Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
In a diaphragm valve of the type comprising: a housing including, a chamber having an outlet opening, a pair of inlet and outlet means for respectively passing a flowing fluid into said housing and said chamber and out of said outlet opening and said housing, and a projection extending into said chamber and having an annular sealing surface surrounding and sloping away from said outlet opening to form a valve seat; a valve body located within said chamber and having, at one end, a recess and a flexable diaphragm covering said recess, said valve body adapted for movement towards and away from said valve seat between a closed position with said diaphragm flexed into said recess by said projection, conformingly and sealably contacting said sealing surface and covering said outlet opening, for preventing passage of the flowing fluid through said housing and an open position with said diaphragm spaced from said valve seat and said outlet opening uncovered for allowing passage of the flowing fluid through said housing., and actuation means for moving said valve body between its said closed and open positions, the improvement comprising: said diaphragm formed from a flexible metal sheet, chemically non-reactive with the flowing fluid to maintain fluid purity and prestretched across said recess to allow deformation of said metal sheet by said valve body and conforming and sealing contact of said metal sheet with said sealing surface without creasing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
235 words
In a diaphragm valve of the type comprising: a housing including, a chamber having an outlet opening, a pair of inlet and outlet means for respectively passing a flowing fluid into said housing and said chamber and out of said outlet opening and said housing, and a projection extending into said chamber and having an annular sealing surface surrounding and sloping away from said outlet opening to form a valve seat; a valve body located within said chamber and having, at one end, a recess and a flexable diaphragm covering said recess, said valve body adapted for movement towards and away from said valve seat between a closed position with said diaphragm flexed into said recess by said projection, conformingly and sealably contacting said sealing surface and covering said outlet opening, for preventing passage of the flowing fluid through said housing and an open position with said diaphragm spaced from said valve seat and said outlet opening uncovered for allowing passage of the flowing fluid through said housing., and actuation means for moving said valve body between its said closed and open positions, the improvement comprising: said diaphragm formed from a flexible metal sheet, chemically non-reactive with the flowing fluid to maintain fluid purity and prestretched across said recess to allow deformation of said metal sheet by said valve body and conforming and sealing contact of said metal sheet with said sealing surface without creasing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said recess is hermetically sealed by said diaphragm to prevent contaminants from being trapped in said recess.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said valve body has at least one radial passageway communicating between said recess and its outer surface to prevent the trapping of contaminants within said recess.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 3 wherein: said diaphragm valve is of the inline flow type; and said valve body further has an axial bore communicating between the other of its ends and said recess for allowing the flowing fluid to flush said recess and thereby prevent contaminants from being trapped within said recess.