IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0821756
(2010-06-23)
|
등록번호 |
US-9022051
(2015-05-05)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
A valve for an inflatable device includes a first region configured to seal to a fluid impermeable wall of a bladder of the inflatable device, a cap including a rim, and a seal. The base includes a second region that defines an orifice for exhausting fluid from an interior of the inflatable device,
A valve for an inflatable device includes a first region configured to seal to a fluid impermeable wall of a bladder of the inflatable device, a cap including a rim, and a seal. The base includes a second region that defines an orifice for exhausting fluid from an interior of the inflatable device, the second region configured to provide a sealing surface. Further, the rim can include a generally circular peripheral region including at least one rib located about an underside of the peripheral region and a cavity defined in part by at least one wall located radially inward of the rib. The seal can include a first end region secured to the cap within the cavity between the at least one wall and the at least one rib and a second end region configured to freely move with the at least one first end region secured to the cap.
대표청구항
▼
1. A valve for an inflatable device, the inflatable device shaped and configured to support at least a portion of a user, the valve comprising: a base including a first region configured to seal to a fluid impermeable wall of a bladder of the inflatable device, the base further including a second re
1. A valve for an inflatable device, the inflatable device shaped and configured to support at least a portion of a user, the valve comprising: a base including a first region configured to seal to a fluid impermeable wall of a bladder of the inflatable device, the base further including a second region that defines an orifice for exhausting fluid from an interior of the inflatable device, the second region configured to provide a sealing surface;a cap including a rim, the rim including a generally circular peripheral region including at least one rib located about an underside of the peripheral region and a cavity defined in part by at least one wall located radially inward of the rib;a seal including a first end region secured to the cap within the cavity between the at least one wall and the at least one rib, wherein the at least one rib abuts the first end region of the seal and a second end region of the seal is configured to freely move with the at least one first end region of the seal being secured to the cap within the cavity;wherein the second end region of the seal is configured to press into engagement with the sealing surface to produce a force between the second end region of the seal and at least one of the base and the cap that is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the orifice when the cap is secured to the base to provide a fluid tight seal. 2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the valve is configured for inflation of the inflatable device using an inflation device. 3. The valve of claim 2, wherein the base is configured to engage the inflation device including at least one of a pump configured to be close-coupled to the base. 4. The valve of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall includes a region that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis when the cap is secured to the base to provide the fluid-tight seal, and wherein the force occurs at least between the seal and the region of the wall that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis. 5. The valve of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a first arcuate surface and a second arcuate located on opposing sides of the seal, and wherein each first arcuate surface and the second arcuate surface extend from the first end region to the second end region. 6. The valve of claim 5, wherein the first arcuate surface includes a first generally convex shape and the second arcuate surface includes a second generally concave shape. 7. The valve of claim 6, wherein the seal and the base are configured such that the second end region and the first arcuate surface provide a fluid-tight seal with the sealing surface of the base when the cap is secured to the base. 8. The valve of claim 1, wherein the peripheral region includes an underside, and wherein the rim includes a plurality of ribs located about the underside of the peripheral region. 9. The valve of claim 8, further comprising at least one slot located in the peripheral region. 10. The valve of claim 9, wherein the at least one slot includes a plurality of slots. 11. The valve of claim 10, wherein the first end region includes a plurality of projections and a plurality of gaps, and wherein adjacent projections included in the plurality of projections are separated by a gap included in the plurality of gaps, respectively. 12. The valve of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of projections is configured to be secured between a corresponding slot included in the plurality of slots and a corresponding rib included in the plurality of ribs, respectively. 13. The valve of claim 12, wherein the seal includes a generally circular shape. 14. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first region includes a flange configured to heat seal to the fluid impermeable wall of the inflatable device, wherein the first region is included in a first component,wherein the second region is included in a second component, andwherein the base is constructed by over molding a plurality of components including the first component and the second component to form a single over-molded piece. 15. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first end and the second end are separated by a first distance with the valve fully open, and wherein the seal is configured to deform such that the first end and the second end are separated by a second distance that is less than the first distance when the cap is secured to the base to provide a fluid-tight seal. 16. The valve of claim 15, wherein the seal includes at least one spine, and wherein the seal is configured to fold along the spine to reduce a distance between the first end and the second end when the cap is secured to the base. 17. The valve of claim 1, wherein the inflatable device includes a mattress and a fluid controller included therein. 18. The valve of claim 17, wherein the valve is included in the fluid controller. 19. The valve of claim 18, wherein the fluid controller is recessed within a profile of the bladder. 20. The valve of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to heat seal to the fluid impermeable wall. 21. The valve of claim 1, wherein the valve is a large-orifice exhaust valve with an orifice-diameter of at least three inches. 22. The valve of claim 21, wherein the base and the cap are configured to be secured to one another in a fluid-tight arrangement via at least one of a full set of threads, a partial set of threads and a bayonet mount. 23. The valve of claim 22, wherein the seal is configured to allow a deformation of the second end region between the sealing surface and the at least one wall. 24. The valve of claim 23, wherein the base and cap are secured together to provide the fluid-tight seal using a rotational force that is at least 25% less than a rotational force required to close a conventional large-orifice exhaust valve that is configured to compress a gasket in an axial direction to close the conventional exhaust valve. 25. A method of sealing an orifice of an inflatable body support device using a valve having a cap and a base, the method comprising: providing the cap of the valve with at least one rib located about an underside of a peripheral region the cap and at least one wall located radially inward of the at least one rib to define a cavity between the at least one rib and the least one wall, the cavity being disposed radially inward of the at least one rib;providing a seal of the valve, the seal including a first end region of the seal secured to the cap and a second end region of the seal configured to freely move with the first end region of the seal secured to the cap, wherein the first end of the seal is secured to the cap within the cavity between the at least one rib and the at least one wall so that the at least one rib abuts the first end region of the seal;forming a fluid-tight seal with at least one sealing force on the second end region of the seal that is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the orifice by attaching the cap to the base to deform the second end region of the seal to form the fluid-tight seal between the cap and the seal. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one sealing force further includes a sealing force between the first end region of the seal and the cap that is in a substantially axial direction. 27. The valve of claim 25, wherein the act of forming the fluid-tight seal includes deforming the second end region of the seal by contacting the second end region of the seal solely with a sealing surface included in the base. 28. The valve of claim 25, wherein the the method further comprises: securing the base and the cap together to provide the fluid-tight seal using a rotational force that is at least 25% less than a rotational force required to close a conventional large-orifice exhaust valve that is configured to compress a gasket in an axial direction to close the conventional exhaust valve.
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