed over the valve before air is lost. Often, a substantial amount of air is lost before the valve is sufficiently closed. Additionally, the valve may be difficult to use for deflation of the inflatable product. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0008]    In accordance with a first embodiment, a valve is provided for an inflatable product. The valve includes a cap that provides a double seal. An inner seal closes an opening for the valve. The inner seal and the opening are mounted in a chamber, and the chamber is closed by a second, outer seal that provides a backup in case of failure of the inner seal. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an embodiment, a flapper valve is provided on a valve for an inflatable product. A structure is provided that permits a user to press the flapper valve open so that the inflatable product may be deflated. In addition, when air is forced in through the valve, such as via a pump, the flapper valve is opened by the flow of air. Pressure within the inflatable product forces the flapper valve shut when an obstruction or air flow into the inflatable product is not pressing the flapper valve open. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, projections extend downward from a flexible cone for the valve. A flexible cone may be manipulated between a first position in which a cap may seal a top of the cone and the flapper valve is not engaged by the rigid projections, and a second position in which the flexible cone is collapsed and the rigid projections extend into the flapper valve and permit air to flow through the flapper valve and out of the inflatable product. In an embodiment, the flexible cone may lock in the second position so that the inflatable product may be deflated. 
         [0011]    In accordance with an embodiment, a rigid cap may be provided on a housing for the valve, for example around the flexible cone, so that the valve may be locked. The rigid cap may include a double seal such as is described above. 
         [0012]    In accordance with another embodiment, a valve is provided having a flexible cone configuration that is collapsible. A plug is connected to the bottom of the flexible cone configuration and is aligned with an opening in a housing for the valve. By collapsing the flexible cone, the plug closes the opening, blocking airflow into and out of the valve. 
         [0013]    Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded side perspective view of a valve in accordance with an embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the valve of  FIG. 1 , with the valve opened to expose a double-seal cap; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the valve of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with the valve closed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of a bottom portion of the valve in  FIG. 1 , with a flapper valve for the valve opened; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of a bottom of a flexible cone for the valve of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of pieces for a valve in accordance with another embodiment; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an exploded side perspective view of a valve in accordance with yet another embodiment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of a housing for the valve of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the valve of  FIG. 7 , with the valve shown assembled. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described. 
         [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a valve  20  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In general, the present invention is directed to valves for inflatable products such as airbeds, air mats, rafts, inflatable furniture, inflatable pools, inflatable boats, or other inflatable products. 
         [0025]    The valve  20  includes a flapper valve  22 , a flapper valve holder  24 , and a double seal cap  26 . The flapper valve  22  includes a stem  30  having a flange  32  part way up its length. A flexible membrane  34  is attached to the bottom of the stem  30 . The flexible membrane  34  may be formed, for example, of rubber, a flexible plastic, or another suitable material. In an embodiment, the stem  30  and the flexible membrane  34  are molded as a single part. 
         [0026]    The flapper valve holder  24  includes an outer rim  36  attached to a cylindrical base  38 . Spokes  40  extend inward from the cylindrical base  38  to a central hub  42 . An opening  44  is positioned at the center of the central hub  42 . 
         [0027]    In the embodiment shown, three spokes  40  are utilized, but any number may be used, and the flapper valve holder  24  and other parts of the valve  20  may be arranged differently than shown in the drawings. 
         [0028]    To assemble the flapper valve  22  and the flapper valve holder  24 , the stem  30  of the flapper valve  22  is inserted into the opening  44  of the flapper valve holder  24 . A laborer pulls the stem  30  through until the flange  32  pops over the top of the central hub  42 . To this end, in an embodiment, the flange  32  is formed of a material that can compress so that it may go through the opening  44 , but returns to its original shape after going through the opening. The flange  32  holds the flapper valve  22  into position against the bottom of the flapper valve holder  24 . Once in place, the flapper valve  22  closes off a large opening at the bottom of the flapper valve holder  24 . 
         [0029]    The flapper valve  22  is preferably formed of a material that is sufficiently flexible to bend open from air flowing into the valve  20  (e.g., via a pump), but is resilient so that it returns to a position against the opening at the bottom of the flapper valve holder  24  after the air is no longer flowing through the valve. To this end, without structural intervention, the flapper valve  22  is a one-way valve. 
