Patent ID: 7798142

Claim:
A valve system for underwater diving equipment, said valve system comprising: a. a substantially rigid body, having cylindrical walls defining a hollow interior and comprising a front end and a rear end, said rigid body comprising a plurality of lateral apertures adapted for fluid flow disposed in the cylindrical walls; the rigid body further comprising an outwardly protruding lip disposed adjacent the front end; the substantially rigid body further comprising an annular groove disposed between the lateral apertures and the outwardly protruding lip, said annular groove of the substantially rigid body being operatively coupled to an oral nasal mask, the oral nasal mask being part of the diving equipment; and b. a flexible valve comprising a substantially continuous tubular body defining a hollow interior, the flexible valve further comprising an annular top, wherein the annular top is seated onto the outwardly protruding lip of the rigid body and the tubular body is disposed in the hollow interior of the rigid body, and wherein the tubular body of the flexible valve abuts against the lateral apertures from the hollow interior of the rigid body sealing said lateral apertures from fluid flow under a normal operating condition, and wherein a pressure increase in the diving equipment from incoming air from an alternate air supply causes the flexible valve to flex radially inward within the hollow interior of the rigid body away from the lateral apertures exposing said lateral apertures for fluid entry, said exposed lateral apertures allowing air within the diving equipment from the alternate air supply to reach the mouth and nose of a user covered by the oral nasal mask during emergency operation conditions, and wherein excess water accumulated in the diving equipment is dumped outside via said exposed lateral apertures.