Patent ID: 7231991

Claim:
A valve assembly configured for directly interconnecting a first inner tube section to a second inner tube section of a multi-section inner barrel assembly of a coring apparatus, the valve assembly comprising: a lower seal assembly including a housing having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, the housing further including a lower end configured for attachment to an upper end of the first inner tube section and an opposing upper end, the lower seal assembly further including a seal element disposed in the housing and configured to provide a releasable fluid seal in the cylindrical bore; and an upper seal assembly including a housing having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, the housing of the upper seal assembly further including an upper end configured for attachment to a lower end of the second inner tube section and an opposing lower end attached to the upper end of the housing of the lower seal assembly, the upper seal assembly further including a seal element disposed in the housing and configured to provide a releasable fluid seal in the cylindrical bore of the housing of the upper seal assembly; wherein the fluid seal provided by the seal element of the lower seal assembly and the fluid seal provided by the seal element of the upper seal assembly define a chamber therebetween within the valve assembly.