Uni-directional fluid valve
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A uni-directional fluid valve comprising a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice;
- the cantilevered flexible flap having a planform defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along said root end, free end and peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed;
the cantilevered flexible flap is attached to the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at said root end and is freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surfaces of the valve seat at said free end and along at least portions of said peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; and
said root end of the cantilevered flexible flap and the respective sealing surface that contacts the cantilevered flexible flap at said root end have a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis, said transverse curvature biases the flap and maintains it substantially in contact with all said sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A uni-directional fluid valve particularly for use as an exhalation valve for a filter mask comprises a flexible flap attached at one end to a concave portion of a seat. The mounting of the flap imparts to it a transverse curvature, stiffening the flap sufficiently for it to remain seated in the absence of a pressure differential across it even when orientated with the seat above the flap.
40 Citations
74 Claims
-
1. A uni-directional fluid valve comprising a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice;
- the cantilevered flexible flap having a planform defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along said root end, free end and peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed;
the cantilevered flexible flap is attached to the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at said root end and is freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surfaces of the valve seat at said free end and along at least portions of said peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; and
said root end of the cantilevered flexible flap and the respective sealing surface that contacts the cantilevered flexible flap at said root end have a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis, said transverse curvature biases the flap and maintains it substantially in contact with all said sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- the cantilevered flexible flap having a planform defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
-
10. A filter mask having an exhalation valve comprising a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice;
- the cantilevered flexible flap having a planform defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the cantilevered flexible flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the cantilevered flexible flap along said root end, free end and peripheral side edges when the exhalation valve is closed;
the cantilevered flexible flap is attached to the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at said root end and is freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surfaces of the valve seat at said free end and along at least portions of said peripheral side edges when a user of the filter mask exhales and causes the exhalation valve to open; and
said root end of the cantilevered flexible flap and the respective sealing surface that contacts the cantilevered flexible flap at said root end have a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis, said transverse curvature biases the flap and maintains it substantially in contact with all said sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an exhalatory pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve. - View Dependent Claims (11)
- the cantilevered flexible flap having a planform defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the cantilevered flexible flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
-
12. An exhalation permitting filter mask assembly for positioning over the mouth and nose of a user, the filter mask assembly comprising:
-
a mask configured to fit over the nose and mouth of a user and including filter material through which air can be inhaled by a user while effecting filtration of the inhaled air; a uni-directional valve mounted to the mask for permitting exhalation through the valve while precluding inhalation through the valve; the valve including a flexible flap having a root end portion, opposite side portions and a free end portion, an upper housing member, an inlet port and a valve seat surrounding the inlet port and being part of the upper housing member and including a sealing surface adjacent the inlet port; the valve further including a lower housing member that includes a flap-engaging member; the flexible flap being fixedly mounted at the root end portion relative to the upper housing member in a manner so that the free end portion makes sealing contact with the sealing surface when the flexible flap is closed and so that the free end portion of the flexible flap lifts from contact with the sealing surface and moves outwardly of the sealing surface when exhaled air passes through the inlet port; and the flexible flap having a transverse curvature extending medially of the flap imparting sufficient stiffening to the flexible flap to maintain the flexible flap in sealing contact with the sealing surface for any orientation of the filter mask during normal operating conditions in the absence of a pressure differential across the flexible flap wherein the transverse curvature is imparted to the flexible flap by having the flap-engaging member contact the root end portion of the flexible flap such that the flap is held against the sealing surface of the upper housing member and such that a portion of the flap resides in non-alignment with the sealing surface of the upper housing member when the valve is viewed in a longitudinal section (FIG.
4). - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A filter face mask that comprises:
-
a mask body adapted to fit over a nose and mouth of a wearer for filtering inhalation air; and an exhalation valve mounted to the mask body, the exhalation valve including a flexible flap, a first housing defining a valve seat and including a seal ridge terminating in a seal surface, and a second housing defining a valve cover; the first housing including one or more inlet ports, the one or more inlet ports being surrounded by the seal ridge; the second housing including one or more outlet ports and being joined to the first housing; the flexible flap having only one stationary portion and only one free portion and a peripheral edge that includes both stationary and free segments, the flap also having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction between the free and stationary segments of the flap; the stationary portion of the flexible flap being held in a stationary position with a first portion thereof in contact with a portion of the seal ridge such that the stationary segment of the peripheral edge remains stationary during exhalation, and the free portion of the flap being movable during exhalation such that the free segment of the peripheral edge moves away from the seal surface and the free portion of the flap lifts off of the seal surface; and the flexible flap having a curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the transverse curvature being imparted to the flexible flap by the mounting of the flexible flap in contact with a portion of the seal ridge, the mounting of the flap causing the stationary portion of the flap to be pressed towards the seal ridge such that a second portion of the stationary portion resides in non-alignment with the seal surface when viewing the valve in a longitudinal section (FIG.
