A reed for use in a valve assembly

(19)

(11)

EP 1 002 951 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	19.11.2003 Bulletin 2003/47

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	24.05.2000 Bulletin 2000/21

(21)	Application number: 99308362.5

(22)	Date of filing: 22.10.1999

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: F04B 39/10, F16K 15/16

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30)

Priority:

20.11.1998 GB 9825550

(71)	Applicant: Arctic Circle Limited
	Hereford HR2 6JL (GB)

(72)	Inventor:
	Lawson, Stuart Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 3BH (GB)

(74)	Representative: Jones, Graham H.
	Graham Jones & Company Blackheath 77 Beaconsfield Road London SE3 7LG London SE3 7LG (GB)

(54)	A reed for use in a valve assembly

(57) A reed (119) for use in a valve assembly, the reed being an elongate resilient reed (119) which comprises a body portion (129) having one end (121) intended for fixing to a mount and another end contiguous with a valve closure portion (127) of the reed (119), the reed (119) being such that the width of the body portion (129) tapers towards the valve closure portion (127) so that the width of the surface of the body portion (129) adjacent the valve closure portion (127) is small relative to the width of the valve closure portion (127) whereby the configuration of the reed (119) is such as substantially to equalise the bending stress experienced by the reed (119) along the length of the body portion (129) when the reed (119) is in use and a load generated by fluid flow is applied to the valve closure portion (127), and the reed (119) being such that the end of the valve closure portion which is furthest away from the body portion is a straight end (303) which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the body portion (129).

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