US Patent 7234529 Flow switchable check valve and method

According to one embodiment of the invention, a flow switchable check valve includes a housing, a guide member having a bore extending therethrough disposed within the housing, and a poppet having a head and a stem. The head has an upstream surface engaged with a seating surface on the housing when the poppet is in a first position. A pin extends into a groove such that the pin follows a pattern of the groove when the poppet is translated within the housing. The pattern is configured to direct the poppet from the first position to a second position when a force is applied to the head, and further configured to direct the poppet from the second position to a third position when the force is removed from the head, in which the third position is downstream from the first position.