US 12,259,049 B2
Chalk box with improved one-way valve
Cecil Wilson, Sanford, NC (US)
Assigned to APEX BRANDS, INC., Apex, NC (US)
Appl. No. 17/618,950
Filed by APEX BRANDS, INC., Apex, NC (US)
PCT Filed Jun. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/037183
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/257042, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/862,219, filed on Jun. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0268367 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. B44D 3/38 (2006.01); F16K 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 15/1471 (2021.08) [B44D 3/38 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A chalk port that permits refilling into a chalk reservoir of a chalk box and inhibit chalk leakage from the cha reservoir, the chalk port comprising:
an interface portion configured to interface with a housing of the chalk box to retain the chalk port in contact with the chalk box;
a tapered portion extending away from the interface portion in an axial direction, the tapered portion having a diameter that reduces as distance from the interface portion increases; and
a slit assembly disposed at the tapered portion,
wherein the tapered portion comprises a plurality of projections separated from each other by slits of the slit assembly,
wherein the projections have a rest position configured to bias the slit assembly closed, and
wherein ribs are formed to extend between the interface portion and the projections to bias the projections to the rest position.