         [0030]    The double seal cap  26  is shown in more detail in  FIG. 2 . The double seal cap  26  includes a housing  50  having a lower outer rim  52  and an upper outer rim  54 . A cap  56  is attached to the top of the housing  50  via a flap  57 . The cap  56  includes an inner seal  58  and an outer seal  60 . The inner seal  58  is concentric with the outer seal  60 , but other arrangements may be provided. 
         [0031]    Inside the housing  50  is mounted a flexible cone  62 . The flexible cone  62  is positioned so that its apex is at the top of the housing  50  (i.e. at the section that faces the cap  56  when the cap is in position). 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the flexible cone  62  includes projections  64  extending downward from a bottom side of the flexible cone  62 . In the embodiment shown, the number of rigid projections  64  is three (see  FIG. 5 ), but any suitable number may be used. 
         [0033]    The top of the flexible cone  62  includes an opening  66 . A lip  68  is formed in the opening by a groove that is cut just outside of the lip. 
         [0034]    The housing  50  and the flexible cone  62  may be formed of the same material, and the housing  50  may be made more rigid by having its side walls thicker than the side walls of the flexible cone  62 . However, in an alternative embodiment, the flexible cone  62  is formed of a different material than the housing  50 , and may be, for example, rubber, and is joined to the housing, for example via welding. The housing  50  is preferably formed of a material, or its edges are overmolded to a material (for example at the upper outer ring  54 ), that may be welded to, heat fused to, or otherwise attached to the inflatable product. As an example, the upper outer ring  54  may be formed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that may be welded to sides of the inflatable product. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the outer rim  36  of the flapper valve holder  24  is connected to the lower outer ring  52 , for example by welding. 
         [0035]    The cap  56  provides a dual sealing function at the top of the valve  20 . The inner seal  58  fits within the opening  66  on the top of the flexible cone  62 . The lip  68  formed at the top of the flexible cone  62  permits the opening  66  to flex to accommodate the inner seal  58 . 
         [0036]    The outer seal  60  fits against the inner edge of the housing  50 . This outer seal  60  closes the cap  56  around and over the flexible cone  62 , which with the housing forms a chamber. This chamber is closed by the outer seal  60  when the cap  56  is in place. Thus, the outer seal  60  provides a secondary seal if there is leaking at the inner seal  58 . 
         [0037]    The flapper valve  22  provides a third seal for the valve  20 . When the inflatable product is full of pressurized air, the pressure of the air on the back of the flexible membrane  34  of the flapper valve  22  presses the flapper valve  22  closed against the back of the flapper valve holder  24 . The sealing action of the flapper valve  22  does not require action by a user, but instead seals automatically. The seal is made stronger when there is pressurized air within the inflatable product. 
         [0038]    Thus, the valve  20  has three seals for preventing air leakage: the flapper valve  22 , the inner seal  58 , and the outer seal  60 . These three seals ensure that the valve  20  does not leak during use. 
         [0039]    To inflate an inflatable product using the valve  20 , a user opens the cap  56 , releasing the inner and outer seals  58 ,  60 . A pump may be attached to the opening  66  of the flexible cone  62 . Air is then blown through the flexible cone  62 . The pressure of the air flowing through the flexible cone  62  opens the flapper valve  22  by blowing the flexible membrane  34  open. The amount the flexible membrane  34  moves out of the way is dependent upon the amount of air flowing through the valve  20  and the flexibility of the flexible membrane  34 . 
         [0040]    After the inflatable product is fully inflated, the user may simply shut off the pump or disconnect the pump from the opening  66 . The flexible membrane  34  then seats back against the bottom of the flapper valve holder  24 , sealing the opening to the valve  20 . The pressurized air within the inflatable product presses the flexible membrane  34  in place, and seals the flapper valve  22  to the flapper valve holder  24 . As such, air is prevented from flowing out of the valve  20 . Thus, the valve  20  provides rapid closure after inflation so that air is not lost from the inflatable product after the inflatable product is fully inflated. The user may then close the cap  56 , which provides two more closures of the valve  20  via the inner and outer seals  58 ,  60 . 
