HK1134532A - No-drip check valves - Google Patents

Description

Non-drip check valve

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a check valve, connector, and fitting that may be used in connection with any fluid conduit.

Background

Many types of fluid conduits benefit from a re-closable outlet port, especially if such re-closings are automatic. For example, with many bag-in-box type storage and dispensing systems, a drain or spigot typically extends from the bag to deliver the fluid contained therein. Whether the drain or tap delivers the fluid directly to a separate container such as a drinking cup or is further connected to a second conduit for further processing, a mechanism is required for closing the outlet port when fluid delivery is not required, such as when the bag is exchanged from the box. For economic reasons, it is often advantageous to provide such a mechanism in the form of a reusable device: a connector or fitting that can be connected or disconnected to the outlet ends of the various conduits.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to several features of an improved valve or closure device. When a downstream object, such as another conduit, is withdrawn from the valve, the valve itself automatically closes and stops further delivery or discharge of fluid.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for closing an outlet of a fluid conduit. The method includes the step of providing a one-way valve adjacent the outlet of the fluid conduit. The valve has a pointed portion that points upstream and is biased to remain closed, thereby shutting off fluid flow. In one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: a tubular body is provided that houses the one-way valve, wherein the tubular body is detachable with respect to the remainder of the catheter. Also, the method may further comprise sealing the tubular body with respect to the fluid conduit, for example by providing an annular barb on the exterior of the tubular body to form a seal with the fluid conduit. In one feature, the method further comprises inserting a downstream conduit from an outlet of the fluid conduit to push open the valve, thereby opening fluid flow. The method may further comprise the steps of: the outlet of the fluid conduit is connected to the downstream conduit and a seal is formed where the two conduits contact each other.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a device comprising a tubular body having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end, and a one-way valve within the tubular body. The valve includes a tip portion directed toward the upstream inlet end and biased to remain closed. In one embodiment, the device further comprises a retainer that retains the valve within the tubular body of the device. In one feature, the tip portion of the valve includes a plurality of lips biased to remain closed, but which may be forced open by an elongated object inserted through the downstream outlet end. In one embodiment, the lip includes a pair of substantially flat portions opposite one another. In one embodiment, the upstream inlet end has an annular barb. In one feature, the upstream inlet end of the device is configured to connect to an upstream conduit. The upstream inlet end of the device forms a seal at the point where it contacts the upstream conduit. In another feature, the downstream outlet end of the device is configured to connect to a downstream conduit; they may form a seal where they contact each other.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a device, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tubular body having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end; and

(b) a one-way valve is encased within the tubular body, the valve having a pointed portion directed toward the upstream inlet end, and wherein the pointed portion is biased to remain closed.

In one embodiment, the tip portion has a plurality of lips biased to remain closed. In one feature, the method may further comprise providing a retainer that retains the valve within the tubular body of the device.

Drawings

The above-described and other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, will be more fully understood from the following description, drawings, and claims. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like parts are designated with like reference numerals in the various drawings and in the various embodiments.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser with its front door removed and shows a portion of the production line inside the dispenser in an exploded view on the right side.

Fig. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a valve fitting according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the valve fitting depicted in fig. 2.

Detailed Description

The features of the invention are to be taken as such or in combination as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art. This repetition is not intended to be a limitation on the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein have the same meaning as they would to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

The present invention may be used in or with any fluid conduit such as pipes, manifolds, pipes, taps, and the like. The invention is particularly useful in situations where a downstream conduit needs to be connected to an upstream conduit for fluid delivery, but when the two conduits are disconnected, fluid flow from the upstream conduit needs to be stopped.

Referring to fig. 1, an example is provided in which the present invention may be practiced. There is shown a post-mix beverage dispenser 50 with the front door removed and one of two parallel production lines in a partially exploded view on the right. The dispenser 50 mixes a concentrate, such as orange juice concentrate, with a diluent, such as potable water, within the mixing chamber 52 prior to dispensing the product to the receptacle 54 through a nozzle 56 partially contained within the mixing chamber 52. The concentrate is delivered through a bag-in-box system in which a sealed bag (not shown) of concentrate is disposed within the holder 58. A discharge tube 60 extends from the bag and out of the holder 58, and an outlet 61 of the tube is ultimately connected to a nipple 62 on top of a pump head 64. The pump head 64 houses a piston (not shown) that delivers the delivered concentrate into the mixing chamber 52, where pressurized water is also delivered. When the drain 60 is removed from the adapter 62, for example, to change the flavor of the concentrate for the dispenser 50, it would be desirable for the drain 60 to automatically close or seal its outlet end 61 so that the material does not spill or drip. Further details of post-mix beverage dispenser 50 are disclosed in commonly owned, international application No. pct/US2005/045087 filed on 12.12.2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by the relevant patent laws.

Referring now to fig. 2 and 3, a connector or fitting 70 has a one-way or check valve 72 housed within a tubular housing or body 74. The tubular body 74 has an upstream inlet end 76 and a downstream outlet end 78. The upstream inlet end 76 of the fitting is connected to an upstream conduit, such as a bag of concentrate discharge pipe 60 (FIG. 1). The downstream outlet end 78 of the fitting is connected to a downstream conduit, such as the nipple 62 of a pump head (FIG. 1). Thus, the direction of fluid flow within the fitting is from end 76 to end 78, as indicated by arrow 81. Both ends of the fitting 70 may be sized to fit into their corresponding connecting conduits and structure may be provided on both ends to ensure a seal is formed with either the upstream or downstream conduits. In one embodiment, the upstream inlet end 76 has an annular barb 80 on the outer wall and the downstream outlet end 78 has an annular ring 82 on the inner wall to engage and seal with a corresponding conduit.

