Fluid flow control valve

Claim 2

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member including a valve stem and a valve element carried by said valve stem said valve element including a thin centrally disposed annular portion, a thicker first annular portion spaced radially outwardly from said central portion and defining a seat engaging surface, and a second annular portion spaced radially inwardly from said central portion, said second annular portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said first annular portion; and (b) a valve body, said valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a valve seat for engagement by said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) valve member positioning means for positioning said valve member within said valve body so that said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion is normally maintained in pressural engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 3

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 1 in which said valve member positioning means comprises a longitudinally extending central bore through said web portion defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length adapted to closely receive said valve stem.

Claim 4

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 2 in which said valve stem includes a circumferentially extending first shoulder and in which said valve member positioning means further comprises stop means formed on said cylindrical section for engagement by said first shoulder of said valve stem.

Claim 5

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 3 in which said stop means comprises an annular shoulder formed on said cylindrical section.

Claim 6

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a valve element including a thin centrally disposed annular portion, a first annular portion spaced radially outwardly from said central portion and defining a seat engaging surface, and a second annular portion spaced radially inwardly from said central portion, said second annular portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said first annular portion; and (ii) an integrally formed stem extending outwardly from said valve element, said stem including an enlarged diameter portion defining proximate one extremity a first circumferentially extending, shoulder; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a valve seat for engagement by said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said enlarged diameter portion of said valve member to position said valve member within said valve body so that said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion is normally maintained in pressural engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 7

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a valve element including a thin centrally disposed annular portion, a first annular portion spaced radially outwardly from said central portion and defining a seat engaging surface, and a second annular portion spaced radially inwardly from said central portion, said second annular portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said first annular portion; and (ii) an integrally formed stem extending outwardly from said valve element, said stem including an enlarged diameter portion defining proximate one extremity a first circumferentially extending, shoulder; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a valve seat for engagement by said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said enlarged diameter portion of said valve member to position said valve member within said valve body so that said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion is normally maintained in pressural engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 8

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 5 in which said valve stem is provided with a second circumferentially extending shoulder longitudinally spaced from said first shoulder and of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said cylindrical section.

Claim 9

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 5 in which said web portion includes a circumferentially extending shoulder engageable by said first shoulder of said stem when said valve member is properly positioned within said valve body.

Claim 10

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 5 in which said valve seat is constructed of an elastomeric material.

Claim 11

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 5 in which said valve seat is constructed of a rigid, substantially non-deformable material.

Claim 12

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 5 in which said valve body includes a longitudinally extending outer wall for enclosing said valve element and said enlarged diameter portion of said stem when said valve member is properly positioned within said valve body.

Claim 13

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a generally cylindrically shaped housing having a fluid inlet and a coaxially aligned fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a generally disc shaped valve element having substantially planar faces disposed in substantially parallel planes; and (ii) an integrally formed, substantially cylindrically shaped elongated stem extending from said valve element, said stem being yieldably deformable along its length and including an enlarged diameter portion of predetermined length having longitudinally spaced first and second shoulders; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a valve seat for engagement by said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said enlarged diameter portion of said valve member to position said valve member within said valve body, said cylindrical section including a circumferentially extending edge having a diameter less than that of said second shoulder of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem, said respective lengths of said cylindrical section of said bore and of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem being such that upon exerting a pulling force on said stem, said stem will be yieldably deformed along it length and said second shoulder will engage said second edge of said cylindrical section to maintain said stem in a deformed state, whereby said valve element will exert a predetermined closing pressure upon said valve seat.

