BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a sealing apparatus for closing off a fluid line to prevent water from entering the fluid line, and in particular, to a one-way check valve for closing of the fluid line, such as the fluid line of a swimming pool.

Brief Description of the Prior Art

It is common to employ one or more fluid lines in the sidewalls of swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and the like to permit surface water to be drawn off by a pump, to be filtered at a remote location and then optionally heated, and returned to the pool through one or more return ports. For example, the pump may have one or more inlet lines for drawing water from the pool into the pump and one or more water outlet lines for pumping water into the pool after it has been filtered and/or heated. The inlet and/or outlet lines (hereinafter referred to as “fluid line” or “fluid lines”) may run underground between the pool and the pump located at a remote location from the pool. When the pool is closed, for example during the winter season, it is sometimes desirable to maintain a lower level of water in the pool. Even if completely drained, the water level in the pool tends to naturally rise due to rainwater and melting snow, such that the water level oftentimes rises to a level of the fluid line opening or above. In such cases, it is necessary to close off the fluid line to prevent backflow of water through the fluid line conduit to the filtration, pump equipment, and/or heater so as to prevent damage to the fluid line, filtration equipment, and/or heater due to freezing during the cold winter months.

One common way of closing off the fluid line is to employ a threaded plug that threadably mates with the terminal end of the fluid line. The plug is threadably secured with the fluid line to seal the conduit communicating with the pump and filtration equipment. These prior devices may lose their effectiveness due to weathering of the seal material, and also may require special retrofitting of the fluid line opening member to enable a threaded connection. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved sealing apparatus for closing off a fluid line to prevent water from entering the fluid line when the pool is closed for the season. There is also a need in the art for an improved sealing apparatus configured for use as a one-way check valve in various other environments, including, without limitation, the food service industry, the petrochemical industry, and various other industrial processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present sealing apparatus, in accordance with one preferred and non-limiting embodiment or aspect of the present disclosure, is directed to a sealing apparatus for closing off a fluid line to prevent water from entering the fluid line when the pool, spa, hot tub, or the like is closed for the season. The sealing apparatus may be used with a fluid line on a swimming pool and may be designed dimensionally to fit common circularly-shaped fluid line openings of various sizes.

In accordance with one preferred and non-limiting embodiment or aspect of the present disclosure, a sealing assembly for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid line may have a housing having a first end opposite a second end with a hollow interior extending therebetween and an elastically resilient plug disposed within the hollow interior of the housing. The plug may have a body engagable with a seat within the housing and a tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing. The tension member may be pre-loaded in tension to urge the body of the plug against the seat to seal the hollow interior of the housing. The body may be movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the tension member.

In accordance with other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, the housing may have a flange that protrudes radially outward from the housing at the first end of the housing. The flange may have one or more gripping members to facilitate handling of the housing during connection of the housing to the fluid line. The flange may have one or more threads to threadably interface with at least a portion of the fluid line to removably connect the housing to the fluid line. At least one of the body of the plug and the seat may have a conical shape. The seat may have a liner, wherein the body of the plug directly engages the liner. The plug may be made from an elastomeric material. The second end of the tension member may have a bulbous tail that is received in a slot between a pair of substantially parallel bars extending across the hollow interior of the housing. The plug may have at least one gripping element protruding from at least one of the body and the bulbous tail. The plug may have a core and a cover at least partially surrounding the core. The core is hollow or solid, and may completely envelop the core.

In accordance with other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, a one-way check valve may have a housing having a hollow interior and an elastomeric plug sealing the hollow interior of the housing. The plug may have a body engaged with a seat within the housing and a pre-loaded tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing. The plug may be movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the tension member.

In accordance with other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, the housing may have a flange that protrudes radially outward from the housing at the first end of the housing. The flange may have one or more gripping members to facilitate handling of the housing during connection of the housing to the fluid line. The flange may have one or more threads to threadably interface with at least a portion of the fluid line to removably connect the housing to the fluid line. At least one of the body of the plug and the seat may have a conical shape. The second end of the tension member may have a bulbous tail that is received in a slot between a pair of substantially parallel bars extending across the hollow interior of the housing. The plug may have a core and a cover at least partially surrounding the core.

