US4240630A — Game ball check valve

Claim 1

Independent Claim 341 words

A unitary check valve for sealing a passageway to allow pressurized fluid to flow axially through the passageway in one direction and prevent pressurized fluid from flowing axially through the passageway in the opposite direction comprising: (a) an annular body portion carried coaxially within the passageway, said body portion being thick enough in the axial direction adjacent the outer edges of the passageway that in combination with the support provided by the material defining the passageway said portion is substantially non-deformable in the axial direction; and, PG,24 (b) a sealing nipple portion carried within said body portion tapering radially inward and axially in the direction of desired fluid flow from said body portion on one end to meet in sealed contact adjacent the opposite end, the thickness of said sealing nipple portion in the axial direction becoming increasingly thinner and correspondingly increasingly deformable in the axial direction radially inward from said one end whereby the application of fluid under pressure to said valve in the direction opposite desired fluid flow causes said nipple portion to be deformed axially into said body portion in a wedging action increasingly sealing the passageway as increased fluid pressure is applied, said taper being a smooth curve extending from a point on a line substantially normal to the axis of the passageway on said one end to a point on a line substantially parallel to the axis of the passageway on said other end whereby fluid pressure within the passageway tending to move fluid through the passageway in a non-desired direction acts normal to the axis on said nipple portion adjacent said other end to initially prevent fluid passage therethrough as it also acts axially on the rest of said nipple portion to deform said nipple portion in said wedging action into said body portion, said nipple portion being of a material having the deformion and sealing qualities of soft natural rubber, the surfaces of said nipple portion that meet during said wedging deformation into said body portion having a finish produced by a mirror-smooth mold.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 341 words

A unitary check valve for sealing a passageway to allow pressurized fluid to flow axially through the passageway in one direction and prevent pressurized fluid from flowing axially through the passageway in the opposite direction comprising: (a) an annular body portion carried coaxially within the passageway, said body portion being thick enough in the axial direction adjacent the outer edges of the passageway that in combination with the support provided by the material defining the passageway said portion is substantially non-deformable in the axial direction; and, PG,24 (b) a sealing nipple portion carried within said body portion tapering radially inward and axially in the direction of desired fluid flow from said body portion on one end to meet in sealed contact adjacent the opposite end, the thickness of said sealing nipple portion in the axial direction becoming increasingly thinner and correspondingly increasingly deformable in the axial direction radially inward from said one end whereby the application of fluid under pressure to said valve in the direction opposite desired fluid flow causes said nipple portion to be deformed axially into said body portion in a wedging action increasingly sealing the passageway as increased fluid pressure is applied, said taper being a smooth curve extending from a point on a line substantially normal to the axis of the passageway on said one end to a point on a line substantially parallel to the axis of the passageway on said other end whereby fluid pressure within the passageway tending to move fluid through the passageway in a non-desired direction acts normal to the axis on said nipple portion adjacent said other end to initially prevent fluid passage therethrough as it also acts axially on the rest of said nipple portion to deform said nipple portion in said wedging action into said body portion, said nipple portion being of a material having the deformion and sealing qualities of soft natural rubber, the surfaces of said nipple portion that meet during said wedging deformation into said body portion having a finish produced by a mirror-smooth mold.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 65 words

The check valve of claim 1 wherein: the length of said nipple portion from said one end to said other end is sufficiently long in relation to the deformability thereof that said other end remains in sealed contact and said nipple portion still deformably wedges into said body portion when said body portion is deformed radially outward by expansion of the material defining the passageway.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The check valve of claim 1 wherein: said mirror-smooth inner surfaces that are pressed together in fluid-tight sealing engagement come together in knife edges.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 191 words

A unitary check valve of moulded elastomeric material comprising: (a) a substantially flattened tubular nipple portion having external rounded edges and generally flat sides defining an internal cavity with an elongated axis, said cavity smoothly curving from a point on a line normal to said axis at the entrance end of said nipple to a point on a line parallel to said axis as it approaches and opens to the interior end of said nipple; (b) said nipple having an inner end defining an inner extremity of said cavity, said inner end being a solid closed end having a thin slit therethrough which communicates with said cavity, said slit being normally held closed by the elasticity of the elastomeric material; and, (c) said cavity being configured for at least an inner half of its length in the form of a laterally elongated narrow slit having spaced walls produced from a mirror-smooth mold, said walls tapering down to lateral knife edges, said cavity being further configured at its inner end adjacent said solid end of said nipple by its tapering down to a knife edge adjacent and communicating with said thin-slit opening.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 191 words

A unitary check valve of moulded elastomeric material comprising: (a) a substantially flattened tubular nipple portion having external rounded edges and generally flat sides defining an internal cavity with an elongated axis, said cavity smoothly curving from a point on a line normal to said axis at the entrance end of said nipple to a point on a line parallel to said axis as it approaches and opens to the interior end of said nipple; (b) said nipple having an inner end defining an inner extremity of said cavity, said inner end being a solid closed end having a thin slit therethrough which communicates with said cavity, said slit being normally held closed by the elasticity of the elastomeric material; and, (c) said cavity being configured for at least an inner half of its length in the form of a laterally elongated narrow slit having spaced walls produced from a mirror-smooth mold, said walls tapering down to lateral knife edges, said cavity being further configured at its inner end adjacent said solid end of said nipple by its tapering down to a knife edge adjacent and communicating with said thin-slit opening.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

An inflatable game ball including the valve recited in any of claims 1, 2 or 3.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1983-12-23	1984-06-23	1984-12-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1987-12-23	1988-06-23	1988-12-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1991-12-23	1992-06-23	1992-12-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Game ball check valve

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