US 11,808,368 B2
Inflatable object and valve therefor
C. Latham Gaines, Nashville, TN (US); and Stephen C. Graner, Cranford, NJ (US)
Assigned to SPIN MASTER, INC., Williamsville, NY (US)
Filed by SPIN MASTER, INC., Williamsville, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/148,117.
Application 18/148,117 is a continuation of application No. 17/338,571, filed on Jun. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,543,042.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/034,855, filed on Jun. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0145717 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. F16K 15/20 (2006.01); F16K 15/03 (2006.01); F16K 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 15/202 (2013.01) [F16K 15/031 (2013.01); F16K 15/148 (2013.01); F16K 15/205 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inflatable object, comprising:
an inflatable object body enclosing a chamber to receive air in order to pressurize the inflatable object body; and
a valve mounted to the inflatable object body, the valve including
a valve body that defines a passageway between the chamber and an ambient environment, the valve body having a shoulder, wherein the valve body defines an outside end of the passageway, which opens to the ambient environment, and an inside end of the passageway, which opens into the chamber,
a one-way flap that is movable between an open position in which the one-way flap permits fluid communication between the chamber and the ambient environment through the passageway, and a closed position in which the one-way flap seals against the shoulder to block fluid communication between the chamber and the ambient environment though the passageway, wherein the one-way flap is biased to the closed position with a closing force, wherein the closing force is selected to be overcomable so as to move the one-way flap to the open position by an airflow having a speed that is less than about 48 m/s, and which is at a pressure that is lower than 1 atmosphere, and
a cover that is removably mountable on the outside end to form a cover seal against fluid communication between the chamber and the ambient environment,
wherein the valve body has an extension portion which extends into the chamber past the one-way flap and which has a plurality of projections and valleys which define a plurality of air apertures so as to permit movement of the one-way flap to the open position, so as to permit air to flow into the chamber in the event that the inside end of the passageway is engaged with a wall of the inflatable object body inside the chamber,
wherein the extension portion includes an axially extending portion that includes the projections and valleys and further includes a radially extending portion that is devoid of apertures, and overlaps radially with an entirety with the one-way flap.