Relief port

Abstract

A relief port ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 20 ) adapted to mount in a wall ( 12 ) of an enclosure to provide flow passage through the wall between a first environment within the enclosure and a second environment external of the enclosure, and a valve assembly ( 50 ) associated with the housing. The valve assembly ( 50 ) has a base member ( 30 ) that extends across the flow passage and a valve member operatively associated with the base member. At least one flow port ( 35 ) is provided in the base member. The valve member has a resilient valve cover ( 52 ) and a valve stem ( 54 ) that mounts to the base member ( 30 ). The resilient valve cover ( 52 ) is responsive to a pressure differential between the first environment and the second environment acting across the valve cover. The resilient valve cover ( 52 ) closes the flow port to flow through the at least one flow port ( 35 ) whenever the pressure within the first environment is equal to or above the pressure within the second environment. Whenever the pressure within the first environment drops below the pressure within the second environment, the resilient valve cover ( 52 ) flexes away from the flow port to open the flow port to flow through the flow passage.

1 . A relief port for placement in a wall of an enclosure separating a first environment within the enclosure from a second environment external of the enclosure, said relief port comprising: 
 a housing adapted to be mounted in the wall of said enclosure and defining a passage to provide flow communication through the wall between the first environment and the second environment;    a valve assembly associated with said housing, said valve assembly having a base member extending across said passage and having a flow port therein, and a valve member having a resilient valve cover and a stem extending therefrom, said said mounted to said base member, said resilient cover portion flexing open and close in responsive to pressure differential across said valve member between a first position closing the flow port and a second position opening the flow port to flow through the flow passage.    
   
   
       2 . A relief port according to  claim 1  wherein said valve member comprises an umbrella valve.  
   
   
       3 . A relief port according to  claim 1  wherein said valve member comprises a duckbill valve.  
   
   
       4 . A relief port as recited in  claim 1  wherein said port in said valve member comprises a plurality of openings therethrough.  
   
   
       5 . A relief port as recited in  claim 1  wherein said base member comprises an end cap on one end of said housing, said end cap adapted to seal against the wall of said enclosure.  
   
   
       6 . A relief port as recited in  claim 1  wherein said housing comprises a first section and a second section, said first section telescopicly mating with said second section.  
   
   
       7 . A relief port as recited in  claim 6  wherein said first section of said housing has an end cap having at least one flow port provided therein and said second section of said housing has an end cap having at least one flow port provided therein, each of said end caps adapted to seal against the wall of said enclosure.  
   
   
       8 . A relief port for placement in a wall of a freezer compartment to provide flow communication through the wall between the interior of the compartment and the exterior of the compartment, said relief port comprising: 
 a housing adapted to be mounted in the wall of the compartment, said housing having a first end cap having a first tubular section extending axially therefrom and a second end cap having a second tubular section extending axially therefrom, the first and second tubular sections of said housing mating to define a flow passage providing flow communication through the wall between the interior and the exterior of the compartment;    at least one flow port opening through said first end cap to provide flow communication between the interior of the compartment and said flow passage;    at least one flow port opening through said second end cap to provide flow communication between the exterior of the compartment and said flow passageway; and    a valve assembly associated with said housing, said valve assembly having a base member extending across said passage and having a flow port therein, and a valve member having a resilient valve cover and a stem extending therefrom, said stem mounted to said base member, said resilient cover portion flexing open and close in responsive to pressure differential across said valve member between a first position closing the flow port and a second position opening the flow port to flow through the flow passage.