US20080053526A1 - Inflation valve assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An inflation valve includes a main valve body having an outlet port, a rupture port, and a pull cord retainer. A puncture retainer body secures a puncture disc within the main valve body to seal the outlet port to gas flow. A slot in the puncture retaining body permits gas flow to the outlet port. A puncture pin received within the puncture retaining body includes a center bore permitting gas flow to the outlet port. A rupture disc breaks under high pressure conditions to permit pressurized gas to exit the rupture port. The rupture disc and puncture disc are interchangeable. A release assembly associated with the pull cord retainer permits manual release of the puncture pin. A vacuum washer is sealed between a vacuum retainer and the pull cord retainer to prevent gas from exiting the pull cord retainer when the inflation valve is activated under vacuum.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to inflation equipment for inflatable devices. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an inflation valve of a puncture disc design for use with inflatable devices such as life rafts and the like.
• Inflatable devices are commonly used for a wide variety of applications. For instance, inflatable devices include life rafts and life vests used as emergency floatation devices. Such inflatable devices provide the advantage of allowing small storage space while simultaneously being adapted to inflate quickly when use is desired. Inflation valves are commonly used on these inflatable devices, allowing a user to manually trigger the inflation valve, to inflate the device. Known valves typically contain a large number of parts, which create the potential for undesirable mistakes in the assembly process. For example, puncture valves and rupture valves can mistakenly be reversed, potentially resulting in either one of the discs operating improperly.
• Additionally, certain inflatable devices may be subject to a vacuum environment. Conventional inflation valves are typically not designed to operate under vacuum conditions, and are not properly sealed to prevent leakage of compressed gas prior to or during inflation.
• Lastly, conventional devices also suffer from restricted fluid flow paths for passage of gas through the inflation valve once the valve is activated for inflation. These restricted passages for fluid flow result in an inefficient transfer of compressed gas from the inflation valve to the inflation device.
• It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide an inflation valve having more efficient flow passages for gas transfer.
• A still further object of this invention is to provide an inflation valve having interchangeable rupture and puncture discs.
• A still further object of this invention is to provide an inflation valve operable under vacuum conditions.
• These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• An inflation valve includes a main valve body having an outlet port, a rupture port, and a pull cord retainer. A puncture retainer body secures a puncture disc within the main valve body to seal the outlet port to gas flow. A side slot opening in the puncture retaining body permits gas flow to the outlet port. A puncture pin received within the puncture retaining body includes a center bore permitting gas flow to the outlet port. A rupture disc breaks under high pressure conditions to permit pressurized gas to exit the rupture port. The rupture disc and puncture disc are interchangeable. A release assembly associated with the pull cord retainer permits manual release of the puncture pin. A vacuum washer is sealed between a vacuum retainer and the pull cord retainer to prevent gas from exiting the pull cord retainer when the inflation valve is activated under vacuum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is an exploded side elevation view of one embodiment of an inflation valve of the present invention; and
• FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevational view of a second embodiment of an inflation valve of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Referring toFIG. 1,inflation valve10 provides an actuating mechanism for selectively inflating inflatable devices (not shown), such as inflatable life rafts and the like. Theinflation valve10 includes amain valve body12 having aninlet14 in afirst end16 of themain valve body12. Theinlet14 is operatively associated with a pressurized source of gas (not shown) for inflating inflatable devices. Acharge receptor port18 is located in aside20 of themain valve body12. Thecharge receptor port18 is adapted to receive a charge of pressurized gas into theinflation valve10 for later release when inflation is activated. Arupture port22 is located in anopposite side20 of themain valve body12. Therupture port22 is adapted to permit pressurized gas to exit theinflation valve10 in conditions where the pressure in theinflation valve10 unexpectedly spikes to a dangerous level. Anoutlet port24 is located inside20 of themain valve body12. Theoutlet port12 adapted to permit pressurized gas to exit theinflation valve10 when theinflation valve10 is activated. Apuncture port26 is located on asecond end28 of themain valve body12. Thepuncture port26 is adapted to receive a mechanism for selectively opening theinflation valve10 to gas flow from theinlet14 to theoutlet port24. Apull cord retainer30 is located adjacent thesecond end28 of themain valve body12 next to thepuncture port26. Thepull cord retainer30 is adapted to receive arelease assembly32 allowing a user to activate theinflation valve10.
• Acharge receptor assembly34 is fastened to thecharge receptor port18, and includes acharge receptor body36 having aseal ring38 and a threadedfastening portion40 thereon adapted to threadably seal thecharge receptor body36 to thecharge receptor port18. Apoppet valve42 having aseal ring44 is secured between thecharge receptor body36 and thecharge receptor port18. Thepoppet valve42 is adapted to selectively permit pressurized gas to flow through thecharge receptor body36 into thecharge receptor port18 while preventing backflow of pressurized gas from thecharge receptor port18 into thecharge receptor body36. Acharge receptor cap46 including aseal ring48 is sealed to thecharge receptor body36 and is positioned to be exterior to themain valve body12. Thecharge receptor cap42 is adapted to connect thecharge receptor body36 to a pressurized gas charging device (not shown).