The valve 72 has a pointed portion 84 directed toward the upstream inlet end 76. The pointed portion 84 may have various configurations, generally tapering toward a cut-off point or closed seam 86. The pointed portion 84 is biased to remain closed or closed at the closure slit 86, thereby preventing fluid flow through the fitting 70. The pointed portion 84 includes a plurality of lips 88 that are biased to remain closed. The pressure of the fluid inside the fitting 70, particularly as shown in fig. 2, helps to push the valve lip 88 closed when the fitting is positioned in a vertical orientation with its inlet end 76 up. Thus, in some embodiments, the valve lip 88 does not require preloading. Those lips 88, for example, may be a pair of generally flat portions similar to duckbills that oppose each other. Such duckbill check valves are commercially available from, for example, Red Valve Co., Inc. of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Clipard tool laboratory, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Vernay laboratory, Inc. of Yellow Springs, Ohio. The valve may be made of a variety of materials such as elastomeric compounds including rubber. In one embodiment, the valve is injection molded from Liquid silicone, and valve manufacturers using this technology include Liquid Molding systems, Inc. of Midland, Michigan, Michly. Other configurations and structures for the valve 72, such as an umbrella valve, may also be used for the purposes of the present invention.

To open the valve 72, an elongated object, such as a downstream conduit (not shown), is inserted into the fitting 70 through the outlet end 78 of the fitting 70 in the opposite direction of arrow 81. Once the downstream conduit is in contact with the underside of the tip portion 84 of the valve, the operator can use the conduit to apply the required pressure to force open the lip 88. In one way of using the invention, the operator pushes the conduit through the closed slot 86 of the lip until it enters the portion of the tubular body 74 upstream of the valve. Fluid flow in the direction of arrow 81 will proceed from fitting 70 to the downstream conduit.

When the downstream conduit is withdrawn or separated from the fitting 70, the valve lip 88 will automatically close, effectively shutting off fluid flow. For relatively low viscosity fluids, such as some juices concentrates, it is preferred that the lips of the duckbill check valves be elongated and/or thin so that they can remain closed in the closed position and have little or no leakage or weeping. When the downstream conduit is inserted back into and past the valve, the valve may be opened again. A retainer 90 (fig. 3) may be located downstream of the valve 72 against the annular ring 82 to prevent the valve 72 from being removed from the tubular body 74 with the downstream conduit.

Referring again to fig. 2 and 3, the fitting 70 may also have an integral collar 92 for facilitating the separation and connection of the upstream and downstream conduits. The collar 92 may also act as a locator to prevent abnormal insertion.

The fitting 70 may be made integrally with the upstream conduit, of course so that the tubular body 74 is simply an integral part of the conduit and constitutes the discharge/outlet end portion thereof. However, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the removable fitting 70 allows the check valve 72 to be reused for different conduits and connections. Having described embodiments of the invention, other aspects of making and using the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

While the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments so that aspects thereof may be more fully understood and appreciated, it is not intended to limit the invention to these specific embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a tubular body having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end; and

a one-way valve within the tubular body, the valve including a tip portion directed toward the upstream inlet end and wherein the tip portion is biased to remain closed.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a retaining member that retains the valve within the tubular body of the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the tip portion of the valve includes a plurality of lips biased to remain closed and openable by an elongated object inserted through the downstream outlet end.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the lip includes a pair of substantially flat portions opposite one another.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upstream inlet end comprises an annular barb.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the upstream inlet end of the device is configured to connect to an upstream conduit.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the upstream inlet end of the device is configured to form a seal in contact with the outlet of the upstream conduit.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the downstream outlet end of the device is configured to connect to a downstream conduit.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the downstream outlet end of the device is configured to form a seal in contact with the downstream conduit.

10. A method for regulating fluid flow, the method comprising the steps of:

a one-way valve is provided adjacent the outlet of the fluid conduit, the valve comprising an upstream directed tip portion and wherein the tip portion is biased to remain closed thereby shutting off fluid flow.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing a tubular body housing the one-way valve, wherein the tubular body is detachable with respect to the remainder of the catheter.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sealing the tubular body to the fluid conduit.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing an annular barb on the exterior of the tubular body to form a seal with the fluid conduit.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the tip portion of the valve includes a plurality of lips biased to remain closed.

15. The method of claim 15, wherein the lip includes a pair of substantially flat portions opposite one another.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising inserting a downstream conduit from an outlet of the fluid conduit to push open the valve, thereby opening fluid flow.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising connecting the outlet of the fluid conduit to the downstream conduit and forming a seal if the two conduits are in contact with each other.

18. A method of manufacturing a device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a tubular body having an upstream inlet end and a downstream outlet end; and

(b) installing a one-way valve within the tubular body, the valve including a tip portion directed toward the upstream inlet end and wherein the tip portion is biased to remain closed.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tip portion includes a plurality of lips biased to remain closed.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a retainer that retains the valve within the tubular body of the device.