Air inlet valve for water cooler

Claim 1

For use in a water cooler having a reservoir adapted to receive a neck portion of an inverted water tank, a filter system comprising attachment means for removable connection to said neck portion and forming a water-tight seal therewith, sleeve means projecting from said attachment means for receiving a replaceable water filter adapted to pass water from said neck portion of said tank into said reservoir, and a one-way valve projecting from said attachment means for admitting air into said neck portion of said tank responsive to water flowing out of said neck portion of said tank via said water filter, wherein said one-way valve further comprises a chamber for housing said movable bead means, an upper aperture and a lower aperture disposed at opposite ends of said chamber, said upper aperture and said lower aperture being dimensioned to cooperate in shape with said moveable bead means such that said movable bead means rises in said chamber so as to partially cover said upper aperture for preventing water from entering said chamber while admitting air from said chamber into said neck portion of said tank in response to a pressure differential between inside of said tank and outside of said tank caused by said water flowing out of said neck portion of said tank, such that said movable bead means drops in said chamber so as to completely cover said lower aperture for preventing water from entering said reservoir via said chamber in response to equalized pressure inside of said tank and outside of said tank.