4);
the transverse curvature effecting biasing of the free portion of the flexible flap towards the seal surface under neutral conditions so that the flap maintains substantial contact with the seal surface of the valve seat in the absence of exhalatory pressure differential across the flap in any orientation of the valve, while also allowing the free portion of the flexible flap to be lifted from the seal surface during an exhalation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A filter face mask that comprises:
-
(a) a mask body that is adapted to fit over a nose and mouth of a wearer; and (b) an exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body, the exhalation valve comprising a flexible flap, a valve seat, and a valve cover, the valve seat comprising one or more inlet ports, which one or more ports are surrounded by a seal surface, the valve cover comprising one or more outlet ports and being joined to the valve seat, the flexible flap being mounted to the valve seat and having only one stationary portion and only one free portion and a peripheral edge that includes stationary and free segments at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, the stationary segment of the flexible flap'"'"'s peripheral edge being associated with the stationary portion of the flexible flap so as to remain stationary during an exhalation, and the free segment of the flexible flap'"'"'s peripheral edge being associated with the free portion of the flexible flap so as to be movable during an exhalation, wherein the flexible flap is mounted relative to the longitudinal axis of the flap towards the stationary segment of the flap'"'"'s peripheral edge, wherein the flexible flap has a transverse curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the flap, the transverse curvature being accomplished at least in part by having a member from the valve cover press against the flap to create sufficient curvature in the flap at a point where the member contacts the flap to cause at least part of the stationary portion to reside in non-alignment with the seal surface when viewing the flap in a longitudinal section (FIG.
4), the transverse curvature of the flexible flap causing a biasing of the free portion of the flexible flap toward the seal surface under neutral conditions while also allowing the free portion of the flexible flap to be lifted from the seal surface during an exhalation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A filter mask that comprises:
-
(a) a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person; and (b) a unidirectional exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body to enable exhaled air to exit an interior of the mask body during an exhalation, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; (i) a cantilevered flexible flap that has a stationary portion and a free portion and has a peripheral edge that includes opposing first and second side edges and opposing stationary and free edges, the stationary and free edges being located at opposing ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, the first and second peripheral side edges extending between the stationary edge and the free edge, (ii) a valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the cantilevered flexible flap along the stationary and free edges and first and second side edges when the valve is closed; and (iii) a valve cover that has a profiled block that engages the flexible flap at the stationary portion to press the flap towards the valve seat, wherein the flexible flap exhibits a curvature at least in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the transverse curvature biasing the flap and maintaining the flap in substantially in contact with all the sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the valve, under any orientation of the valve while also allowing the free edge and at least portions of the peripheral side edges to flex away from the respective sealing surfaces of the valve seat during an exhalation. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
-
-
43. A filter mask that comprises:
-
(a) a mask body; and (b) a unidirectional exhalation valve that is secured to the mask body, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; (i) a flexible flap that has only one stationary portion and only one free portion and that has a peripheral edge that includes a stationary segment and a free segment, the stationary segment being associated with the stationary portion of the flap so as to remain stationary during an exhalation and the free segment of the flap being associated with the free portion of the flap so as to be moveable during an exhalation, the stationary and free segments of the peripheral edge being disposed at opposing ends of a longitudinal dimension of the flap; (ii) a valve seat that has at least one port to allow exhaled air to exit the mask body when worn on a person, the valve seat also comprising a seal surface onto which the stationary and free portions of the flap make contact when no fluid is passing through the port(s), the free portion of the flap being capable of being lifted from the seal surface when a wearer exhales to allow exhalate to exit the mask, the seal surface surrounding the port(s) so that when the stationary and free portions of the flap are in contact with the seal surface fluid cannot pass through the port(s) in an opposite direction to enter the mask, the flexible flap having a fixed curvature in the flap in a direction transverse to the longitudinal dimension, the fixed curvature being assisted in part by exerting a force on the flexible flap to move the flap towards the valve seat such that the flap, at the location where the force is exerted, is non-aligned with the seal surface, wherein the force and the fixed curvature bias the flap towards the seal surface to enable the free portion of the flap to maintain substantial contact with the seal surface under any orientation of the mask when a fluid is not passing through the valve seat port(s). - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
-
-
46. A filter mask that comprises:
-
