초록 ▼

A valve includes a body; a liquid flow passage defined in the body and including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a vent passage defined in the body and including an air inlet and an air outlet; a valve seat defined in the liquid flow passage; a liquid seal located adjacent the valve seat; a stem

A valve includes a body; a liquid flow passage defined in the body and including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a vent passage defined in the body and including an air inlet and an air outlet; a valve seat defined in the liquid flow passage; a liquid seal located adjacent the valve seat; a stem connected to the liquid seal and extending in the liquid flow passage away from the liquid seal through an aperture defined in the body. The stem includes a distal end located external to the body. The stem is movable to and from a first position where the liquid seal is mated with the valve seat and a second position where the liquid seal is unseated from the valve seat. An actuator is connected to the distal end of the stem. The actuator is selectively movable to move the stem from the first position to the second position. A check-valve is adapted to block flow of liquid from the air outlet to the air inlet in the vent passage, and to allow flow of air from the air inlet to the air outlet in said vent passage. The valve optionally further includes a surge control device and/or a keeper for the check-valve seal.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A valve comprising: a body; a liquid flow passage defined in said body and including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a vent passage defined in said body and including an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein said air outlet of said vent passage is defined in a check-

The invention claimed is: 1. A valve comprising: a body; a liquid flow passage defined in said body and including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a vent passage defined in said body and including an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein said air outlet of said vent passage is defined in a check-valve base by at least one air outlet aperture; a valve seat defined in said liquid flow passage; a liquid seal located adjacent said valve seat; a stem connected to said liquid seal and extending in said liquid flow passage away from said liquid seal through an aperture defined in said body, said stem comprising a distal end located external to said body, wherein said stem is movable to and from a first position where said liquid seal is mated with said valve seat and a second position where said liquid seal is unseated from said valve seat; an actuator connected to said distal end of said stem, said actuator selectively movable to move said stem from said first position to said second position; a check-valve adapted to block flow of liquid from said air outlet to said air inlet in said vent passage, and to allow flow of air from said air inlet to said air outlet in said vent passage, wherein said check-valve comprises a check-valve seal that normally blocks said at least one air outlet aperture and that is movable to a position where said at least one air outlet aperture is open in response to air flow in said vent passage from said air inlet toward said at least one air outlet aperture; a check-valve seal keeper operatively connected to and movable with said stem, wherein said check-valve seal keeper is engaged with said check-valve seal when said stem is located in said first position and disengaged from said check-valve seal when said stem is moved to said second position. 2. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said valve seat is located between said liquid inlet and said liquid outlet in said liquid flow passage. 3. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein stem and liquid seal are defined together as a one-piece molded polymeric construction. 4. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liquid flow passage and said vent passage are completely isolated from each other. 5. The valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a drip-control flap disposed in covering relation with said liquid outlet and selectively manually movable to a position away from said liquid outlet to dispense liquid. 6. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises a molded polymeric button connected to said body, said button arranged in an extended condition when said stem is located in said first position and that is resiliently deformable to a depressed condition to move said stem to said second position. 7. The valve as set forth in claim 6, wherein said actuator is defined as a one-piece molded resilient polymeric member including a hollow cup-like interior defined by an outer wall that is received in a mating groove defined by said body, wherein said outer wall normally resiliently biases said actuator to said extended condition. 8. The valve as set forth in claim 7, wherein said body defines a recess in communication with said aperture through which said stem projects, and wherein said actuator defines a hub that is closely slidably received in said recess when said actuator is depressed and resiliently deformed into said depressed condition. 9. The valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a spring that operatively connects said actuator button to said stem, wherein said spring resiliently absorbs some initial movement of said actuator until said actuator and stem become engaged and move as a unit. 10. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said check-valve seal keeper comprises: a keeper arm having a first portion that projects axially inward from said liquid seal through said inlet of said liquid flow passage, and a second portion that projects transversely from said first portion of said arm. 11. The valve as set forth in claim 10, wherein said stem, said liquid seal and said first portion of said keeper arm are defined together as a one-piece molded polymeric construction. 12. The valve as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second portion of said keeper arm is prevented from rotating relative to said body to maintain alignment between said second portion of said keeper arm and said check-valve seal. 13. The valve as set forth in claim 12, wherein said check-valve base comprises first and second tabs between which said second portion of said keeper arm is slidably located, wherein said first and second tabs prevent rotation of said second portion of said keeper arm relative to said body. 14. The valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said check-valve seal comprises an umbrella-shaped body comprising: (i) a stem that is anchored in an anchoring aperture defined in the check-valve base; and, (ii) a seal body connected to said stem, said seal body defining a resilient umbrella-like structure including a concavity oriented toward the check-valve base, wherein said seal body includes a peripheral edge that mates with the check-valve base and covers said at least one air outlet aperture, and wherein said seal body is resiliently deformable to lift said peripheral edge away from said check-valve base in response to air flowing from said air inlet through said vent passage and said at least one air outlet aperture. 15. The valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a nut adapted for threaded connection to an associated container outlet. 16. The valve as set forth in claim 15, wherein said nut is defined as a one-piece construction with said body. 17. A valve comprising: a body; a liquid flow passage defined in said body and including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet; a vent passage defined in said body and including an air inlet and an air outlet; a valve seat defined in said liquid flow passage; a liquid seal located adjacent said valve seat; a stem connected to said liquid seal and extending in said liquid flow passage away from said liquid seal through an aperture defined in said body. said stem comprising a distal end located external to said body. wherein said stem is movable to and from a first position where said liquid seal is mated with said valve seat and a second position where said liquid seal is unseated from said valve seat; an actuator connected to said distal end of said stem, said actuator selectively movable to move said stem from said first position to said second position; a check-valve adapted to block flow of liquid from said air outlet to said air inlet in said vent passage, and to allow flow of air from said air inlet to said air outlet in said vent passage; a surge control device separate from the liquid seal and adapted to impede flow of liquid from said liquid inlet to said liquid outlet in response to an initial surge of liquid moving from said liquid inlet toward said liquid outlet when said liquid seal is unseated from said valve seat. 18. The valve as set forth in claim 17, wherein said surge control device comprises: a diffuser that spans said liquid passage and that defines at least one flow passage therethrough; and, a movable element that is normally spaced from said diffuser and that is adapted to move adjacent to said diffuser to occlude said at least one flow passage in response to said initial surge of liquid. 19. The valve as set forth in claim 18, wherein said surge control device comprises a spring that biases said movable element away from said diffuser. 20. The valve as set forth in claim 18, wherein said movable element comprises first and second wings of a butterfly baffle element, said butterfly baffle element further comprising a base connected to said diffuser, wherein said first and second wings are curled outwardly away from said diffuser and are resiliently deformable into abutment with said diffuser.