         [0041]    To deflate an inflatable product with the valve  20 , the user opens the cap  56 . The user then presses the top of the flexible cone  62  inward into the housing  50 . The flexible nature of the flexible cone  62  permits the flexible cone to collapse, driving the rigid projections  64  into the flexible membrane  34  of the flapper valve  22 . In an embodiment, the rigid projections  64  are positioned so that they extend between the spokes  40  of the flapper valve holder  24 . In this manner, the projections  64  may press the flexible membrane  34  away from the bottom of the flapper valve holder  24 , opening an air passage. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rigid projections  64  provide an opening at the bottom of the valve  20  for permitting air to flow out of the flapper valve holder  24 . This air flows out of the opening  66  in the flexible cone  62  and thus out of the valve  20 . In an embodiment, the flexibility of the flexible cone  62  is sufficient so that the flexible cone may hold itself in position at this collapsed state and user intervention is required to return it to its normal state. To this end, a flange  70  is provided at the top of the flexible cone  62  for permitting a user to pull outward on the flexible cone. In addition, as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , a shelf  72  is provided on the upward tier of the flexible cone  62  at which the cone folds inward on itself when in the collapsed position. The shelf  72  also serves as a guide to aid in uniform collapsing of the flexible cone  62  so that the projections  64  are directed straight downward upon collapse. 
         [0043]    In accordance with another embodiment, a second valve  120  ( FIG. 6 ) is provided that is similar to the valve  20 . However, instead of having the cap  56 , the outer portion of the housing  50  includes external threads  122  onto which is fitted a locking lid  124 . This locking lid  124  is a rigid cap and may include inner and outer seals  126 ,  128  that are similar to the inner and outer seals  58 ,  60  of the valve  20 . The locking lid  124  may include a groove or internal threads to thread onto the external threads  122 . 
         [0044]    A valve  220  in accordance with another embodiment is shown in  FIG. 7 . The valve  220  includes a valve housing  222  and a flexible cone  224 . The valve housing  222  includes a rim  226 , an inner chamber  228 , and an opening  230  on a bottom. The flexible cone  224  fits on top of the rim  226  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
         [0045]    The flexible cone  224  is similar in structure to the flexible cone  62  for the valve  20 . However, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the flexible cone  224  is not mounted within a housing such as a housing  50 , but instead is mounted on top of the valve housing  222 . However, if desired, a similar housing to the housing  50  for the valve  20  may be mounted around the flexible cone  224 . The valve  220  includes a plug  232  that is attached to the top of the flexible cone  224  by a flap  234 . The plug  232  may extend into an opening for the flexible cone  224  to close the flexible cone. As an alternative, the top of the flexible cone  224  may be sealed by a double sealed cap, such as the cap  56  for the valve  20 . 
         [0046]    As with the flexible cone  62 , the flexible cone  224  includes flexible sides  236  that permit the flexible cone to be collapsed by a user. In addition, as is shown in  FIG. 9 , the flexible cone  224  includes a lower plug  238  that is attached to the bottom of the flexible cone. As an example, legs  240  may extend downward from the bottom of the opening for the flexible cone  224  to the lower plug  238 . If desired, the lower plug  238  may be formed of a different, more rigid, material than the flexible cone  224 , and as such may be overmolded or otherwise attached to the flexible cone  224 . 
         [0047]    In the position shown in  FIG. 9 , the valve  220  is open and air is free to flow into or out of the valve. The air flows through the opening in the flexible cone  224  and through the opening  230  in the bottom of the valve housing  222 . A user that wishes to inflate an inflatable product attaches a pump to the valve while the valve is in the position shown in  FIG. 9 , and air is blown through the opening  230  into the inflatable product. 
         [0048]    To close the valve  220 , the user collapses the flexible cone  224  until the lower plug  238  is seated within the opening  230  at the bottom of the valve housing  222 . The lower plug  238  thus seals the valve  220 , stopping the flow of any additional air into or out of the inflatable product. The pump may remain on until the lower plug  238  is seated in the opening  230 . A user may then shut off the pump. 
         [0049]    Because the valve  220  may be closed while the pump is still on, there is little or no loss of air after the inflatable product is full. Air stops flowing into the inflatable product only after the valve  220  is fully closed, and at no point is there a flow of air in the opposite direction (i.e., out of the inflatable product). The pump may then be removed from the opening of the flexible cone  224 , and the plug  232  may be used to close the top of the valve  220 . Another suitable cap or closure may be used over the opening of the flexible cone  224 . The plug  232  or other closure mechanism provides a back-up system to prevent leakage of air out of the inflatable product. 
         [0050]    Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. 
         [0051]    The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
         [0052]    Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.