Patent ID: 6988708

Claim:
A ball valve, comprising: a valve body defining an inner cavity and having a fluid inlet and fluid outlet; a control ball element rotatably mounted in the inner cavity, and having a segment defining a ball face; a flexible annular valve seat positioned in the valve body, the seat comprising a base portion, a cantilevered portion having a sealing face disposed toward the ball face, and a connecting portion between the base portion and the cantilevered portion that is lesser in width than are the base portion and the cantilevered portion; and a retaining ring removably disposed in the fluid inlet of the valve body, said retaining ring contacting the base portion of the valve seat and securing the valve seat in place, said retaining ring defining an inner diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter defined by the valve seat; and a rigid support ring disposed between a downstream side of the base portion of the valve seat and the valve body.