Air valve for a modular case

Abstract

Air valves for cases are shown and described. In one embodiment, an air valve includes an insert, a receiver, and spacer. In other examples, embodiments include a case having an air valve. Examples of an air valve system may include an insert assembly, a receiver assembly, and a sealing assembly. The result is a cost effective, reliable, easy to use, air venting system.

Description

[0001] AIR VALVE FOR A MODULAR CASE Field of Disclosure The present disclosure relates generally to modular cases and more specifically to air valves for cases, and also to improved air pressure release systems, apparatus, methods and kits for a modular case for storing and / or transporting equipment. Background Storage cases, by way of example, for equipment and the like may be utilized in rapid deployment and disaster preparedness. Such cases may be interlocking for safe stacking and easy transport, tough for protection of emergency preparedness gear, dust proof, and / or water- resistant. Law enforcement, search and rescue teams, various first responders, private organizations domestically and abroad, and / or military regularly deploy to emergency response scenarios and cases that easily stack, store and / or are rugged yet easily retrieved are relied on for a successful deployment. Such cases may be stored in uneven and oscillating temperature conditions. Also, cases may be used in variable temperatures and extreme conditions. Cases may also be air lifted and exposed to variable pressures. Cases may be expensive and require durability for repeated exposure to harsh conditions. Therefore, Applicants desire systems, methods, apparatus, and kits to improve cases storage and mobility, durability, ease of use, and / or reliability without the drawbacks of those conventionally in use. Brief Overview This brief overview is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Summary and Detailed Description. This brief overview is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this brief overview intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter’s scope. Various embodiments of the inventions provide systems and methods for improved cases without the drawbacks presented by the traditional systems and methods. As non-limiting examples, in a storage system including a case having an air valve, allows for breathability of the case, particularly useful in examples where the case is also dust resistant and water resistant and / or may be stored for long periods of time and / or hauled over variable weather conditions, by various types of transportation. In another non-limiting example, an air vent for a case may comprise an air valve assembly. In further non-limiting examples, an opening may be considered an air vent, and a case may include an air valve that alternates between a closed and open position. The air valve may remain in the air vent. The air valve may be at least partially removable from the air vent. The air valve may alternate between an open and closed position without requiring removal from an opening. In yet further non-limiting examples, an air valve system for a case may include an insert and a receiver. The receiver may be inset into an opening in a case and an insert may mate with the receiver. Kits for an air valve system for a case are considered within the scope of the disclosure according to combinations of any of the embodiments herein and / or understood from the present disclosure. The foregoing brief overview, along with the following summary and detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing brief overview and the following summary and detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the summary and detailed description.

[0002] Summary In accordance with the present disclosure, an air valve system is provided for cases. This disclosure provides an improved air valve system that is convenient, efficient, and reliable for the user, particularly when used on emergency deployment types of storage and transport cases where transport and conditions may present pressurization challenges. Examples may include an air valve system including a sealed position and a released position. The air valve system may include an insert assembly and a receiver assembly. The air valve system may include a seal assembly. The insert assembly may include a top and a threaded portion. The receiver assembly may include a ring and / or a threaded portion. A threaded portion may include one or more slots, for example a set of slots. The receiver assembly may include a platform. The receiver may include an interior threaded face and an exterior threaded face on the threaded portion. In some examples, the insert threaded portion fits inside and mates with the interior receiver threaded portion. A seal assembly may include an upper seal and / or a lower seal. Some embodiments include a case including an air valve. The case may be an emergency response deployment case. The valve may include an insert and a spacer. The insert may be a threaded insert. A receiver may be a threaded receiver. The air valve may alternate between a sealed position and a released position. The insert may be retained within the air valve when in the released position, allowing air flow. The air valve may be housed in and extend through a case wall. The case may include an air vent. The air valve may be housed in the air vent. Embodiments may include an air valve including a threaded insert, a threaded receiver, and a spacer. The threaded receiver may include one or more slots. The threaded portion of the threaded insert may be of a length to extend into the receiver and be retained by the receiver when in both a sealed position and a released position. Some examples include an air valve kit according to any of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Also considered within the scope of the disclosure is a method for regulating air flow in a case. Also included may be an air valve method for air flow regulation in a case according to any of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Case kits for air flow regulation is disclosed according to any of the embodiments of the present disclosure. The above summary was intended to summarize certain embodiments of the present disclosure. Embodiments will be set forth in more detail in the figures and description of embodiments below. It will be apparent, however, that the description of embodiments is not intended to limit the present inventions, the scope of which should be properly determined by the appended claims.

