Non-refillable valve for pressurized containers

• US 4,813,575 A
• Filed: 09/29/1987
• Issued: 03/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amtrol Licensing Inc. (Worthington Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amtrol Incorporated (Kellogg Company)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolla, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US07/102,329
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 222/3, 222/147, 251/82, 137/315, 137/533.21
• US Class Current: 222/147
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0335 Check-valves or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0382 Constructional details of valves, regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/038 Refrigerants
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/028 Avoiding unauthorised transfer

Abstract

Non-refillable valve has a housing with a central bore, which has a lower portion that is narrower than its middle portion that in turn is narrower than its upper portion. A side port is present in the lower region of the middle portion. An outlet nozzle is located in the side port. The lower end of the housing sealingly engages the pressure container to provide communication therebetween. The valve stem is rotatably positioned in the upper portion of the central bore. The valve stem contains a vertical bore in its bottom portion. A resilient valve sealing member has a body portion and a top pin which slidably fits in the bore in the valve stem. The sealing member has a top rim portion which has a continuous outer surface and does not have any slots, identations or the like. Also, the body portion does not have any arm or arms, particularly around its periphery. The top rim portion of the sealing member is comprisingly positioned in the upper portion of the central bore when the valve is inactive or being filled. The valve sealing member is pushed into the middle portion via the valve stem when the valve is placed in the active position. The non-compressed top rim of the sealing member is wider than the upper portion of the central bore, which prevents movement of the sealing member back into the upper portion of the central bore. The sealing member engages the seating interface when any refill of the container with pressurized fluid is attempted.

Claims

1. Non-refillable valve for a pressure container, comprising:

(a) a housing, having a central bore which has a lower portion that is narrower than the middle portion of said central bore and which has an upper portion that is narrower than the middle portion of said central bore, and having a side port which communicates with the lower region of said middle portion of said central bore, the lower end of said housing being adapted to sealingly engage said pressure container in a manner which provides communication between said pressure container interior and the contents therein and said lower portion of said central bore;

(b) a nozzle, having a bore therein which communicates with the atmosphere, said nozzle being positioned on the side of said housing and being in communication with said middle portion of said central bore via said side port in said housing;

(c) valve stem means positioned in said upper portion of said central bore in a rotatable manner which advances the valve stem means back and/or forth in said central bore, said valve stem having a threadable connection with said upper portion of said central bore, said valve stem means containing a centrally-located bore in the bottom portion thereof, the central axis of said bore being coaxial with the central axis of said upper portion of said central bore of said housing; and

(d) a resilient valve sealing member which has a body portion and which has a post positioned on the top of said body portion, said post slidingly engaging said bore in said valve stem means, said body portion having a top rim portion which has a lateral dimension which is larger than the lateral dimension of said upper portion of said central bore of said housing and which is less than the lateral dimension of the middle portion of said central bore of said housing, said body portion having a bottom seating portion which is capable of seating at or on the interface of said middle portion and bottom portion of said central bore of said housing, said top rim portion being continuous such that it does not contain any indentations, slots, or gaps, and said body portion not containing any arms, said to rim portion of said sealing member being compressingly positioned in said upper portion of said central bore when said valve is inactive or being filled, said valve sealing member being pushed into said middle portion by means of said valve stem means when said valve is placed in the active position, said valve sealing member being seated against said interface between said middle and lower portions of said central bore when said valve is closed, said sealing member being positioned in said middle chamber above a said seating interface when said valve is used for discharge of said container contents, and said sealing member sealingly engaging said seating interface when refill of said container with pressurized fluid is attempted.

2. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bore in said nozzle runs lengthwise through said nozzle.

3. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said nozzle is positioned in said side port in said housing.

4. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve stem means is mounted in said upper portion of said central bore in a screwable manner.

5. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve stem means has an externally-located knob for turning said valve stem means.

6. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein an O-ring is mounted in a groove in the valve stem means positioned in said upper portion of said central bore and sealingly engages the surface of said upper portion of said central bore.

7. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve sealing member is made of a resilient plastic.

8. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom rim of the body portion is bevelled.

9. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bore in said nozzle runs lengthwise through said nozzle, said nozzle is positioned in said side port in said housing, said pressure container is a pressurized gas container, an O-ring is mounted in a groove in the valve stem means positioned in said upper portion of said central bore and sealingly engages the surface of said upper portion of the central bore, said valve sealing member is made of a resilient plastic, and the bottom rim of the body portion is bevelled.

10. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pressure container is a pressurized gas container.

11. Non-refillable valve as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pressurized gas container is a pressurized gas cylinder.