US 12,215,792 B2
Valve assembly
Ian Darby, Leicestershire (GB)
Assigned to LIQUI-BOX CORPORATION, Richmond, VA (US)
Appl. No. 18/562,421
Filed by LIQUI-BOX CORPORATION, Richmond, VA (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 21, 2022, PCT No. PCT/GB2022/051573
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 20, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/269244, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 29, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 21180901 (EP), filed on Jun. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0318730 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. F16K 1/44 (2006.01); F16K 1/46 (2006.01); F16K 15/06 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 1/443 (2013.01) [F16K 1/46 (2013.01); F16K 15/063 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve assembly comprising a valve body and a mono-material plunger, wherein:
the valve body has a primary opening and a secondary opening, wherein the primary opening and the secondary opening are axially spaced apart;
the plunger comprises:
a primary seal portion configured to selectively occlude the primary opening; and
a secondary seal portion configured to selectively occlude the secondary opening; and
wherein the plunger comprises the following operational positions with respect to the valve body:
a transit seal position in which:
the primary seal portion of the plunger is in contact with the valve body in order to occlude the primary opening;
and a fluid flow position in which:
the primary seal portion of the plunger is spaced apart from the valve body such that fluid can flow through the primary opening;
the secondary seal portion of the plunger is spaced apart from the valve body such that fluid can flow through the secondary opening; and
the plunger is maintained in the fluid flow position by an external force and a force caused by a pressure differential across the valve assembly.