Patent ID: 6951295

Claim:
A flow control element adapted for operatively cooperating with a housing to discharge a fluent material product through a discharge opening in the housing to the exterior of the housing while venting a fluent material from the exterior ambient environment into the housing interior through a vent passage in the housing, said flow control element comprising: (A) a stationary anchor portion that extends around a discharge region and that can be mounted in a housing at the discharge opening; (B) a deflectable sealing flange that (1) extends laterally from and around said stationary anchor portion; (2) defines a sealing surface facing generally in the direction away from the interior of the housing when said flow control element is in operative cooperation with the housing, and (3) is adapted to be resiliently biased for sealingly contacting a part of the housing to prevent discharge of said fluent material product through the housing vent passage when said flow control element is in operative cooperation with the housing; and (C) a flexible, pressure-openable, self-sealing, slit-type valve that (1) is connected to said stationary anchor portion and is located across said discharge region of said stationary anchor portion, (2) is normally closed to prevent discharge of said fluent material, and (3) can open in response to a pressure differential to permit the discharge of fluent material product through said valve while said sealing flange can be deflected by a pressure differential toward the interior of the housing when said flow control element is in operative cooperation with the housing.