Vacuum demand flow valve

Abstract

A valve is disclosed for dispensing a flowable material. The valve has a first chamber ( 40 ) at a first pressure wherein said first chamber ( 40 ) defines an outlet ( 28 ) in communication with said first chamber ( 40 ). A second chamber ( 42 ) is at a second pressure. The valve has a stop ( 18 ) indexed against a third pressure, operating to selectively place the first chamber ( 40 ) into communication with the second chamber ( 42 ). The stop ( 18 ) is operative to connect the second chamber ( 42 ) to said first chamber ( 40 ) when the first pressure is less than the third pressure.

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       17 . A valve comprising: 
 a housing defining a passageway having an outlet for a flowable material to pass therethrough and a member associated with said outlet independently providing a force to keep said passageway closed in any orientation,    the passageway having a first volume when in a first position wherein the flowable material is not allowed to pass through the passageway, and the passageway having a second volume less than the first volume when in a second position, said second position allowing the flowable material to pass through the passageway, wherein the passageway is moveable from the first position to the second position.    
   
   
       18 . The valve of  claim 17  and a volume transition in said passageway between said second position and said first position causing said flowable material to retreat into said passageway.  
   
   
       19 . The valve of  claim 18  wherein said volume transition causes said flowable material to retreat from said outlet.  
   
   
       20 . The valve of  claim 19  wherein said retreat from said outlet being operative to retain said fluid in said passageway.  
   
   
       21 . The valve of  claim 17  and the housing having a port member, said port member defining an external opening in communication with the passageway wherein the port member is adapted to actuate said valve from said first position to said second position.  
   
   
       22 . The valve of  claim 17  wherein the passageway is moved from the first position to the second position by a pressure applied to the passageway.  
   
   
       23 . The valve of  claim 22  and said pressure applied to said passageway being a partial vacuum.  
   
   
       24 . The valve of  claim 23  wherein, when said partial vacuum is applied, a force is applied to a member associated with said housing in a first direction in response to the partial vacuum thereby placing the passageway in the second position.  
   
   
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       26 . The valve of  claim 23  wherein said partial vacuum is applied by the mouth of a user.  
   
   
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       28 . The valve of  claim 21  wherein the port member has an orifice.  
   
   
       29 . The valve of  claim 28  wherein the orifice is sized such that surface tension associated with the flowable substance across the orifice prevents the flowable substance located within the passageway from passing through the orifice when the partial vacuum is removed from the passageway.  
   
   
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       31 . A valve comprising: 
 a housing defining a passageway between an outlet opening and an inner opening, and a member associated with said outlet opening and being deflectable from a first position to a second position associated with said housing; and    a stop connected to the deflectable member, the stop having a plug extensive to seal said inner opening, said seal occurring at the inner opening from a side opposite of said outlet opening;    wherein when the deflectable member is in the first position, said member independently provides a force to place the stop in sealing contact with the inner opening to close the inner opening in any orientation, and when the deflectable member is in the second position, the stop is spaced from the inner opening to open the inner opening.    
   
   
       32 . The valve of  claim 31  and said stop passing through said inner opening and said plug radially extensive from said stop sized to close said inner opening.  
   
   
       33 . The valve according to  claim 31  and said valve having an upstream side and a downstream side wherein said plug is located toward said upstream side from said stop.  
   
   
       34 . The valve of  claim 31  wherein the housing comprises a port member defining the outlet opening.  
   
   
       35 . The valve of  claim 31  wherein the deflectable member comprises a diaphragm.  
   
   
       36 . The valve of  claim 35  wherein the stop is connected to the diaphragm and extends through the inner opening.  
   
   
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       38 . The valve of  claim 31  wherein the stop member has a plunger having a plug at a distal end, the plug positioned at the inner opening to close the inner opening.  
   
   
       39 . The valve of  claim 31  and said member serving to bias said stop to said first position.  
   
   
       40 . The valve of  claim 38  wherein the plunger has a resilient member engaging a surface of the housing to bias the plug against the inner opening.  
   
