Patent ID: 7686235

Claim:
A check valve assembly comprising: a conduit having a first end for connection to a pressurized fluid supply and an outlet end; a valve seat within the conduit, the valve seat having a shoulder and a passageway for fluid flow through the valve seat; a valve member contained within the flow passageway on the opposite side of the valve seat from the outlet end, the valve member being movable between an open position when it is unseated against the valve seat allowing fluid flow through the passageway and a closed position when it is seated against the valve seat by pressurized fluid in the conduit sealing the passageway, wherein the valve member moves in a direction opposite to the direction of flow through the valve assembly when the valve member is moved from the closed position to the open position; and an actuator contained within the conduit between the outlet end and the valve seat, the actuator having a piston for projecting though an opening in the valve seat to push the valve member into the open position when the actuator is in an operative position; the actuator being held in the operative position when the outlet end of the conduit is connected to a fluid outlet.