Valve for inflatable objects

• US 6,237,621 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert B. Chaffee
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Chaffee
• Inventors: Chaffee, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US09/230,066
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 137/843, 137/854, 137/855, 137/223, 137/232, 137/233, 137/527, 251/82, 251/297
• US Class Current: 137/223
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/081 of pneumatic type
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/03 with a hinged closure member or with a pivoted closure member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/033 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/148 the closure elements being fixed in their centre
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1481 with biasing means in addition to material resiliency, e.g. spring
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1821 for check valves with a hinged or pivoted closure member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/202 and with flexible valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 35/02 to be locked or disconnected by means of a pushing or pulling action
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3584 Inflatable article [e.g., tire filling chuck and/or stem]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/374 With cap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3771 Valve manually seated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/789 Central mount
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7898 Pivoted valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A self sealing valve includes a diaphragm (602) positioned within a valve housing (606) by a movable hanger arm (610) which suspends the diaphragm from a mounting point (612) in the center of an air inlet (614). The hanger arm (610) is a rotating diaphragm hanger that has one end secured adjacent to an inner wall (618) of the air inlet (614) by a pair of pins (634). There is a contoured section (648) between the hinge pins (634) of the inner wall which interfaces with a contoured end (650) to provide for at least four distinct interaction possibilities. A first retains the hanger arm (610) in a valve closed position. A second causes the valve to exhibit a biased closed condition. A third locks the valve open and a fourth facilitates assembly.

Claims

1. A self-sealing valve, comprising:

a valve housing having a fluid inlet defined by an inner wall, the valve housing also having a valve seat facing an interior of the valve housing and the valve housing being configured to require fluid being transferred between the interior and an exterior of the valve housing to pass through the fluid inlet;

a valve assembly that selectively covers the fluid inlet to provide a self-seal, including;

a hanger arm attached at a first end of the hanger arm to the inner wall of the valve housing via a hinge assembly disposed between the first end of the hanger arm and the inner wall, the hanger arm having a second end that may be moved about a hinge point of the hinge assembly in a first direction from a closed position towards the interior of the valve housing to an open position and that may be moved about the hinge point in a second direction, opposite of the first direction, from the open position towards the exterior of the valve housing to the closed position; and

a flexible diaphragm having an area larger than an area of the fluid inlet, having a first surface facing the interior of the valve housing and having a second surface facing the exterior of the valve housing, the flexible diaphragm being mounted to the hanger arm at a mount to allow movement of a part of a periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in the first direction towards the interior of the valve housing away from the valve seat to the open position and to allow movement of the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in the second direction towards the exterior of the valve housing so that the periphery of the flexible diaphragm engages against the valve seat in the closed position to provide the self-seal.

2. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a container body having an interior, an exterior, a port for transferring fluid between the interior and the exterior and a wall separating the interior and the exterior, and wherein the valve housing is attached to the wall proximate to the port of the container so that fluid being transferred between the interior and the exterior of the container passes through the fluid inlet of the self-sealing valve.

3. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm are constructed and arranged so that the influx of fluid into the container is sufficient to cause at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm to move in the first direction into the open position to permit and influx of fluid into the container;

and

so that a force of a fluid pressure created within the container is sufficient to cause at least one of the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm and the second end of the hanger arm to move in the second direction to the closed position when the force of the fluid pressure within the container is greater than a force of the influx of fluid into the container so that the outer periphery of the flexible diaphragm is engaged against the valve seat and so that the valve assembly provides the self-seal.

4. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a locking means for locking the hanger arm and the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm in a locked open position.

5. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a releasing means for releasing the hanger arm and the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm from the locked open position to allow the hanger arm and the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm to move in the second direction to the closed position.

6. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stiffening means for reducing any flexing of the flexible diaphragm except for the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm.

7. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for preventing movement of the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm in the second direction through the fluid inlet past the closed position.

8. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for preventing movement of the flexible diaphragm, except for the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm, in the first direction towards the interior of the valve housing.

9. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for maintaining the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm in the closed position when there is an absence of an influx of fluid into the valve housing or an absence of fluid pressure within the container.

10. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for connecting and disconnecting the valve housing to a fluid injection, release, or pressure control device.

11. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further including a protective cover assembly that selectively covers and exposes the fluid inlet of the valve housing.

12. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for one of removing and attaching the valve assembly to the valve housing.

13. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a means for maintaining the flexible diaphragm within the valve housing during any one of fluid injection, release, pressure control and self-sealing of the valve.

14. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a bracket rigidly mounted to the inner wall of the fluid inlet, the bracket having a hinge pin on a first surface of the bracket;

a projecting tab at the first end of the hanger arm having a seating hole disposed therein that engages against the hinge pin; and

a surface disposed on the inner wall that engages against the projecting tab of the hanger arm to restrict movement of the hanger arm above a horizontal position.

15. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an angular surface projecting from the first surface of the bracket that engages against the projecting tab of the hanger arm to increasingly move the projecting tab of the hanger arm as the second end of the hanger arm and the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm are increasingly urged in the first direction toward the interior of the valve housing into the open position, the angular surface and the projecting tab acting so as to urge the second end of the hanger arm and the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm to move in the first direction to the closed position.

16. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a recess disposed within the first surface of the bracket that engages the projecting tab of the hanger arm when the second end of the hanger arm and the at least the portion of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm are moved in the first direction to a locked open position and that hold the hanger arm and the at least the portion of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm in the locked open position.

17. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rib projecting from the valve seat of the valve housing that engages against at least a portion of the outer periphery of the flexible diaphragm so that when the flexible diaphragm is urged in the first direction the rib provides resistance against the hanger arm and flexible diaphragm being moved in the first direction and urges the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm in the second direction to the closed position.

18. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the self-sealing valve assembly comprises two pieces, the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm.

19. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible diaphragm is suspended from the hanger arm so that no structure exists under the flexible diaphragm.

20. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve housing is flush mounted within the wall of the container so that an exterior surface of the valve housing and the valve assembly are either substantially coplanar with or beneath the wall of the container.

21. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hanger arm is attached to the inner wall of the valve housing so that movement of the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm and the second end of the hanger arm in the first direction and in the second direction is non-axial movement.

22. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet and the valve assembly enable a high volume of fluid transfer over a low pressure range between the interior and the exterior of the valve housing.

23. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 20, wherein the valve housing is a single piece that includes a lip disposed about a perimeter of the valve housing and that may be directly attached to the container wall.

24. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the self-sealing valve is constructed and arranged so that any part of the valve assembly may be contacted to regulate the transfer of the fluid between the interior and the exterior of the self-sealing valve.

25. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve housing and the valve assembly are constructed and arranged so that the valve assembly has a plurality of interactive positions with the valve housing.

26. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve assembly and the valve housing are constructed and arranged so that the valve assembly may be removed and replaced with another valve assembly.

30. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 2 or 29, wherein the valve housing has a first part that includes a lip disposed about a perimeter of the valve housing and that may be directly attached to the container wall, and a second part that may be attached to the first part and that includes the valve seat and the fluid inlet.

48. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve assembly and the valve housing are constructed and arranged so that the valve assembly may be removed and replaced with another valve assembly.

27. A self-sealing valve, comprising:

a valve housing having a fluid inlet defined by an inner wall, the valve housing having a valve seat facing an interior of the valve housing and the valve housing being configured to require fluid being transferred between the interior and an exterior of the valve housing to pass through the fluid inlet;

a valve assembly that selectively covers the fluid inlet to provide a self-seal, including;

a support member, that suspends a flexible diaphragm in a floating position within the valve housing to allow movement of at least a part of a periphery of the flexible diaphragm in a first direction away from the valve seat to a first open position, to allow movement of the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm in a second direction, opposite of the first direction, so that the periphery of the flexible diaphragm is allowed to engage against the valve seat in a closed position, and to allow the flexible diaphragm to pass through the fluid inlet to a second open position;

the flexible diaphragm having an area larger than an area of the fluid inlet, having a first surface facing the interior of the valve housing and having a second surface facing the exterior of the valve housing, the second surface including the periphery of the flexible diaphragm that engages against the valve seat to provide the self-seal;

means for mounting the flexible diaphragm to the support member and for allowing manual movement of the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm in the first direction when the self-sealing valve is in a sealed condition, so as to purge the self-sealing valve.

28. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a means for maintaining the flexible diaphragm within the valve housing during any one of fluid injection, release, pressure control and self-sealing of the valve.

29. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a container having an interior, an exterior, a port for transferring fluid between the interior and the exterior, and a wall separating the interior and the exterior, and wherein the valve housing is attached to the wall proximate to the port of the container so that fluid being transferred between the interior and the exterior of the container passes through the fluid inlet of the valve housing.

31. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 29, wherein the support member and the flexible diaphragm are constructed and arranged so that an act of fluid injection into the container is sufficient to cause the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm to move in the first direction into the open position to permit an influx of fluid into the container.

32. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 31, further comprising:

a means for maintaining the flexible diaphragm in the closed position in absence of one of fluid pressure within the container and fluid injection into the container.

33. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a stiffening means for reducing a flexing of the flexible diaphragm except for the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm.

34. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the support member includes a hinge assembly disposed between one end of a hanger arm that suspends the flexible diaphragm in the floating position and the inner wall of the valve housing so that the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm are pivoted in a downward direction into the valve housing.

35. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the support member includes a hanger arm attached to the inner wall of the valve housing, the hanger arm having a slot including increased diameter openings at each end of the slot that allow a compressible handle of the flexible diaphragm to be any one of retained within the increased diameter openings and moved in the sideways direction along the slot;

and

a spring mounted hinge disposed between one end of the hanger arm and the inner wall of the valve housing and a latch assembly disposed between a second end of the hanger arm and the inner wall of the valve housing so that the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm may be moved about a hinge point of the hinge in a direction towards the exterior of the valve assembly when the diaphragm handle has been moved sideways within the slot to one of the increased diameter openings to compress a spring of the spring mounted hinge and unlatch the latch assembly.

36. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the support member includes a retaining rib that extends across the fluid inlet of the valve housing between the valve seat, the retaining rib including a vertical support post which extends into the fluid inlet towards the exterior;

and

the flexible diaphragm includes a handle disposed on the second surface of the flexible diaphragm and a tapered indentation disposed on the first surface of the flexible diaphragm that mates with the support post of the retaining rib so that the handle of the flexible diaphragm can be grasped and the periphery of the flexible diaphragm can be pivoted in a downward direction into the valve housing about the support post.

37. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the support member includes at least one rib rigidly attached to the inner wall of the valve assembly, the at least one rib having a slot disposed therein and wherein the diaphragm has a mating rib projecting from the second surface, the mating rib having a narrow section that mates with the slot and an enlarged section that secures the diaphragm to the at least one rib, the diaphragm also including a target area that pivots downward into the valve assembly under pressure applied to the target area.

38. The self-sealing valve assembly as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a locking means for locking the target area of the flexible diaphragm in a locked open position to further enhance the purge of the self-sealing valve.

39. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the self-sealing valve assembly is comprises of two pieces, the hanger arm and the flexible diaphragm.

40. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the flexible diaphragm is suspended from the support member so that no structure exists under the flexible diaphragm.

41. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 29, wherein the valve housing is flush mounted to the wall of the container so that an exterior surface of the valve housing and the valve assembly are either substantially coplanar with or beneath the wall of the container.

42. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the valve assembly and valve housing are constructed and arranged to provide non-axial movement of the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm in the first direction and in the second direction.

43. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the valve housing and the valve assembly are constructed and arranged so that a fluid pressure created within the container is sufficient to maintain the at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm against the valve seat when there is an absence of the influx of fluid.

44. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the fluid inlet and the valve assembly enable a high volume of fluid transfer over a low pressure range between the interior and the exterior of the valve housing.

45. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 41, wherein the valve housing is a single piece that includes a lip disposed about a perimeter of the valve housing and that may be directly attached to the container wall.

46. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the self-sealing valve is constructed and arranged so that any part of the valve assembly may be contacted to regulate the transfer of the fluid between the interior and the exterior of the self-sealing valve.

47. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, wherein the valve housing and the valve assembly are constructed and arranged so that the valve assembly has a plurality of interactive positions with the valve housing.

51. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, further comprising a means for connecting and disconnecting the valve housing to a fluid injection, release, or pressure control device.

52. The self-sealing valve as claimed in claim 27, further including a protective cover assembly that selectively covers and exposes the fluid inlet of the valve housing.

49. A self-sealing valve kit for use with a self-sealing valve including a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a valve seat, and a valve assembly that selectively covers the fluid inlet to provide a self-seal, the self-sealing valve kit comprising:

a hanger arm including at least one projecting tab at a first end of the hanger arm having a seating hole disposed therein that is configured to mate with a hinge pin of an inner wall of the valve housing; and

a flexible diaphragm that can be mounted to the hanger arm at a mount so as to allow movement of a part of a periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in a first direction away from the valve seat to an open position and so as to allow movement of the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in a second direction, opposite the first direction, towards the valve seat so that the periphery of the flexible diaphragm engages against the valve seat in the closed position to provide the self-seal.

50. A method of installing a hanger arm and flexible diaphragm within a self-sealing valve housing, comprising the steps of:

providing the hanger arm having at least one projecting tab at a first end of the hanger arm including a seating hole disposed therein that is configured to mate with a hinge pin and having the flexible diaphragm mounted to the hanger arm so as to allow movement of at least a part of a periphery of the flexible diaphragm without any movement of the hanger arm;

placing the hanger arm and flexible diaphragm into a fluid inlet of the self-sealing valve housing so as to engage the seating hole against the hinge pin mounted on a first surface of a bracket secured to an inner wall of a fluid inlet of the self-sealing valve housing; and

pivoting the hanger arm with the flexible diaphragm in a downward direction into and through the fluid inlet of the self-sealing valve housing to a closed position.

53. A valve, comprising:

a valve housing having a fluid inlet defined by an inner wall, the valve housing also having a valve seat facing an interior of the valve housing and the valve housing being configured to require fluid being transferred between the interior and an exterior of the valve housing to pass through the fluid inlet; and

a valve assembly that selectively covers the fluid inlet, including;

a flexible diaphragm having an area larger than the area of the fluid inlet, having a first surface facing the interior of the valve housing and having a second surface facing the exterior of the valve housing, the flexible diaphragm being mounted to a hanger arm at a mount to allow movement of at least a part of a periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in a first direction towards the interior of the valve housing away from the valve seat to an open position and to allow movement of at least the part of the periphery of the flexible diaphragm about the mount in a second direction towards the exterior of the valve housing so that the periphery of the flexible diaphragm engages against the valve seat in a closed position;

wherein the hanger arm is hingedly connected to the valve housing.

54. The valve as claimed in claim 53, further comprising a locking member for locking the flexible diaphragm in a locked open position.

55. The valve as claimed in claim 53, further comprising a protective cover assembly that selectively covers and exposes the fluid inlet of the valve housing.