• Arupture assembly50 is releasably engaged to therupture port22. Therupture assembly50 is adapted to permit gas to exit therupture assembly50 when an unexpected spike in pressure is experienced by theinflation valve10. Therupture assembly50 includes arupture retainer body52 having a threadedfastening portion54 thereon for releasably engaging therupture port22. Arupture disc56 is held within therupture port22 by therupture retaining body52. Therupture disc56 is adapted to break under dangerously high pressure conditions to permit pressurized gas to exit therupture retaining body52. Aseal ring58 is captured between therupture disc56 and therupture port22 to prevent leakage of pressurized gas around therupture disc56.
• Anoutlet assembly60 is removably engaged to theoutlet port24 Theoutlet assembly60 is adapted to permit gas flow from theinflation valve10 to an inflatable device (not shown) when theinflation valve10 is activated. The outlet assembly includes anoutlet body62 having a threaded fastening portion64 on one end adapted to releasably secure theoutlet body62 to theoutlet port24. Anoutlet cap66 including aseal ring68 is located on the opposite end of theoutlet body62 from the threaded fastening portion64. Theoutlet cap66 is adapted to connect theoutlet body62 to an inflatable device (not shown).
• Apuncture assembly70 is releasably engaged to thepuncture port26 at thesecond end28 of themain valve body12. Thepuncture assembly70 is adapted to prevent gas flow to theoutlet port24 until theinflation valve10 is activated. Thepuncture assembly70 includes apuncture retainer body72 having a threadedfastening portion74 on one end adapted to releasably secure thepuncture retainer body72 within thepuncture port26 of themain valve body12. Aseal ring76 is located on the opposite end of thepuncture retainer body72 from the threadedfastening portion74. Theseal ring76 is adapted to prevent pressurized gas flow around the outside of thepuncture retaining body72. A slot78 (or a plurality of slots) is located in thepuncture retaining body72 between the threadedfastening portion74 and theseal ring76. Theslot78 is adapted to permit gas flow out a side of thepuncture retaining body72 once theinflation valve10 is activated. Apuncture disc80 is retained within thepuncture port26 by thepuncture retaining body72. Thepuncture disc80 is adapted to prevent gas flow until broken duringinflation valve10 activation. Therupture disc56 andpuncture disc80 are of interchangeable design. Aseal ring82 is located between thepuncture disc80 and thepuncture port26 to prevent leakage of pressurized gas prior to activation of theinflation valve10 and the breaking of thepuncture disc80.
• Apin assembly84 is releasably associated with a threadedfastening portion86 on themain valve body12 at thepuncture port26. Thepin assembly84 is adapted to break thepuncture disc80 when theinflation valve10 is activated. Thepin assembly84 includes apuncture pin88 received within thepuncture retainer body72 and includes aseal ring90 thereon to seal thepuncture pin88 to thepuncture retaining body72. Apin head92 extends toward thepuncture disc80. Thepin head92 is adapted to break thepuncture disc80 when theinflation valve10 is activated. A center bore94 extends through thepin head92 ofpuncture pin88 to permit a path for gas flow through the center bore94 and exiting to theoutlet port24 once theinflation valve10 has been activated. A receivinggroove96 is located on thepuncture pin88. The receivinggroove96 operates in conjunction with therelease assembly22 to receive arelease ball98 of therelease assembly22 locking thepin assembly84 in a pre-activation position until therelease assembly32 is pulled by a user to activate theinflation valve10. Apin retention cap100 is removably fastened to the threadedfastening portion86 of themain valve body12 to secure thepuncture pin88 with in thepuncture retaining body72. A biasingelement102 is secured between thepin retention cap100 and thepuncture pin88 to provide a positive bias force on thepuncture pin88. The positive bias force of thebias element102 is released when therelease assembly22 is pulled away from the receivinggroove96 on thepuncture pin88.
• Therelease assembly32 is retained by thepull cord retainer30 of themain valve body12 adjacent thepuncture pin88. Therelease assembly32 is adapted to permit a user to manually activate theinflation valve10 by releasing thepuncture pin88 to break thepuncture disc80 and permit gas to flow out theoutlet port24. Therelease assembly32 includes aseal portion104 associated with thepull cord retainer30 on themain valve body12 to prevent gas flow out of thepull cord retainer30. Therelease ball98 extends from theseal portion104 and is contained within themain valve body12. Therelease ball98 is adapted to engage the receivinggroove98 on thepuncture pin88 to hold thepuncture pin88 in a non-activated position until a user manually activates therelease assembly32. Apull cord106 extends from theseal portion104 to the exterior of themain valve body12. Thepull cord106 is adapted to permit a user to manually activate theinflation valve10 by disengaging therelease ball98 from the receivinggroove96 on thepuncture pin88, thus releasing thebias element102 and forcing thepin head92 of thepuncture pin88 through thepuncture disc80.
• In another embodiment,multiple outlet ports24,24′ may be located in theside20 ofmain valve body12. (FIG. 2). Therupture assembly50 includes anadditional seal ring107 on therupture retainer body52 to prevent leakage of gas under vacuum from therupture port22. Anadditional seal ring108 is also located between thepin retention cap100 and the threadedfastening portion86 of themain valve body12. Theseal ring108 is adapted to prevent gas from exiting around thepin retention cap100 when theinflation valve10 is activated under vacuum.
• Therelease valve assembly32 ofFIG. 2 includes avacuum retainer110 secured over theseal portion104 to secure theseal portion104 to thepull cord retainer30 of themain valve body12. Avacuum washer112 is sealed between thevacuum retainer110 and thepull cord retainer30. Thevacuum retainer110 andvacuum washer112 are adapted to prevent gas from exiting thepull cord retainer30 of themain valve body12 when theinflation valve10 is activated under vacuum. The rupture assembly includes an additional seal ring on the rupture retainer body to prevent leakage of gas under vacuum.
• It is therefore seen that the present invention will achieve at least all of its stated objectives.

