Patent ID: 8230875

Claim:
A poppet-style check valve comprising: a valve body having a bore therethrough and having an upstream inlet end, a downstream outlet end, an interior surface, and an exterior surface; inlet connection means for connecting said inlet end of said valve body to a fluid supply; outlet connection means for connecting said outlet end of said valve body to a fluid outlet; a valve seat located within said valve body, said valve seat having a valve seat surface defining a bore therethrough; a poppet having a face parallel to the valve seat surface, and a stem substantially perpendicular to said face, said poppet face being sized and shaped to be capable of covering the bore defined by the valve seat surface; a poppet support for receiving said stem of said poppet for reciprocal movement therein between a first position in which the face of the poppet is held against the valve seat surface and a second position in which the poppet face is spaced from the valve seat surface; sealing means for preventing flow through the check valve when the poppet is in its first position; flow means for permitting flow through the check valve when the poppet is in its second position; poppet control means for moving the poppet between its first position and its second position in response to changes in a differential between fluid pressure at the inlet end and fluid pressure at the outlet end of the valve body; wherein said flow means for permitting flow through the check valve when the poppet is in its second position comprises at least one flow passage through each of the valve seat, the valve seat surface, and the poppet support, at least one flow passage around the poppet face, and a continuous expansion of the valve body bore around the poppet face, said continuous expansion extending from the first position to the second position; wherein the flow passage around the poppet face when the poppet is in its second position is defined by a periphery of the poppet face and the valve body bore; and wherein the valve body bore is sized to allow the valve seat and the poppet support to be inserted through the inlet end of the valve body to assemble the check valve.