Patent ID: 7992588

Claim:
A valve device for an inflatable article which has an inflatable chamber and an opening fluidly communicated with the inflatable chamber, comprising: a tubular member which is adapted to be fitted into the opening, and which forms an inflating port for the inflatable chamber, said tubular member extending along a longitudinal axis and terminating at a valve seat that is adapted to face towards the inflatable chamber, said valve seat having two abutment areas spaced apart from each other in a first transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal axis; a diaphragm which is made from a flexible material, and which has a major wall adapted to confront the inflatable chamber, said major wall including a central region where the longitudinal axis passes through, a peripheral region which surrounds said central region, and which is disposed to engage said valve seat, and an intermediate surrounding region interposed between said central region and said peripheral region; a mounting support which extends in the first transverse direction to secure said major wall of said diaphragm to said abutment areas of said valve seat, said mounting support including inner and outer support halves which are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis and which clamp said diaphragm therebetween such that said intermediate surrounding region is divided into left and right segments, and said peripheral region is divided into left and right peripheral segments, such that, when said major wall is subjected to a positive pressure at a side upstream of said valve seat, said left and right segments of said intermediate surrounding region are flexed so as to deflect left and right peripheral segments of said peripheral region from said valve seat; and a positioning member including an actuated end, an engaging end, and a fulcrum portion which is disposed between said actuated and engaging ends and which is pivotally mounted on said outer support half about a pivot axis in a second transverse direction transverse to the first transverse direction such that said actuated end is turnable about the pivot axis between a normally-closed position, where said engaging end is proximate to said valve seat, and a deflating position, where said engaging end is distal from said valve seat so as to place said left and right peripheral segments of said peripheral region in a deflected position, while vesting said left and right segments of said intermediate surrounding region with an increment of biasing force to urge said engaging end to move towards said valve seat such that, a resisting force that is generated at said actuated end as a result of displacement of said actuated end from the normally-closed position to the deflating position is transmitted to said engaging end to counteract the increment of biasing force, thereby keeping said left and right peripheral segments of said peripheral region in the deflected position.