(a) a mask body; and (b) a unidirectional exhalation valve that is secured to the mask body, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; (i) a flexible flap that has a stationary portion and a free portion and that has a peripheral edge that includes a stationary segment and a free segment, the stationary segment being associated with the stationary portion of the flap so as to remain stationary during an exhalation and the free segment of the flap being associated with the free portion of the flap so as to be moveable during an exhalation, the stationary and free segments of the peripheral edge being disposed at opposing ends of a longitudinal dimension of the flap; (ii) a valve seat that has at least one port to allow exhaled air to exit the mask body when worn on a person, the valve seat also comprising a seal surface onto which the stationary and free portions of the flap make contact when no fluid is passing through the port(s), the free portion of the flap being capable of being lifted from the seal surface when a wearer exhales to allow exhalate to exit the mask, the seal surface surrounding the port(s) so that when the stationary and free portions of the flap are in contact with the seal surface fluid cannot pass through the port(s) in an opposite direction to enter the mask, the flexible flap being mounted to the valve seat in a cantilevered manner, wherein the flap comprises a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal dimension, the fixed curvature being accentuated by exerting a force on the flexible flap to move the flap towards the valve seat such that the flap, at the location where the force is exerted, is non-aligned with the seal surface, wherein the fixed curvature and the force bias the flap towards the seal surface to enable the free portion of the flap to maintain substantial contact with the seal surface under any orientation of the mask when a fluid is not passing through the valve seat port(s). - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
-
-
49. A filter mask that comprises:
-
a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person; and a unidirectional exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body to enable exhaled air to exit an interior of the mask body during an exhalation, the exhalation defining a downstream direction and an opposite upstream direction, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice; the cantilevered flexible flap defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
wherein the root end, the free end, and the two side edges include upstream and downstream surfaces;the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along portions of the upstream surface of the root end, the free end, and the peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed; the cantilevered flexible flap being mounted in contact with the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the root end and being freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the free end and along at least portions of the peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; and wherein the flexible flap comprises a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the fixed curvature resulting at least in part from a force being applied to the flap at a position proximate the root end and between the peripheral side edges, the applied force moving the flap upstream at the applied position and thus at least partially imparting the curvature, the curvature resulting in maintaining the flap substantially in contact with the sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve; and further comprising a valve cover having a block for mounting the flap in contact with the sealing surfaces;
wherein the block exerts the force in the upstream direction and wherein the transverse curvature in the flap includes a fixed transverse curvature in the flap in said root end at a location of said root end located between the block and the portion of the of the root end that contacts the sealing surface, and wherein the block has a width that is less than a transverse distance between opposite side edges of the orifice. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A filter mask that comprises:
-
a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person; and a unidirectional exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body to enable exhaled air to exit an interior of the mask body during an exhalation, the exhalation defining a downstream direction and an opposite upstream direction, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice; the cantilevered flexible flap defining a root end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the root end and the free end;
wherein the root end, the free end, and the two side edges have upper and lower surfaces;the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along portions of the upstream surface of the root end, the free end, and the peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed; the cantilevered flexible flap being mounted in contact with the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the root end and being freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the free end and along at least portions of the peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; and wherein the flexible flap comprises a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the fixed curvature resulting at least in part from a force being applied to said flap in an upstream direction at a position proximate the root end and between the peripheral side edges, the applied force moving the flap upstream at the applied position and thus at least partially imparting the curvature, the curvature resulting in maintaining the flap substantially in contact with the sealing surfaces of the valve seat in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve; wherein the transverse curvature in the flap includes a fixed transverse curvature in the root end of the flap at a location spaced inward from the portion of the root end that contacts the sealing surface; wherein the cantilevered arrangement of the flexible flap is defined by said flap being supported proximate the root end, and by said free end being unsupported; and further comprising a valve cover having a block for mounting said flap in contact with said sealing surfaces, wherein the block exerts the force in the upstream direction, wherein the transverse curvature in the flap includes a fixed transverse curvature in the flap in the root end at a portion of the root end located between the block and the portion of the of the root end that contacts the sealing surface, and wherein the block has a width that is less than a transverse distance between opposite side edges of the orifice. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. A filter mask that comprises:
-
a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person; and a unidirectional exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body to enable exhaled air to exit an interior of the mask body during an exhalation, the exhalation defining a downstream direction and an opposite upstream direction, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice;
the cantilevered flexible flap defining a supported end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the supported end and the free end;
wherein the supported end, the free end, and the two side edges include upstream and downstream surfaces;the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along portions of the upstream surfaces of the supported end, the free end, and the peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed; the cantilevered flexible flap being mounted in contact with the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the supported end and being freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the free end and along at least portions of the peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; a valve cover having a block for mounting the flap in contact with the sealing surfaces; and wherein the flexible flap comprises a fixed curvature in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the fixed curvature at least partially resulting from a force being applied to said flap at a position proximate the supported end and between the peripheral side edges, the block exerting the applied force moving the flap upstream at the position and thus at least partially imparting the curvature, the curvature resulting in a biasing of the flap towards the seal surface to enable the free end of the flap to maintain substantial contact with the sealing surfaces in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
-
-
67. A filter mask that comprises:
-
a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person; and a unidirectional exhalation valve that is mounted to the mask body to enable exhaled air to exit an interior of the mask body during an exhalation, the exhalation defining a downstream direction and an opposite upstream direction, the unidirectional exhalation valve comprising; a cantilevered flexible flap and a cooperating valve seat surrounding a valve orifice; the cantilevered flexible flap defining a supported end and a free end at opposite ends of a longitudinal axis of the flap, and two peripheral side edges respectively extending between the supported end and the free end;
wherein the supported end, the free end, and the two side edges include upstream and downstream surfaces;the valve seat having sealing surfaces that contact the flap along portions of the upstream surfaces of the supported end, the free end, and the peripheral side edges when the fluid valve is closed; the cantilevered flexible flap being mounted in contact with the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the supported end and being freely movable to flex away from the respective sealing surface of the valve seat at the free end and along at least portions of the peripheral side edges when fluid flows through the fluid valve and the fluid valve is open; and means for mounting the flexible flap to the valve seat wherein the mounting means creates a fixed curvature in the flap in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the curvature resulting in a biasing of the flap towards the seal surface to enable the free end of the flap to maintain substantial contact with the sealing surfaces in the absence of an opening pressure differential across the flap, in any orientation of the valve; wherein the mounting means includes a block that exerts a force in the upstream direction to the flap'"'"'s downstream surface at a position proximate the supported end and between the peripheral side edges, the applied force moving the flap upstream at the exerted position and thus at least partially imparting the curvature.
-
-
68. A filtering face mask that comprises:
-
(a) a mask body that is adapted to fit over the nose and mouth of a person and that includes a layer of filter media; and (b) a unidirectional exhalation valve that is attached to the mask body, which unidirectional exhalation valve comprises; (i) a valve seat that comprises an orifice and a seal surface; and (ii) a single flexible flap that has a stationary portion and only one free portion and a peripheral edge that includes stationary and free segments, the stationary segment of the peripheral edge being associated with the stationary portion of the flexible flap so as to remain in substantially the same position during an exhalation, and the free segment of the peripheral edge being associated with the one free portion of the flexible flap so as to be movable during an exhalation, the single flexible flap also having a longitudinal dimension that is defined by a line extending from the stationary segment of the flap to the free segment; wherein the unidirectional exhalation valve is positioned on the mask body and the single flexible flap is arranged on the valve seat such that the free segment of the peripheral edge is disposed beneath the stationary segment when the mask body is appropriately positioned on a wearer'"'"'s face, and wherein the flexible flap is mounted on the valve seat non-centrally relative to the valve seat orifice and the longitudinal dimension, there being a force exerted upon the flap in the upstream direction relative to fluid flow through the valve to at least partially impart a curvature to the flap when in a closed position, which curvature extends at least transversely to the longitudinal dimension, the free portion of the flexible flap being in contact with the seal surface when a wearer of the mask is neither inhaling nor exhaling and being free to be lifted from the seal surface during an exhalation. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
-
Specification