Claim 14

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a generally cylindrically shaped housing having a fluid inlet and a coaxially aligned fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a generally disc shaped valve element having substantially planar faces disposed in substantially parallel planes; and (ii) an integrally formed, substantially cylindrically shaped elongated stem extending from said valve element, said stem being yieldably deformable along its length and including an enlarged diameter portion of predetermined length having longitudinally spaced first and second shoulders; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a valve seat for engagement by said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said enlarged diameter portion of said valve member to position said valve member within said valve body, said cylindrical section including a circumferentially extending edge having a diameter less than that of said second shoulder of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem, said respective lengths of said cylindrical section of said bore and of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem being such that upon exerting a pulling force on said stem, said stem will be yieldably deformed along it length and said second shoulder will engage said second edge of said cylindrical section to maintain said stem in a deformed state, whereby said valve element will exert a predetermined closing pressure upon said valve seat.

Claim 15

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 11 in which said valve body includes a longitudinally extending, generally cylindrically shaped, outer wall for enclosing said valve element and said enlarged diameter portion of said stem when said valve member is properly positioned within said valve body.

Claim 16

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a generally disc shaped valve element having a thin centrally disposed annular portion, a thicker first annular portion spaced radially outwardly from said central portion and defining a seat engaging surface, said first annular portion having a thickness greater than the thickness of said centrally disposed annular portion and a second annular portion spaced radially inwardly from said central portion and defining a first shoulder said second annular portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said first annular portion; (ii) an integrally formed, elongated stem extending from said second annular portion of said valve element, said stem including a first portion of predetermined length terminating in a second shoulder longitudinally spaced from said first shoulder; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a generally planar valve seat for engagement by said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion of said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said first portion of said stem to position said valve member within said valve body, said cylindrical section including a circumferentially extending edge, said respective lengths of said cylindrical section of said bore and of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem being such that said second shoulder of said stem is maintained in engagement with said circumferentially extending edge and said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion is maintained in pressural engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 17

A fluid flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from one region of the body to be drained to another region, said device comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and a valve assembly carried within said housing intermediate said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet, said valve assembly comprising: (a) an elastomeric valve member comprising: (i) a generally disc shaped valve element having a thin centrally disposed annular portion, a thicker first annular portion spaced radially outwardly from said central portion and defining a seat engaging surface, said first annular portion having a thickness greater than the thickness of said centrally disposed annular portion and a second annular portion spaced radially inwardly from said central portion and defining a first shoulder said second annular portion having a thickness less than the thickness of said first annular portion; (ii) an integrally formed, elongated stem extending from said second annular portion of said valve element, said stem including a first portion of predetermined length terminating in a second shoulder longitudinally spaced from said first shoulder; (b) a valve body comprising a rim portion closely receivable within said housing and a transversely extending web portion, said web portion having a fluid passageway therethrough and including: (i) a generally planar valve seat for engagement by said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion of said valve element to control the flow of fluid through said fluid passageway; and (ii) a central bore defining a cylindrical section of predetermined length and diameter for closely receiving said first portion of said stem to position said valve member within said valve body, said cylindrical section including a circumferentially extending edge, said respective lengths of said cylindrical section of said bore and of said enlarged diameter portion of said stem being such that said second shoulder of said stem is maintained in engagement with said circumferentially extending edge and said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion is maintained in pressural engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 18

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 13 in which said valve body includes a longitudinally extending, generally cylindrically shaped, outer wall for closely receiving said valve element.

Claim 19

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 13 in which said centrally disposed annular portion is so constructed and arranged that upon a fluid pressure being exerted on said valve element by fluid flowing through said fluid passageway, said centrally disposed annular portion will be yieldably deformed in a manner that said seat engaging surface of said first annular portion will move away from said valve seat in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said valve seat.

Claim 20

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 15 in which said centrally disposed annular portion is of a substantially constant, predetermined wall thickness and is disposed within a plane generally parallel to the plane of said valve seat.

Claim 21

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 16, further including an elongated member integrally formed with said valve element and extending longitudinally therefrom in a direction opposite to that of said stem.

Claim 22

A fluid flow control device as defined in claim 17 in which said valve element includes a front face from which said stem extends and a generally planar rear face from which said elongated member extends.