In accordance with other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, a sealing assembly for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid line may have a housing having a first end opposite a second end with a hollow interior extending therebetween, and an elastomeric plug disposed within the hollow interior. The plug may have a body engagable with a seat within the housing and an elastic compression member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing. The compression member may be pre-loaded in compression to urge the body of the plug against the seat to seal the hollow interior of the housing. The body may be movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the compression member.

In accordance with other preferred and non-limiting embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, the sealing apparatus may be defined by one or more of the following clauses:

Clause 1. A sealing assembly for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid line, the sealing assembly comprising:

a housing having a first end opposite a second end with a hollow interior extending therebetween;

an elastically resilient plug disposed within the hollow interior, the plug having a body engagable with a seat within the housing and a tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing,

wherein the tension member is pre-loaded in tension to urge the body of the plug against the seat to seal the hollow interior of the housing, and

wherein the body is movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the tension member.

Clause 2. The sealing assembly of clause 1, wherein the housing comprises a flange that protrudes radially outward from the housing at the first end of the housing.

Clause 3. The sealing assembly of clause 2, wherein the flange comprises one or more gripping members to facilitate handling of the housing during connection of the housing to the fluid line.

Clause 4. The sealing assembly of clause 2 or clause 3, wherein the flange comprises one or more threads to threadably interface with at least a portion of the fluid line to removably connect the housing to the fluid line.

Clause 5. The sealing assembly of any of clauses 1-4, wherein at least one of the body of the plug and the seat have a conical shape.

Clause 6. The sealing assembly of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the seat comprises a liner and wherein the body of the plug directly engages the liner.

Clause 7. The sealing assembly of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the plug is made from an elastomeric material.

Clause 8. The sealing assembly of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the second end of the tension member has a bulbous tail that is received in a slot between a pair of substantially parallel bars extending across the hollow interior of the housing.

Clause 9. The sealing assembly of clause 8, wherein the plug has at least one gripping element protruding from at least one of the body and the bulbous tail.

Clause 10. The sealing assembly of any of clauses 1-9, wherein the plug comprises a core and a cover at least partially surrounding the core.

Clause 11. The sealing assembly of clause 10, wherein the core is hollow or solid.

Clause 12. The sealing assembly of clause 10 or clause 11, wherein the cover completely envelops the core.

Clause 13. A one-way check valve comprising:

a housing having a hollow interior;

an elastomeric plug sealing the hollow interior of the housing, the plug having a body engaged with a seat within the housing and a pre-loaded tension member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing,

wherein the plug is movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the tension member.

Clause 14. The one-way check valve of clause 13, wherein the housing comprises a flange that protrudes radially outward from the housing at the first end of the housing.

Clause 15. The one-way check valve of clause 14, wherein the flange comprises one or more gripping members to facilitate handling of the housing during connection of the housing to the fluid line.

Clause 16. The one-way check valve of clause 14 or clause 15, wherein the flange comprises one or more threads to threadably interface with at least a portion of the fluid line to removably connect the housing to the fluid line.

Clause 17. The one-way check valve of any of clauses 13-16, wherein at least one of the body of the plug and the seat have a conical shape.

Clause 18. The one-way check valve of any of clauses 13-17, wherein the second end of the tension member has a bulbous tail that is received in a slot between a pair of substantially parallel bars extending across the hollow interior of the housing.

Clause 19. The one-way check valve of any of clauses 13-18, wherein the plug comprises a core and a cover at least partially surrounding the core.

Clause 20. A sealing assembly for controlling a flow of fluid through a fluid line, the sealing assembly comprising:

a housing having a first end opposite a second end with a hollow interior extending therebetween;

an elastomeric plug disposed within the hollow interior, the plug having a body engagable with a seat within the housing and an elastic compression member having a first end connected to the body and a second end connected to the housing,

wherein the compression member is pre-loaded in compression to urge the body of the plug against the seat to seal the hollow interior of the housing, and

wherein the body is movable away from the seat when the plug is acted upon by a fluid pressure greater than a pre-load force of the compression member.

These and other features and characteristics of the improved sealing apparatus, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structures and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only.