[0003] Brief Description of the Drawings The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings may contain representations of various trademarks and copyrights owned by the Applicant. In addition, the drawings may contain other marks owned by third parties and are being used for illustrative purposes only. All rights to various trademarks and copyrights represented herein, except those belonging to their respective owners, are vested in and the property of the Applicant. The Applicant retains and reserves all rights in its trademarks and copyrights included herein, and grants permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent and for no other purpose. The drawings, photographs, pictures, and the like may contain text or captions that may explain certain embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included for illustrative, non- limiting, explanatory purposes of certain examples and elements detailed in the present disclosure. Embodiments of the disclosure will be better understood by a reading of the Description of Embodiments along with a review of the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of an air valve assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of an air valve assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure introduced in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded view of an air valve assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure introduced in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an outside view of a case including an opening for an air vent according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Figure 5A and 5B is an outside close-up perspective view of a case according to an embodiment of the disclosure introduced in Figure 4; Figure 5C is an inside close-up perspective view of a case according to an embodiment of the disclosure introduced in Figure 4; Figure 5A and 5B is an outside close-up perspective view of a case including an air valve according to an embodiment of the disclosure introduced in Figure 4; Figure 7 is a close-up isolate view of a receiver according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Figure 8 is a side perspective view of an embodiment of an air valve according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and Figure 9 is a rear perspective view of an example of an air valve according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0004] Description of Embodiments In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also in the following description, it is to be understood that such terms as "forward," "rearward," "left," "right," "upwardly," "downwardly," and the like are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms. It will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified may be considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Certain examples and elements are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and are made merely to provide a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself. The terms “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.” The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings, photographs, pictures, and the like. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Referring now to the drawings in general and Figure 1 in particular, it will be understood that the illustrations are for the purpose of describing embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure or any invention thereto. In certain embodiments, an air valve, system, elements and processes useful for venting a case are shown and disclosed. Embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise methods, systems, devices, kits, assemblies, and the like comprising, but not limited to, at least one of the following: • an air valve system • an air valve assembly • a venting system for a case • a case having a vented opening • a case having an air vent opening • a case having an opening for an air valve • an air valve device • a pressurization assembly for a case • an air valve for managing case pressurization Details with regards to examples and modules are provided below. Although examples and modules are disclosed with specific functionality, it should be understood that functionality may be shared between examples and modules, with some functions split between examples and modules, while other functions duplicated by the examples and modules. Furthermore, the name of each example and module should not be construed as limiting upon the functionality of the example and module. Moreover, each component disclosed within each example and module can be considered independently, without the context of the other components within the same module or different examples and modules. The following may depict an example of a method, of a plurality of methods, that may be performed by at least one of the aforementioned embodiments, or components thereof. Further, although the elements here may be disclosed in a particular order, it should be understood that the order is disclosed for illustrative purposes only. Elements may be combined, separated, reordered, and various intermediary stages may exist. Accordingly, it should be understood that the various assemblies, in various embodiments, may be performed / assembled in orders that differ from the ones disclosed below. Moreover, various stages may be added or removed without altering or departing from the fundamental scope of the depicted methods and systems disclosed herein. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, certain embodiments include an air valve 10 having an insert 20 and a receiver 22. The insert 20 may be a threaded insert. The receiver 22 may be a slotted receiver. The air valve 10 may include a spacer 26. Spacer 26 may be a threaded spacer. Turning to Figure 3, some embodiments may include an upper washer 21 and / or a lower washer 24. An insert 20 may fit with a receiver 22. Receiver 22 may fit with spacer 26. An upper washer 21 may be included between insert 20 and receiver 22. A lower washer 24 may be included between receiver 22 and spacer 26. An insert 20 may include a top 30 and a threaded portion 32. Top 30 may include offsets 31 around a perimeter of top 30. Offsets 31may assist with gripping and / or turning of insert 20. Threaded portion 32 may include a perimeter that is less than the perimeter of top 30. An upper washer 21 may fit around the perimeter of threaded portion 32. Upper washer may be, by way of example, a small rubber washer. Upper washer 32 may fit snuggly with threaded portion 32 to secure and remain secured about the threaded portion 32 at an intersection of the threaded portion 32 and a bottom side of top 30. In certain examples, spacer 26 may be located on a case interior 15’. A threaded portion 38 of receiver 22 may extend through the air vent opening 14 and mate with the spacer 26. A lower washer 24 may situate and form a seal around the case exterior 15 between the case exterior 15 and the receiver 22. Insert 20 may fit within the receiver 22. A washer 21 may be situated between the insert 20 and the receiver 22 to secure the insert in place and seal off the air vent. When insert 20 is tightened with receiver 