CPC F16K 15/202 (2013.01) [F16K 15/031 (2013.01); F16K 15/148 (2013.01); F16K 15/205 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
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.
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