One-way valve
First Claim
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1. A one-way valve, comprising:
- a valve housing;
a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm having a central portion and a perimeter portion, wherein the central portion comprises a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other, and the perimeter portion comprises an outer edge of the diaphragm, and wherein the central portion is thicker than the perimeter portion;
a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm;
and a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm;
wherein the diaphragm and the valve housing are configured to bias the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest;
wherein the housing further comprises a valve seat, on the first side of the diaphragm, against which the diaphragm forms a seal at rest;
and wherein the diaphragm further comprises a diaphragm projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the diaphragm projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal, wherein the valve seat has a recess arranged to cooperate with the diaphragm projection and the width of the recess is narrower than the width of the diaphragm projection.
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Abstract
A one-way valve, comprises a valve housing; a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm with a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other; a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm; and a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm; wherein the configuration of the diaphragm and the valve housing biases the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A one-way valve, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm having a central portion and a perimeter portion, wherein the central portion comprises a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other, and the perimeter portion comprises an outer edge of the diaphragm, and wherein the central portion is thicker than the perimeter portion; a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm; and a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm; wherein the diaphragm and the valve housing are configured to bias the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest; wherein the housing further comprises a valve seat, on the first side of the diaphragm, against which the diaphragm forms a seal at rest; and wherein the diaphragm further comprises a diaphragm projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the diaphragm projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal, wherein the valve seat has a recess arranged to cooperate with the diaphragm projection and the width of the recess is narrower than the width of the diaphragm projection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a valve having a valve seat, on a first side of a diaphragm, against which valve seat the diaphragm forms a seal at rest,
wherein the diaphragm further comprises a diaphragm projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the diaphragm projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal, and wherein the valve seat has a recess arranged to cooperate with the diaphragm projection and the width of the recess is narrower than the width of the diaphragm projection, the method comprising: arranging the diaphragm in a valve housing, so that the diaphragm and the housing bias the diaphragm to seal an inlet to the valve chamber, when there is no pressure differential across the diaphragm, wherein the diaphragm has a central portion and a perimeter portion, wherein the central portion comprises a central orifice, and the perimeter portion comprises an outer edge of the diaphragm, and wherein the central portion is thicker than the perimeter portion; and
creating a pressure differential across the valve chamber, wherein the pressure at the inlet is greater than the pressure in the valve chamber, and wherein the pressure deforms the diaphragm to unseal the inlet.- View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A one-way valve, comprising:
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a valve housing; a valve member provided within the valve housing, the valve member being operative to open and close the valve and comprising a diaphragm having a central portion and a perimeter portion, wherein the central portion comprises a central orifice to allow fluid to pass from one side of the diaphragm to the other, and the perimeter portion comprises an outer edge of the diaphragm, and wherein the central portion is thicker than the perimeter portion; a valve inlet provided on a first side of the diaphragm; and
a valve outlet provided on a second side of the diaphragm;wherein the diaphragm and the valve housing are configured to bias the diaphragm to seal the inlet at rest; wherein the housing further comprises a valve seat, on the first side of the diaphragm, against which the diaphragm forms a seal at rest; wherein; the valve seat further comprises a valve seat projection formed in relief on the valve seat, such that a sealing surface of the valve seat projection contacts the diaphragm at rest to form the seal, and/or the diaphragm further comprises a diaphragm projection formed in relief on the first side of the diaphragm, such that a sealing surface of the diaphragm projection contacts the valve seat at rest to form the seal, wherein the valve seat has a recess arranged to cooperate with the diaphragm projection and the width of the recess is narrower than the width of the diaphragm projection; wherein the diaphragm is connected at its perimeter portion to a supporting wall; and wherein the diaphragm has a domed shape that is concave relative to the supporting wall, where the domed shape is convex relative to the valve seat.
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Specification