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A flow control valve is described and which includes a first portion, and a second portion, and wherein the first portion rotates relative to the second portion and wherein the invention further includes a rigid locking member which cooperates with a resilient sealing and biasing member which is car

A flow control valve is described and which includes a first portion, and a second portion, and wherein the first portion rotates relative to the second portion and wherein the invention further includes a rigid locking member which cooperates with a resilient sealing and biasing member which is carried to positions which, on the one hand, either seals the vessel to prevent the escape of fluid from the vessel, or which allows the convenient dispensing of fluid from the vessel.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flow control valve for dispensing a source of fluid, comprising: a source of fluid to be dispensed, and which is enclosed within a vessel having a neck;a first portion of a flow control valve having a main body with a first end which releasably mates with the neck of the vessel, and an opposite

1. A flow control valve for dispensing a source of fluid, comprising: a source of fluid to be dispensed, and which is enclosed within a vessel having a neck;a first portion of a flow control valve having a main body with a first end which releasably mates with the neck of the vessel, and an opposite second end, and wherein the main body further defines a lower, first cavity, and an upper, or second cavity, and wherein the first and second cavities are separated, one from the other by a separation surface, and wherein a first, second and third aperture are formed in the separation surface, and wherein the separation surface further has an elevated region which extends into the lower, first cavity of the first portion of the flow control valve, and wherein the elevated region has a ramp portion which extends downwardly from the elevated region and to the separation surface, and wherein the third aperture formed in the separation surface extends through the elevated region, and wherein the first aperture permits the source of fluid to pass therethrough, and wherein the third aperture permits ambient air to pass into the vessel when the source of fluid is poured from the vessel through the first aperture, and wherein the first portion of the flow control valve further includes a movement limiting member which is mounted on the separation surface, and which extends downwardly into the lower, or first cavity thereof;a rotatable control member having a main body with a top and bottom surface, and further having a peripheral edge, and wherein a fluid dispensing aperture is defined by the main body, and wherein a post extends downwardly from the bottom surface, and is sized so as to be received in, and extend through, the second aperture which is defined by the first portion of the flow control valve, and wherein the main body of the rotatable control member further defines a bottom cavity which matingly receives, at least in part, a portion of the first end of the first portion of the flow control valve, and wherein the bottom surface of the rotatable control member is received, at least in part, within the upper or second cavity of the first portion of the flow control valve, and wherein the rotatable control member coaxially rotates relative to the first portion of the flow control valve, and wherein the source of fluid can flow from the vessel when the fluid dispensing aperture is substantially coaxially aligned with the first aperture which is defined by the first portion of the flow control valve;a rigid locking member which releasably mates and substantially co-rotates with the post, and wherein the first portion of the flow control valve is located therebetween the rigid locking member, and the main body of the rotatable control member, and wherein the rigid locking member defines first, second, and third apertures extending therethrough, and wherein the rigid locking member engages the movement locking member upon rotation of the rotatable control member so as limit the coaxial rotation of the rotatable control member relative to the first portion of the flow control valve; anda resilient sealing and biasing member matingly coupled with, and juxtaposed relative to the rigid locking member, and located therebetween the first portion of the flow control valve, and the rigid locking member, and wherein the resilient sealing and biasing member co-rotates with the rigid locking member, and further exerts a biasing force against the rigid locking member and the separation surface of the first portion of the flow control valve so as resiliently urge the first portion of the flow control valve, and the rotatable control member together, and wherein the resilient sealing and biasing member further defines first, and second, substantially coaxially aligned, upwardly and downwardly extending, resilient fluid blocking members which are individually operable to substantially occlude the first and third apertures which are defined by the first portion of the fluid control valve when the rotatable control member is located in a given orientation relative to the first portion of the flow control valve. 2. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the rigid locking member has a main body with a first and second end, and a central region located between the opposite first and second ends, and wherein the first aperture of the rigid locking member is formed in the first end; the second aperture of the rigid locking member is formed in the central region; and the third aperture of the rigid locking member is formed in the second end thereof. 3. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the resilient sealing and biasing member further includes an engagement member which extends downwardly relative to the second end thereof, and which is received in, and substantially occludes, the third aperture of the rigid locking member, and wherein the second, downwardly extending, blocking member of the resilient sealing and biasing member is received in, and substantially occludes the first aperture of the rigid locking member. 4. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 3, and wherein the resilient sealing and biasing member further has a central aperture formed therein, and wherein the central aperture is substantially coaxially aligned relative to the third aperture formed in the central region of the rigid locking member, and wherein the resilient sealing and biasing member has an annular shaped biasing portion which is coaxially aligned with the central aperture, and which extends upwardly relative to the resilient sealing and biasing member, and which further is operable to engage the separation surface in the region of the second aperture formed in the separation surface so as to simultaneously provide a biasing force which urges together the first portion of the flow control valve and the rotatable control member, and which further inhibits the source of fluid contained in the vessel from passing through the second aperture formed in the separation surface. 5. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 4, and wherein the post of the rotatable control member has a distal end which includes at least one radially extending locking lug which forcibly engages the rigid locking member, and wherein the third aperture of the rigid locking member is shaped so as to allow the distal end of the post, including the radially extending locking lug, to pass therethrough, and wherein rotation of the rigid locking member relative to the post causes the locking lug to forcibly engage the rigid locking member. 6. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the rigid locking member further includes at least one movement limiting race which is mounted in spaced relation relative to the second aperture thereof, and wherein the movement limiting race is arcuately shaped, and has a proximal, and a distal end, and wherein a stop member is made integral with the distal end of the movement limiting race , and wherein the radially extending locking lug cooperatively engages and moves along the movement limiting race when the rigid locking member is rotated relative to the post, and the locking lug engages the stop member to prohibit further rotation of the rotatable locking member relative to the post. 7. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the peripheral edge of the rotatable control member is elevated so as to define an upper cavity, and wherein an operator engagement member is made integral with the peripheral edge of the rotatable control member and which receives force applied by the operator so as to rotate the rotatable control member along a path of travel between a first and second position, and wherein, in the first position, the fluid dispensing aperture of the rotatable control member is substantially coaxially aligned with the first aperture formed in the first portion of the flow control valve, and the rigid locking member is simultaneously rotated to a position where the first and second ends thereof do not occlude the first and the third apertures which are defined by the first portion of the fluid control valve, and wherein, in the first position, the source of fluid in the vessel may pass from the vessel through the coaxially aligned first aperture of the first portion, and the fluid dispensing aperture of the rotatable control member, and wherein, in the second position, the fluid dispensing aperture of the rotatable control member, and the first aperture of the first portion of the flow control valve are not coaxially aligned, and the rigid locking member is rotated to a position where the first and second ends thereof carry the resilient sealing and biasing member to an orientation where the resilient sealing and biasing member simultaneously occludes the first and third apertures which are defined by the first portion of the flow control valve, and thereby impedes the release of the source of fluid from the vessel. 8. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 7, and wherein the post has a pair of locking lugs extending radially outwardly relative to the distal end thereof, and wherein the rotatable locking member includes a pair of movement limiting races which are operable to matingly cooperate with the pair of locking lugs. 9. A flow control valve as claimed in claim 8, and wherein the path of travel of the rotatable control member is defined by the engagement of the rotatable locking member with the movement limiting member which is mounted on the separation surface, and the elevated region, and wherein in the first position the first end of rigid locking member rests thereagainst the movement limiting member, and wherein in the second position, the second end of the rotatable control member is located in covering relation relative to the elevated region.