Claims
- 1. A check valve device for mounting in process piping systems which allows fluid flow in an upstream-to-downstream direction and prevents fluid flow in the opposite downstream-to-upstream direction, the valve device comprising:
a rigid plate including an outer circumferential edge, an upstream face, a downstream face, and a port through said plate extended between said faces; and a body including a gasket, a plug, and a retaining means flexibly interconnecting between said gasket and said plug, said gasket having a groove for receiving said edge of said rigid plate, said gasket further being adapted to seal between a pair of mating pipe flanges, said plug being adapted to seal said port when retained against said downstream face of said rigid plate, said retaining means guiding the movement of said plug outwardly from and inwardly towards said downstream face of said rigid plate, said retaining means further being adapted to retain said plug against said downstream face of said rigid plate to seal said port, said retaining means creating a plurality of flow paths through which fluid passes around said plug when said plug is pushed away from said downstream face by fluid flowing in the upstream-to-downstream direction.
- 2. The check valve device of claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises at least three flexible arms and an equal number of said flow paths interposed between said arms.
- 3. The check valve device of claim 2, wherein each said flexible arm optionally includes an embedded spring means.
- 4. The check valve device of claim 3, wherein said plug optionally includes an embedded core.
- 5. The check valve device of claim 4, wherein said downstream face of said rigid plate is beveled around the perimeter of said port to create a valve seat, and said plug is adapted to mate with said valve seat.
- 6. The check valve device of claim 5, wherein said downstream face of said rigid plate is tapered from said edge towards said port and said upstream face of said rigid plate is tapered from said edge towards said port, so that said rigid plate is thinner at said port and thicker at said outer edge.
- 7. The check valve device of claim 6, additionally including at least one orientation tab integrally connected to said gasket of said body and extending outwardly between the mating pipe flanges and further extending in the downstream direction, each said orientation tab being connected to said gasket opposite from one of said flow paths interposed between any two of said flexible arms, midway between the position of said arms.
- 8. The check valve device of claim 7, wherein said port has a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the pipe into which said valve device is installed.
- 9. The check valve device of claim 8, wherein the quantity of said flexible arms is four.
- 10. The check valve device of claim 8, wherein the quantity of said flexible arms is three.
- 11. The check valve device of claim 7, wherein said port is of ovalized shape having a minor axis smaller than, and a major axis equal to, the inside diameter of the pipe into which said valve device is installed.
- 12. The check valve device of claim 11, having an even quantity of said flexible arms symmetrically positioned about the major axis of said plug and further having no more than two said orientation tabs, wherein each said orientation tab is connected to said gasket opposite the flow path aligned with the major axis of said plug.
- 13. The check valve device of claim 12, wherein the quantity of said flexible arms is four.
- 14. A check valve device for mounting in process piping systems which allows fluid flow in an upstream-to-downstream direction and prevents fluid flow in the opposite downstream-to-upstream direction, the valve device comprising:
an upstream pipe flange with a downstream face including a gasket sealing portion and a port; a downstream pipe flange with an upstream face including a gasket sealing portion; and a body including a gasket, a plug, and a retaining means flexibly interconnecting between said gasket and said plug, said gasket being adapted to seal between said gasket sealing portion of said downstream face of said upstream flange and said gasket sealing portion of said upstream face of said downstream flange, said plug being adapted to seal said port when retained against said downstream face of said upstream flange, said retaining means guiding the movement of said plug outwardly from and inwardly towards said downstream face of said upstream flange, said retaining means further being adapted to retain said plug against said downstream face of said upstream flange to seal said port, said retaining means creating a plurality of flow paths through which fluid passes around said plug when said plug is pushed away from said downstream face by fluid flowing in the upstream-to-downstream direction.
- 15. The check valve device of claim 14, wherein said retaining means comprises at least three flexible arms and an equal number of said flow paths interposed between said arms.
- 16. The check valve device of claim 15, wherein each said flexible arm optionally includes an embedded spring means.
- 17. The check valve device of claim 16, wherein said plug optionally includes an embedded core.
- 18. The check valve device of claim 17, wherein said downstream face of said upstream flange is beveled around the perimeter of said port to create a valve seat, and said plug is adapted to mate with said valve seat.
- 19. The check valve device of claim 18, wherein said downstream face of said upstream flange is tapered from said gasket sealing portion towards said port, so that said valve seat is recessed slightly with respect to said gasket sealing portion of said upstream flange.
- 20. The check valve device of claim 19, additionally including at least one orientation tab integrally connected to said gasket of said body and extending outwardly between said mating upstream and downstream flanges and also extending in the downstream direction, each said orientation tab being connected to said gasket opposite from a flow path interposed between any two of said flexible arms, midway between the position of said arms.
- 21. The check valve device of claim 20, wherein said port has a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the upstream pipe into which said upstream flange of said valve device is installed.
- 22. The check valve device of claim 20, wherein said port has a diameter equal to the inside diameter of the upstream pipe into which said upstream flange of said valve device is installed.
- 23. The check valve device of claim 22, wherein said downstream flange includes an eccentric reducer fitting adapted to allow said valve device to be drainable in a horizontal mounting position with a downward pitch.
- 24. The check valve device of claim 22, wherein said downstream flange includes a concentric reducer fitting adapted to allow said valve device to be drainable in a vertical mounting position.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application No. 60/477,193 which was filed on Jun. 10, 2003.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60477193 |
Jun 2003 |
US |