22, the washer 21 seals against the ring 35 so that the air flow through the slots 40 is sealed, at the ring 35 and / or at the face of lip 39. An extension edge 36 may extend beyond an edge of the ring 35. Extension edge 36 may be integrally formed with ring 35. In some embodiments, the receiver includes an extension edge 36. Extension edge 36 may have a wider cross-face width (diameter) than the insert top 30, such that the extension edge 36 sticks out further than the offsets 31 of the top 30, for securing against a case and also for ease of gripping and recognition apart from top 30 when the insert is securely in the sealed position with the receiver 22. In some instances, a length of the insert 20 is at least as long as a length of the receiver 22. In this example, the insert 20 is able to stay attached / engaged with the receiver 22, even when the insert is in a released position and air flow is allowed through the air valve 10. When parts of an air valve are removed completely, they may be easily lost and in the case of emergency response and deployment cases, especially may be broken if not securely attached and / or lost with the rugged usage and durability required in those type cases. Ring 35 may include a rounded outer surface, while extension edge 36 may include a non-rounded outer surface with strait faces for easier gripping. When the insert 20 is slightly released from the receiver 22, the slots 40 allow free flow of air between the inside and outside of case 12 (see Figures 7 and 9) and the seal between receiver 22 and insert 20 is broken, thus allowing adjustment of pressurization and / or air flow of case 12. The air valve 10 may alternate between a sealed (where air flow is sealed off) and a released position (where air flow is allowed). An air flow F may be allowed while the insert 20 is still attached to receiver 22, with the insert 20 being in a recessed / sealed position when the air valve 10 is sealed and the insert 20 being extended when the air valve 10 is in the released position. Caps typically used to regulate air flow may snap on / off and be lost when removed. In other situations, caps may be hung by an attachment when snapping off and risk being broken, misplaced, or torn away and also lost. In one example of air valve 10, insert 20 is able to stay fully engaged and retained by receiver 22, and thus attached to the case 12, both when in a sealed and a released position. Air valve 10 is sturdy, economical, and easily controlled by the user. Inventions of the present disclosure may include an air valve case kit. An air valve case kit may include, in certain embodiments, a case 12 and an air valve 10. A kit of the present disclosure may include any of the embodiments and / or combination of embodiment elements as shown and / or described. In other examples, a case 12 may be an emergency services and / or deployment case, such as in emergency and / or military response and scenarios. The case may be a modular case. The case may be a hard case. The case 12, by way of example, may include rotationally molded plastic inserts. The case 12 may include external hardware, for example, stainless steel fasteners. The case 12 may include 90 degree angled walls to maximize interior volume and enhance stacking efficiency. In some examples, a case 12 may range from 37 inch (37.88x25x24 inch) to 101 inch (101.13x25x24) in dimension. Other sizes are contemplated, for example 50 inch and 75 inch cases. As seen in figures 4 – 6, a case 12 may be an enclosed case with a lid and body. The case may include a case exterior 15 and a case interior 15’. The case may include an air vent opening. The air vent opening 14 may span the distance through the case wall from the case exterior 15 to the case interior 15’. The air vent opening may be anywhere in the case, for example, any side, any end and / or lid or body. Air valve 10 may be accepted into and fit with air vent opening 14. Air valve 10 may extend through the case body exterior to the interior. Air valve 10 may include a receiver on an exterior that remains in place on the case and a spacer on the interior that remains in place, with an insert that remains engaged with the receiver, while alternating between a sealed position and a released position within the air valve 10. In some examples, the receiver 22 engages directly with the spacer 26 to secure the air valve 10 in case 12. The insert 20 may engage directly with the receiver 22, and while housed inside the spacer 26, the insert 20 may, in some examples, not touch the directly the spacer 26. Is some instances, the insert 20 may not directly touch the case 12, and / or may be separated apart from the case by then receiver and / or insert. Various hardware components and elements may be employed at the various stages of operations disclosed, in any order, with reference to each example and module. Further, consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may be performed by at least one of the aforementioned examples, assemblies, and / or combination of assemblies. Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structure and function. Many of the novel features are pointed out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the general claims are expressed. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass any and all subranges subsumed therein, and every number between the end points. For example, a stated range of “1 to 10” should be considered to include any and all subranges between (and inclusive of) the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more, e.g.1 to 6.1, and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less, e.g., 5.5 to 10, as well as all ranges beginning and ending within the end points, e.g.2 to 9, 3 to 8, 3 to 9, 4 to 7, and finally to each number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 contained within the range. All rights, including copyrights herein, are vested in and the property of the Applicant. The specification includes examples, the disclosure’s scope is indicated by the following claims, and furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as examples for embodiments of the disclosure. Insofar as the summary and description above and the accompanying drawing disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the disclosures are not dedicated to the public and the right to file one or more applications to claims such additional disclosures is reserved.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An air valve system for an enclosure comprising: an air valve that traverses through a wall of the enclosure from an interior wall to an exterior wall, said air valve extendable and retractable to alternate between a sealed position and a released position, and said air valve comprising: an insert assembly including an insert portion and a top, a receiver assembly including a receiver and structured to secure to the exterior wall of the enclosure and to accept the insert of the insert assembly, a spacer assembly including a spacer and structured to secure to the interior wall of the enclosure and to mate with the receiver, wherein the receiver includes a receiver portion having at least one slot for airflow.

