Bite valve for personal hydration devices and a method for making the same

• US 20030222238A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cascade Designs Inc
• Original Assignee: Cascade Designs Inc
• Inventors: Lea, James M., Getzewich, Lee A.
• Application Number:
  US10/372,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222238A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/342
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 47/2018 comprising a valve or like element which is opened or closed by deformation of the container or closure

Abstract

A diaphragm (12) for use with a fluid carrying condiuit (70) or outer body (14) where the diaphragm (12) has a convex outer surface (26), a concave inner surface (28), a slit (32) extending from surface (26) to surface (28), and a notch defined by two walls (40, 42) at outer surface (26). The walls (40, 42) preferably diverge towards the outlet end (20) so that upon deflection of diaphragm (12), a greater minimum gap (46) for fluid movement is created when compared to the minimum gap (48) of a diaphragm not having the notch. The notch may have a cross section shape of a “V”, a “U”, or a three section rectilinear form, and may be formed at either surface depending upon the direction of diaphragm deflection.

Claims

1. A valve for use with a fluid carrying conduit comprising:

a cylinder portion having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end at a first perimeter, and a second end at a second perimeter wherein the first end is adapted to fit the conduit;

a diaphragm portion coextensive with the second perimeter to prevent fluid entering the first end from exiting the second end, the diaphragm portion having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a diaphragm perimeter generally coincident with the cylinder portion second perimeter; and

an elongate slit extending from the first major surface of the diaphragm portion through to the second major surface of the diaphragm portion and defined by a first wall and second wall of the diaphragm portion wherein at least a portion of the first wall and the second wall diverge towards the second major surface of the diaphragm to define a notch in the second surface of the diaphragm at the slit when the diaphragm portion is in a relaxed state.

2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the cylinder has a circular cross section.

3. The valve of claim 1 wherein the cylinder has a generally elliptical cross section.

4. The valve of claim 1 wherein there is only one slit.

5. The valve of claim 1 wherein the slit is linear.

6. The valve of claim 1 wherein the notch has a cross section shape from the group consisting of a “

V”

shape, a “

U”

shape, and a three section rectilinear “

”

form shape.

7. The valve of claim 1 wherein the notch extends between 1% and 70% of the sectional thickness of the diaphragm portion.

8. The valve of claim 1 wherein the second major surface of the diaphragm portion undergoes flexion when the slit is compressed along its axis.

9. The valve of claim 1 wherein the first major surface of the diaphragm portion is convex.

10. The valve of claim 1 wherein the first major surface of the diaphragm portion is concave.

11. A diaphragm having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a perimeter bounding the first and second major surfaces, the diaphragm being for use with a fluid carrying conduit having a first end, a second end and an inner diameter sufficient to receive the diaphragm, whether compressed or not, and comprising:

an elongate slit extending from the first major surface of the diaphragm portion through to the second major surface of the diaphragm portion and defined by a first wall and a second wall of the diaphragm wherein at least a portion of the first wall and the second wall diverge towards the second major surface of the diaphragm so as to create a notch in the second surface of the diaphragm at the slit when the diaphragm portion is in a relaxed state.

12. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the cylinder has a circular cross section.

13. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the cylinder has a generally elliptical cross section.

14. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the first major surface and the second major surface are generally parallel to one another and are planar.

15. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the first major surface and the second major surface are generally parallel to one another and are non-planar.

16. The diaphragm of claim 15 wherein the first major surface is convex and the second major surface is concave.

17. The diaphragm of claim 15 wherein the first major surface is concave and the second major surface is convex.

18. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the maximum external diameter of the perimeter is generally equal to or less than the maximum internal diameter of the conduit.

19. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the notch has a cross section shape selected from the group consisting of a “

V”

shape, a “

U”

shape, and a three section rectilinear “

”

form shape.

20. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the notch does not extend more than 70% of the sectional thickness of the diaphragm as determined from the first major surface to the second major surface.

21. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein there is only one slit.

22. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the second major surface of the diaphragm undergoes flexion when the slit is compressed along its axis.

23. The diaphragm of claim 11 wherein the first major surface of the diaphragm undergoes flexion when the slit is compressed along its axis.