   
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       60 . A container capable of dispensing a flowable material, the container comprising: 
 a container wall defining a first chamber adapted to hold a flowable material, the container wall defining an opening;    a valve defining a second chamber, the valve having an outlet and a valve member;    the valve member being positioned in the opening and independently providing a force to keep said valve closed in any orientation, the valve being moveable from a closed position to an open position when the second chamber is subjected to a pressure less than ambient pressure wherein the flowable material flows from the first chamber, through the opening and through the outlet.    
   
   
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       66 . A valve comprising: 
 a housing defining a passageway between an outlet opening and an inlet opening for a flowable material to pass therethrough, the housing having an internal wall dividing the passageway into a first chamber and a second chamber, the internal wall having an inner opening communicating the first chamber and the second chamber, the housing having an annular rim defining an aperture in communication with the first chamber;    a diaphragm connected to the annular rim;    a stop connected to the diaphragm, the stop passing through the internal opening and having a flange in the second chamber, the flange in sealing contact with the inner opening;    the diaphragm being deflectable from a first position to a second position, wherein when the deflectable member is in the first position, the diaphragm independently provides a biasing force to place the stop in sealing contact with the inner opening to close the inner opening, and when the diaphragm member is in the second position, the stop is spaced from the inner opening to open the inner opening wherein the flowable material is allowed to pass through the passageway.    
   
   
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       83 . A method of delivering a flowable material from a container through a valve positioned in an opening of the container and in fluid communication with an outlet, the method comprising: 
 wherein the valve has an upstream side, placing said flowable material in communication with said upstream side of said valve;    wherein said valve is indexed to a first pressure and said valve independently provides a bias to keep said valve closed in any orientation and said valve has an outlet distal from said upstream side, applying a pressure to said outlet less than said first pressure to open said valve.    
   
   
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       91 . A method of delivering a flowable material, the method comprising: 
 providing a housing defining a passageway between a first opening and a second opening, a portion of the housing being flexible from a first position to a second position;    providing a stop member connected to the housing portion, wherein when the housing portion is in the first position, the housing portion independently provides a force to the stop member to close the second opening by sealing the second opening from a side opposite to the passageway in any orientation, and when the housing portion is in the second position, the stop member is spaced from the second opening to open the second opening; and    applying a vacuum through the passageway moving said housing portion from said first position to said second position under influence of said vacuum.    
   
   
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       94 . A valve comprising a member independently providing a first force operative to keep said valve closed, and a valve seat defined by an inner opening of said valve for sealing abutment with said member, and a first pressure associated with said valve, said member being sensitive to an index pressure; and an outlet at a second pressure, wherein the inner opening is sealed by said member from a side opposite to the outlet when said valve is closed, said index pressure providing a second force in opposition to said first force when a differential between said second pressure and said index pressure is provided to said member; and opening the valve when said second pressure is sufficiently less than the index pressure to overcome the first force.  
   
   
       95 . A valve comprising: 
 a member independently providing a first force operative to keep said valve closed and a first pressure associated with said valve, said member being sensitive to an index pressure; and    an outlet at a second pressure, said index pressure providing a second force in opposition to said first force when a differential between said second pressure and said index pressure is provided to said member, and opening the valve when said second pressure is sufficiently less than the index pressure to overcome the first force, the valve being in communication with a fluid source wherein opening said valve displaces said member in a direction towards the fluid source.    
   
   
       96 . A valve comprising: 
 a housing defining a passageway between an outlet opening and an inner opening, and a member associated with said outlet opening and being deflectable from a first position to a second position associated with said housing; and,    a stop connected to the deflectable member, wherein when the deflectable member is in the first position, said member independently provides a force to place the stop in sealing contact with the inner opening to closed the inner opening, the stop being in fluid communication with a fluid source, wherein when the deflectable member is moved to the second position, the stop is spaced from the inner opening in a direction towards the fluid source.