Claims (6)

1.-7. (canceled)

8. An inflation valve, comprising:

a main valve body having an outlet port;

a puncture disc operatively associated with the outlet port to seal the outlet port to gas flow;

a puncture pin adapted to break the puncture disc when the inflation valve is activated;

a rupture port on the main valve body;

a rupture disc operatively associated with the rupture port on the main valve body to seal the rupture port to gas flow, the rupture disc adapted to break under high pressure conditions to permit pressurized gas to exit the rupture port; and

wherein the rupture disc and puncture disc are interchangable.

9. The inflation valve ofclaim 8, further comprising:

a pull cord retainer on the main valve body, the pull cord retainer adapted to receive a release assembly;

the release assembly adapted to permit a user to manually activate the inflation valve by releasing the puncture pin to break the puncture disc, the release assembly comprising:

a vacuum retainer, and

a vacuum washer sealed between the vacuum retainer and the pull cord retainer, wherein the vacuum retainer and vacuum washer are adapted to prevent gas from exiting the pull cord retainer of the main valve body when the inflation valve is activated under vacuum.

10. An inflation valve, comprising:

a main valve body having an outlet port;

a puncture disc operatively associated with the outlet port to seal the outlet port to gas flow;

a puncture pin adapted to break the puncture disc when the inflation valve is activated;

a pull cord retainer on the main valve body, the pull cord retainer adapted to receive a release assembly;

the release assembly adapted to permit a user to manually activate the inflation valve by releasing the puncture pin to break the puncture disc, the release assembly comprising:

a vacuum retainer, and

a vacuum washer sealed between the vacuum retainer and the pull cord retainer, wherein the vacuum retainer and vacuum washer are adapted to prevent gas from exiting the pull cord retainer of the main valve body when the inflation valve is activated under vacuum.

11. The inflation valve ofclaim 10, further comprising:

a puncture retainer body adapted to releasably secure the puncture disc within the main valve body;

a slot located in the puncture retainer body adapted to permit gas flow out of the slot of the puncture retainer body to the outlet port once the puncture disc is broken;

wherein the puncture pin is received within the puncture retainer body and includes a center bore extending through a pin head of puncture pin to permit a gas flow through the center bore to the outlet port once the puncture disc is broken;

a rupture port on the main valve body;

a rupture disc operatively associated with the rupture port on the main valve body to seal the rupture port to gas flow, the rupture disc adapted to break under high pressure conditions to permit pressurized gas to exit the rupture port; and

wherein the rupture disc and puncture disc are interchangeable.

12. (canceled)

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