Dispensing valve

Abstract

A flexible, resilient, slit valve ( 10 ) including a flexible, resilient head ( 12 ) centered on a central axis ( 27 ) and extending laterally therefrom, an annular, peripheral attachment portion ( 19 ) centered on the central axis, and an annular, flexible, resilient, intermediate portion ( 20 ). The head has a convex interior surface ( 16 ) and a concave exterior surface ( 14 ). The intermediate portion ( 20 ) has an interior surface ( 26 ) an exterior surface ( 24 ). The exterior surfaces ( 14, 24 ) intersect at a circular line of intersection ( 32 ) having a diameter D 1 . The exterior surface ( 24 ) and the peripheral attachment portion ( 19 ) intersect at a circular line of intersection ( 34 ) having a diameter D 2 . The lines of intersection ( 32, 34 ) lie in parallel planes extending transverse to the central axis ( 27 ) and spaced from each other along the central axis by a distance L 1 . The ratio of D 1 /D 2 is in the range of 0.600 to 0.900 and the ratio of D 2 /L 1 is in the range of 14.000 to 19.000 in an as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ).

1 . A flexible, resilient, slit valve ( 10 ) to allow selective dispensing of a fluent product from an interior environment to an exterior environment, the valve comprising:
 a flexible, resilient head ( 12 ) centered on a central axis ( 27 ) and extending laterally therefrom, the head ( 12 ) having:
 a convex interior surface ( 16 ) to face an interior environment ( 17 ), 
 a concave exterior surface ( 14 ) to face an exterior environment ( 15 ), 
 at least one self-sealing slit ( 28 ) through the head ( 12 ), 
 confronting, openable portions ( 30 ) along the at least one slit ( 28 ) to define a normally closed orifice in an unconstrained condition wherein the openable portions ( 30 ) can move in a first direction toward the exterior environment ( 15 ) to an open orifice configuration and return in an opposite direction to a closed configuration, and 
 a laterally outwardly facing peripheral surface ( 18 ) extending from the interior surface ( 16 ) toward the exterior surface ( 14 ), the peripheral surface ( 18 ) centered on the central axis ( 27 ); 
   an annular, peripheral attachment portion ( 19 ) centered on the central axis ( 27 ) and spaced laterally from the head ( 12 ); and   an annular, flexible, resilient, intermediate portion ( 20 ) centered on the central axis ( 27 ) and extending laterally from the head ( 12 ) to the peripheral attachment portion ( 19 ), the intermediate portion ( 20 ) having:
 an interior surface ( 26 ) to face said interior environment ( 17 ), and 
 an exterior surface to face said exterior environment ( 15 ); and 
   wherein;   the exterior surfaces ( 14 ,  24 ) of the head ( 12 ) and the intermediate portion ( 20 ) intersect at a first circular line of intersection ( 32 ) having a diameter D 1 ,   the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the intermediate portion and the peripheral attachment portion ( 19 ) intersect at a second circular line of intersection ( 34 ) having a diameter D 2 ,   the second circular line of intersection ( 34 ) is spaced in the first direction from the first circular line of intersection ( 32 ),   the first and second circular lines of intersection ( 32 ,  34 ) lie in parallel planes extending transverse to the central axis ( 27 ) and spaced from each other along the central axis ( 27 ) by a distance L 1 ,   the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is in the range of 0.600 to 0.900 in an as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ), and   the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is in the range of 14.000 to 19.000 in said as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ).   
     
     
         2 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 1  wherein the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the intermediate portion ( 20 ) is convex and the exterior surface ( 14 ) of the head is concave and the first circular line of intersection ( 32 ) is defined at an inflection point between the convex exterior surface ( 24 ) of the intermediate portion ( 20 ) and the concave exterior surface ( 14 ) of the head ( 12 ), 
     
     
         3 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1 , is in the range of 15.500 to 16.000 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         4 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 3  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is 15.750 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         5 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is in the range of 18.500 to 19.000 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         6 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 5  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is 18.750 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         7 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is in the range of 0.625 to 0.675 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         8 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 7  wherein the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is 0.653 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         9 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is in the range of 0.800 to 0.850 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         10 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 9  wherein the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is 0.827 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         11 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is in the range of 15.500 to 16.000 and the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is in the range of 0.625 to 0.675 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         12 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the ratio of D 2 /L 1  is in the range of 18.500 to 19.000 and the ratio of D 1 /D 2  is in the range of 0.800 to 0.850 in the as-molded condition of the valve ( 10 ). 
     
     
         13 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the intermediate portion ( 20 ) has a uniform material thickness separating the exterior and interior surfaces ( 24 ,  26 ). 
     
     
         14 . The valve ( 10 ) of  claim 2  wherein the interior surface ( 26 ) of the intermediate portion ( 20 ) is concave and the peripheral surface ( 18 ) of the head ( 12 ) is frustoconical. 
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the interior and exterior surfaces ( 14 ,  16 ) of the head ( 12 ) has a planar portion adjacent the central axis ( 27 ), extending transverse to the central axis ( 27 ).