2. The air valve system of claim 1 including a seal assembly.

3. The air valve system of claim 2, wherein the enclosure is an emergency response / deployment case.

4. The air valve system of claim 3, the insert portion of the insert assembly is a threaded portion extending from the top.

5. The air valve system of claim 3, the receiver assembly including an extension edge.

6. The air valve system of claim 5, the receiver assembly including a platform, the receiver portion extending from the platform.

7. The air valve system of claim 5, the platform including an extension edge.

8. The air valve system of claim 7, the platform including a ring.

9. The air valve system of claim 6, wherein the receiver portion is threaded.

10. The air valve system of claim 9, wherein the receiver threaded portion includes a set of slots.

11. The air valve system of claim 10, wherein the set of slots divide the threaded portion into divided slot segments.

12. The air valve system of claim 11, wherein the set of slots extend the length of the threaded portion to platform.

13. The air valve system of claim 2, the seal assembly including an upper seal.

14. The air valve system of claim 13, the seal assembly including a lower seal.

15. The air valve system of claim 1, the receiver including an interior threaded face that interfaces with the insert and an exterior threaded face that interfaces with the spacer on the threaded portion, the receiver separating a direct interaction of the spacer and the insert.

16. The air valve system of claim 12, wherein the insert threaded portion fits inside and mates with a receiver interior threaded portion.

17. An air valve for an emergency response / deployment case comprising: an insert including a top and a threaded insert portion, a receiver including a platform and a threaded receiver portion, the threaded receiver portion including slots that extend along the threaded receiver portion and divide the threaded receiver portion into threaded segments,a spacer including an interior threaded spacer portion, wherein the insert engages with the receiver and the receiver engages with the insert and the spacer, and the insert revealing a flow path in the air valve by way of the slots when the insert remains in contact with the receiver and is in a released position, and the insert closing the flow path when in a sealed position within the receiver.

18. The case of claim 19 wherein the spacer and the receiver platform are separated by a wall of the case and the receiver threaded portion extends through the wall to interface with the spacer.

19. The air valve of claim 24 wherein the threaded insert portion of the insert includes a length to extend into a length of the receiver and be retained by the receiver when in both a sealed position and a released position.

20. A method for regulating air flow in a case comprising: forming an insert including a top and a threaded insert portion, mating a receiver with the insert, the receiver including a platform and a threaded receiver portion, slotting the threaded receiver portion with slots that extend along the threaded receiver portion, forming air flow paths with the slots, dividing the threaded receiver portion into threaded segments, forming an interior threaded spacer portion on a spacer, enabling engagement of the insert with the receiver, enabling engaging of the receiver with the insert and the spacer, and revealing a flow path in the air valve by way of the slots when the insert retracts but remains in contact with the receiver and is in a released position, and closing the flow path when the insert is inserted in a sealed position within the receiver.

21. An emergency response / deployment case having an air flow regulation system, comprising: a case including an exterior wall surface and an interior wall surface, an air valve that traverses through a wall of the enclosure from the interior wall surface to an exterior wall surface, said air valve extendable and retractable to alternate between a sealed position and a released position, said air valve comprising: an insert assembly including an insert portion and a top, a receiver assembly including a receiver and structured to secure to the exterior wall surface of the enclosure and to accept the insert of the insert assembly, a spacer assembly including a spacer and structured to secure to the interior wall surface of the enclosure and to mate with the receiver, wherein the receiver includes a dual-faced receiver threaded portion, the dual-faced receiver threaded portion divided into segments by at least one slot, the slot allowing an airflow through the air valve when the insert is in the released position and the slot closed to air flow when the insert is retracted in the sealed position within the receiver, and wherein the insert portion is able to be maintained within the receiver even when the slot is allowing airflow through the valve in the released position.

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