Patent ID: 8397743

Claim:
An internal relief valve comprising: a relief valve stem slidably coupled within an opening of a sensing apparatus; a relief valve seat coupled to a first end of the relief valve stem and to engage a first side of the sensing apparatus to prevent fluid flow between the first side of the sensing apparatus and a second side of the sensing apparatus when the internal relief valve is in a closed position; a bleed hole formed through a surface of the sensing apparatus wherein the bleed hole provides a passageway that is separate from the opening of the sensing apparatus and is dimensioned to provide a controlled flow rate between the first side and the second side of the sensing apparatus when the internal relief valve is in an open position; and a seal disposed along a body of the relief valve stem upstream from the bleed hole and the valve seat to prevent fluid flow between the first side of the sensing apparatus and the second side of the sensing apparatus via the opening of the sensing apparatus when the relief valve is in the open position.