Patent ID: 6892906

Claim:
A tube and valve assembly for storing and dispensing a substance therefrom, comprising: a tube including a squeezable tubular body defining therein a storage chamber for receiving and storing the substance, and a head located at one end of the tubular body, wherein the head defines a neck and a first axially extending passageway formed therethrough that is coupled in fluid communication with the storage chamber of the tubular body and defines an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween; and a one-way valve assembly mounted on the head comprising: (a) a valve body including: a body base defining a second axially extending passageway coupled in fluid communication with the first axially extending passageway and defining an unobstructed axially extending flow path therebetween; an axially extending valve seat defining a diameter less than a diameter of the body base; a first substantially frusto-conical portion extending between the body base and the valve seat; and a plurality of flow apertures axially extending through the substantially frusto-conical portion adjacent to the valve seat and angularly spaced relative to each other; and (b) a valve cover formed of an elastic material defining a predetermined modulus of elasticity, and including: a cover base mounted on the body base and fixedly secured against axial movement relative thereto; a valve portion overlying the valve seat, wherein the valve portion defines a predetermined radial thickness and a diameter less than a diameter of the valve seat to thereby form an interference fit therebetween, the valve portion and valve seat define a normally closed, annular, axially extending valve opening therebetween, and the valve portion is movable radially between a normally closed position with the valve portion engaging the valve seat and an open position with a segment of the valve portion spaced radially away from the valve seat to allow the passage of substance at a predetermined valve opening pressure therebetween; and a second substantially frusto-conical shaped portion extending between the cover base and valve portion, overlying the first substantially frusto-conical shaped portion of the body, and forming an interference fit therebetween; and wherein at least one of the valve seat diameter, a degree of interference between the valve cover and valve seat, the predetermined radial thickness of the valve portion, and a predetermined modulus of elasticity of the valve cover material, is selected to (1) define a predetermined valve opening pressure generated upon manually squeezing the tube that allows passage of the substance from the storage chamber through the valve opening, and (2) hermetically seal the valve and prevent the ingress of bacteria through the valve and into the tube in the normally closed position.