Inflatable article valve

Claim 2

A valve comprising an open-ended tubular valve body member adapted to be inserted into fluid-tight engagement with an article, a tubular valve slide member slidably mounted in said body member in substantially fluid tight engagement therewith between and advanced open position and a retracted closed position, said slide member being closed at its front end and open at its rear end, said latter end being enclosed within said body member in all valve positions a port formed in said slide member, between said ends at a locus on said slide member which is exposed outwardly of said body member when said slide member is in its open position and is enclosed within said body member when said slide member is in closed position, and a protuberance on the interior of said slide member adjacent the front end for engaging a retracting tool for retracting said slide member to its closed position.

Claim 3

The valve in accordance with claim 1 wherein said members are fabricated of thin-walled material.

Claim 4

The valve in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means on the interior of said slide member comprises an interior circumferential shoulder intermediate said front end and said port.

Claim 5

The valve in accordance with claim 3 wherein said members are fabricated of molded deformable plastic and said slide member is snap-fitted into said valve body member.

Claim 6

The valve in accordance with claim 2 wherein said proturberance on the interior of said slide member comprises in cross-section diametrically opposed protuberances capable of deforming and engaging a tool inserted thereinto in a snap-fitting manner.

Claim 7

The valve in accordance with claim 5 wherein said valve body member has an open front end with an inwardly directed peripheral sealing lip and a depending wall portion defining an aperture in an opposite rear end comprising a stop means to limit the extent of axial movement of said slide member.

Claim 8

The valve in accordance with claim 6 wherein said sealing lip is formed on the forward portion of said body member.

Claim 9

The valve in accordance with claim 7 wherein said sealing lip is beveled.

Claim 10

The valve in accordance with claim 8 wherein the exterior diameter of the front end of said slide member is of smaller diameter than the rear end.

Claim 11

The valve in accordance with claim 6 wherein said body member is provided with an outwardly extending flange.

Claim 12

The valve in accordance with claim 10 wherein said annular flange has an enlarged peripheral edge.

Claim 13

An inflatable article valve device comprising an open end tubular valve body member adapted to be inserted into gas tight engagement with an article; a tubular valve slide member longitudinally movable in said body member between an advanced open position and a retracted closed position and being in substantially gas tight sliding engagement with a longitudinally extending peripheral sealing area inside said body member, said slide member being closed at its front end and open at its rear end and having a port formed therein between the ends thereof which communicates with a point forwardly of said sealing area when said slide member is in its open position; stop elements on said body and slide members restricting relative movement thereof between said open and closed positions, and control means including a shoulder formed in said slide member rearwardly of the front end thereof for engaging a tool for retracting said slide member to its closed position, said control means comprising an inwardly directed deformable peripheral lip formed on the inner face of said slide member and provided with said shoulder, said body member has inwardly directed front and rear flanges, and an outwardly directed intermediate flange adapted to engage and outwardly radially stretch the neck of a balloon defining said inflatable article, said slide member slideably engages said body member front flange and includes an outwardly directed rear peripheral lip which slideably engages the inside face of said body member and an outwardly directed peripheral flange forwardly of said port and having a longitudinal passageway formed therein, said port being positioned rearwardly of said body member front flange and said slide member flange engaging the front face of said body member when said slide member is in its retracted closed position.

Claim 14

An inflatable article valve device comprising an open end tubular valve body member adapted to be inserted into gas tight engagement with an article; a tubular valve slide member longitudinally movable in said body member between an advanced open position and a retracted closed position and being in substantially gas tight sliding engagement with a longitudinally extending peripheral sealing area inside said body member, said slide member being closed at its front end and open at its rear end and having a port formed therein between the ends thereof which communicates with a point forwardly of said sealing area when said slide member is in its open position; stop elements on said body and slide members restricting relative movement thereof between said open and closed positions, and control means including a shoulder formed in said slide member rearwardly of the front end thereof for engaging a tool for retracting said slide member to its closed position, said control means comprising an inwardly directed deformable peripheral lip formed on the inner face of said slide member and provided with said shoulder, said body member has inwardly directed front and rear flanges, and an outwardly directed intermediate flange adapted to engage and outwardly radially stretch the neck of a balloon defining said inflatable article, said slide member slideably engages said body member front flange and includes an outwardly directed rear peripheral lip which slideably engages the inside face of said body member and an outwardly directed peripheral flange forwardly of said port and having a longitudinal passageway formed therein, said port being positioned rearwardly of said body member front flange and said slide member flange engaging the front face of said body member when said slide member is in its retracted closed position.

Claim 15

An inflatable article valve device comprising an open ended tubular valve body member adapted to be inserted into gas tight engagement with an article; a tubular valve slide member longitudinally movable in said body member between an advanced open position and a retracted closed position and being in substantially gas tight sliding engagement with a longitudinally extending peripheral sealing area inside said body member, said slide member being closed at its rear end and having a port formed therein between the ends thereof which communicates with a point forwardly of said sealing area when said slide member is in its open position, stop elements on said body and slide member restricting relative movement thereof between said open and closed positions, and means including a shoulder formed in said slide member rearwardly of the front end, said means comprising an inwardly directed deformable peripheral lip formed on the inner face of said slide member and provided with said shoulder, and an inflation nozzle separately slideably engaging the interior of said slide member and effecting a substantially gas-tight seal therewith and having a port communicating with said slide member port, said nozzle upon insertion into said slide member advancing it to an open position, said nozzle having a forwardly tapered front head forwardly of said nozzle port and separated therefrom by a peripheral groove formed in said nozzle and releasably engaging said slide member peripheral lip to retract said slide member to closed position upon withdrawal of said nozzle.

Claim 16

An inflatable article valve device comprising an open ended tubular valve body member adapted to be inserted into gas tight engagement with an article; a tubular valve slide member longitudinally movable in said body member between an advanced open position and a retracted closed position and being in substantially gas tight sliding engagement with a longitudinally extending peripheral sealing area inside said body member, said slide member being closed at its rear end and having a port formed therein between the ends thereof which communicates with a point forwardly of said sealing area when said slide member is in its open position, stop elements on said body and slide member restricting relative movement thereof between said open and closed positions, and means including a shoulder formed in said slide member rearwardly of the front end, said means comprising an inwardly directed deformable peripheral lip formed on the inner face of said slide member and provided with said shoulder, and an inflation nozzle separately slideably engaging the interior of said slide member and effecting a substantially gas-tight seal therewith and having a port communicating with said slide member port, said nozzle upon insertion into said slide member advancing it to an open position, said nozzle having a forwardly tapered front head forwardly of said nozzle port and separated therefrom by a peripheral groove formed in said nozzle and releasably engaging said slide member peripheral lip to retract said slide member to closed position upon withdrawal of said nozzle.