Patent ID: 7178784

Claim:
A valve assembly comprising: a body including a central longitudinal axis, a shaped cavity, a fluid entry portion, and a fluid outlet portion having a stem portion, the elongated portion having a larger diameter than the stem portion; a valve including a shaped valve head and an elongated portion, the valve head including an exterior surface, a portion of the exterior surface being configured to engage a portion of the shaped cavity to provide a fluid seal, wherein portions of the shaped valve head and portions of the shaped cavity have a form characterized as a modified ellipsoid; and a guide that guides the axial movement of the valve, the guide including a centrally disposed opening with a central axis, the opening being at least partially defined by first and second surfaces sized to receive of the elongated and stem portions of the valve, respectively; the guide further including a plurality of radially disposed formations that connect the guide to the body, retain the guide in an axial direction, and position the guide so that the central axis of the guide is substantially aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the body, the radially disposed formations including at least one resilient guide leg having a connection element for engaging a corresponding receiving portion in the body; wherein a fluid flow path is formed between the valve, the radially disposed formations and the body.