Flow control device and process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9682804-B2
Application number	US-201514766050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Apr 8, 2015
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A flow control device ( 20 ) and process are provided for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid substance from a supply system ( 22 ). The device ( 20 ) includes a housing ( 30/40 ) that defines an orifice ( 84 ) for communicating between the supply system ( 22 ) that has an outlet end defining a discharge opening ( 57 ). The device 20 further includes a valve ( 140 ) having a flexible, resilient valve head ( 160 ) that has confronting, openable portions ( 186 ) movable from a closed configuration to an open configuration when the valve head ( 160 ) is subjected to a pressure differential acting across the valve head ( 160 ). The valve ( 140 ) is located across the housing outlet end discharge opening ( 57 ) so that the valve ( 140 ) and the housing ( 30/40 ) together define an expansion chamber ( 198 ) between the orifice ( 84 ) and the valve ( 140 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid substance from a supply system ( 22 ) that has an opening ( 24 ) between the exterior and interior of the supply system ( 22 ), said process comprising the steps of:
A. providing a housing ( 30 / 40 ) that
(1) has an inlet end that can be located at the supply system opening ( 24 );
(2) defines an orifice ( 84 ) for communicating between the exterior and interior of the supply system ( 22 ); and
(3) has an outlet end defining a discharge opening ( 57 ); and

B. providing a valve ( 140 ) having an upstream, interior side ( 166 ) for facing said orifice ( 84 ) and having a flexible, resilient valve head ( 160 ) that has
1) at least one self-sealing slit ( 184 ) through said valve head ( 160 ); and
2) confronting, openable portions ( 186 ) along said at least one self-sealing slit ( 184 ) in an initially closed configuration, said openable portions ( 1 . 86 ) being movable from said closed configuration to an open configuration when said valve head ( 160 ) is subjected to a pressure differential acting across said valve head ( 160 );

C. locating said valve ( 140 ) across said housing outlet end discharge opening ( 57 ) at a location spaced from said housing orifice ( 84 ) so that said valve ( 140 ) and said housing ( 30 / 40 ) together define an expansion chamber ( 198 ) between said orifice ( 84 ) and said valve ( 140 ) for receiving the fluid substance at a pressure reduced from the pressure within the supply system ( 22 );
D. supplying the fluid substance in the supply system ( 22 ) at a gauge pressure between about 24 kPa and about 25 kPa;
E. admitting the fluid substance through said orifice ( 84 ) into said expansion chamber ( 198 ) at a gauge pressure between about 16 kPa and about 21 kPa on said upstream side ( 166 ) of said valve ( 140 ); and
F. discharging the fluid substance through said valve ( 140 ) in said open configuration.

Assignees

• Aptargroup Inc

Inventors

• Hatton Jason
• Brunner Andrew
• Smith Andrew

Classifications

• B65D47/2037

  the element being opened or closed by actuating a separate element which causes the deformation, e.g. screw cap closing container slit · CPC title

• B65D47/44

  combined with slits opening when container is deformed or when pad is pressed against surface to which contents are to be applied (pliable tubular containers with valves opening when closure is pressed against surfaces {B65D47/2018}) · CPC title

• B65D47/2031 Primary

  the element being formed by a slit, narrow opening or constrictable spout, the size of the outlet passage being able to be varied by increasing or decreasing the pressure (B65D47/2025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D47/2025

  Flexible bung-type elements · CPC title