Valves With Reduced Grommet Height

Abstract

The invention concerns an improvement to the design of a tilting/gun valve, more particularly regarding the problem of sticking/blocking. The valve comprises a cup ( 5 ), a stem ( 10 ) with an enlarged circular base ( 21 ) end extending perpendicularly and, therebetween, a grommet ( 22 ) made of an elastomer polymer. The grommet ( 22 ) is provided with a flat lower surface extending essentially on all the flat upper surface of the enlarged base of the stem to secure the sealing effect. The grommet ( 22 ) height H below the cup is less than 4 mm.

1 . A tilting/gun valve comprising a cup, a stem with an enlarged circular base end extending perpendicularly and, therebetween, a grommet made of an elastomer polymer wherein the grommet is provided with a flat inner surface extending essentially on all the flat upper surface of the enlarged base of the stem to secure the sealing effect wherein the grommet's height H of the inner surface is less than 4 mm.  
     
     
         2 . A valve according to  claim 1  wherein the height H is less than 3 mm.  
     
     
         3 . A valve according to  claim 1  wherein the height H is less than 2 mm.  
     
     
         4 . A tilting/gun valve according to  claim 1  wherein the mathematical product of the grommet's height H and the ratio of diameter of the cup hole/diameter of the stem bottom, is smaller than 2.8.  
     
     
         5 . A valve according to  claim 1  wherein the ratio is smaller than 2.  
     
     
         6 . A tilting/gun valve according to  claim 1  wherein the mathematical product of the grommet's height H and the ratio of diameter of the grommet base/diameter of the stem bottom, is smaller than 5.  
     
     
         7 . A valve according to  claim 6  wherein the ratio is smaller than 4.  
     
     
         8 . A tilting/gun valve according to  claim 1  wherein the elastomer polymer is a hydrophobic or hydrophylic, thermoplastic or non thermoplastic elastomer polymer.  
     
     
         9 . A grommet made of an elastomer polymer for a tilting/gun valve provided, the grommet being provided with a flat lower surface able to extend essentially on all the flat upper surface of the enlarged base of a corresponding stem, the lower surface having a thickness of less than 4 mm, preferably less than 3 mm.