Check valve with plastic lip seal

Abstract

A check valve is provided having a seat and a poppet. The seat is made of a plastic material, has an aperture for enabling fluid to flow through the seat, and also has one end portion that has a circumferential edge with a thin sealing lip. The poppet is slidably arranged in the aperture of the seat and has an elastic member. The poppet is configured for opening to enable fluid to flow in one direction when fluid pressure is detected. The elastic member is configured for ensuring sealing between an outer surface of the poppet and the thin sealing lip of the seat when there is no fluid flow in the one direction so as to substantially prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the thin plastic sealing lip may have a thickness of about 0.01″ Embodiments are also envisioned where the thickness may be in a range of 0.003″-0.03″.

1 . A check valve comprising:
 a seat being made of a plastic material, having an aperture for enabling fluid to flow through the seat, and also having one end portion that has a circumferential edge with a thin sealing lip formed thereon; and   a poppet being slidably arranged in the aperture of the seat and having an elastic member, the poppet configured for opening to enable fluid to flow in one direction when fluid pressure is detected, and the elastic member configured for ensuring sealing between an outer circumferential surface of the poppet and the thin sealing lip of the seat when there is no fluid flow in the one direction so as to substantially prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction.   
   
   
       2 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material is polypropylene. 
   
   
       3 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the thin sealing lip has a thickness of about 0.01″, where the thickness is measured in terms of the sealing material on the circumferential edge that physically contacts the outer circumferential surface of the poppet. 
   
   
       4 . A check valve according to  claim 3 , wherein the thin sealing lip has a thickness in a range of 0.003″-0.03″. 
   
   
       5 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the thin sealing lip couples in a sealing manner with a circumferential curved outer surface of the poppet. 
   
   
       6 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is a spring. 
   
   
       7 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the poppet has a cavity for receiving the elastic member. 
   
   
       8 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is configured between the seat and the poppet for urging the poppet when no fluid flows in the one direction. 
   
   
       9 . A check valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the thin sealing lip is curved. 
   
   
       10 . A pump comprising:
 one or more check valves, each having   a seat being made of a plastic material, having an aperture for enabling fluid to flow through the seat, and also having one end portion that has a circumferential edge with a thin sealing lip; and   a poppet being slidably arranged in the aperture of the seat and having an elastic member, the poppet configured for opening to enable fluid to flow in one direction when fluid pressure is detected, and the elastic member configured for ensuring sealing between an outer circumferential surface of the poppet and the thin sealing lip of the seat when there is no fluid flow in the one direction so as to substantially prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction.   
   
   
       11 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the plastic material is polypropylene. 
   
   
       12 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the thin sealing lip has a thickness of about 0.01″, where the thickness is measured in terms of the sealing material on the circumferential edge that physically contacts the outer circumferential surface of the poppet. 
   
   
       13 . A pump according to claim  30 , wherein the thin sealing lip has a thickness in a range of 0.003″-0.03″. 
   
   
       14 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the thin sealing lip couples in a sealing manner with a circumferential curved outer surface of the poppet. 
   
   
       15 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the elastic member is a spring. 
   
   
       16 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the poppet has a cavity for receiving the elastic member. 
   
   
       17 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the elastic member is configured between the seat and the poppet for urging the poppet when no fluid flows in the one direction. 
   
   
       18 . A pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the thin sealing lip is curved.