Inflation/deflation valve for cargo dunnage
First Claim
1. A valve for an inflatable, bag-like container comprising:
- a generally cylindrical valve body having a lower circumferential flange;
said flange having an upper surface and a lower surface;
said upper surface of said flange being hermetically sealed to said container;
said cylindrical valve body further including an upstanding cylindrical wall portion disposed above said flange and a plurality of upstanding partial cylindrical wall extensions extending generally above said cylindrical wall portion;
a valve stem rotatably and axially moveably mounted in said valve body, said valve stem having a lower end and an upper end; and
a circular valve diaphragm mounted on the lower end of said valve stem in hermetically sealed relationship to the lower surface of said flange when the upper end of said valve stem is moved axially away from said flange;
said valve stem having disposed on its upper end a pair of concentric rings in spaced relation, the outer ring being connected to the inner ring by a plurality of ribs extending from the inner ring thereby forming a plurality arcuate slots extending between said rings, said slots being axially aligned with said valve stem, each slot being disposed to receive one of said upstanding partial cylindrical wall extension therein; and
said upper end of said valve stem further comprising means for interactively, frictionally engaging said upstanding side wall sections to lock said valve stem to said valve body at selected axial positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A valve assembly for a dunnage bag wherein in one embodiment of the valve a valve diaphragm is mounted on a shaft and is supported by a mounting bar such that the valve diaphragm may be reciprocally moved from the closed position to the open position by a simple axial push on the valve shaft. The valve shaft is retained in the mounting bar in an orifice and the shaft diameter is enlarged at its end distant from the valve diaphragm so as to generate a frictional force fit or lock in the open position to facilitate the removal of air from the bag. The valve may be released form the friction lock by the air pressure of a recharged bag and/or by the manual movement of the valve diaphragm and shaft axially toward the open end of the valve assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the valve diaphragm is mounted to a valve stem that it rotationally and axially moveably connected to the valve body. The valve may be frictionally locked in its open or closed position by rotation that valve stem no more than one quarter turn.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A valve for an inflatable, bag-like container comprising:
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a generally cylindrical valve body having a lower circumferential flange;
said flange having an upper surface and a lower surface;
said upper surface of said flange being hermetically sealed to said container;said cylindrical valve body further including an upstanding cylindrical wall portion disposed above said flange and a plurality of upstanding partial cylindrical wall extensions extending generally above said cylindrical wall portion; a valve stem rotatably and axially moveably mounted in said valve body, said valve stem having a lower end and an upper end; and a circular valve diaphragm mounted on the lower end of said valve stem in hermetically sealed relationship to the lower surface of said flange when the upper end of said valve stem is moved axially away from said flange; said valve stem having disposed on its upper end a pair of concentric rings in spaced relation, the outer ring being connected to the inner ring by a plurality of ribs extending from the inner ring thereby forming a plurality arcuate slots extending between said rings, said slots being axially aligned with said valve stem, each slot being disposed to receive one of said upstanding partial cylindrical wall extension therein; and said upper end of said valve stem further comprising means for interactively, frictionally engaging said upstanding side wall sections to lock said valve stem to said valve body at selected axial positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification