U.S. patent application number 11/605643 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-31 for single device to create flame and extinguish flame.
Invention is credited to John W. Bloomfield.
Application Number | 20070122758 11/605643 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38087952 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070122758 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bloomfield; John W. |
May 31, 2007 |
Single device to create flame and extinguish flame
Abstract
A single inexpensive device that creates flame utilizing an
igniter that ignites an internal fuel source and a means and
methods for extinguishing a flame all integrated into the same said
device.
Inventors: |
Bloomfield; John W.; (Hilton
Head Island, SC) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN BLOOMFIELD
P.O. BOX 23980
HILTON HEAD
SC
29925
US
|
Family ID: |
38087952 |
Appl. No.: |
11/605643 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60740716 |
Nov 30, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
431/153 ;
431/340 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q 25/00 20130101;
F23Q 2/287 20130101; F23D 14/28 20130101; F23D 14/38 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/153 ;
431/340 |
International
Class: |
F23D 11/36 20060101
F23D011/36; F23D 5/02 20060101 F23D005/02 |
Claims
1. A device that creates a flame with an igniter, a fuel source and
extinguishing means and methods using gas and incorporated into
same the device comprising of: a. an igniter b. a vessel to contain
a gas capable of supporting flame c. a valve to regulate flammable
gas d. a vessel to contain a gas capable of extinguishing flame e.
a valve to regulate extinguishing gas f. chemical agent to
neutralize smoke odor
2. A device that creates a flame with an igniter, a fuel source and
extinguishing means and methods using pincers incorporated into and
an integral part of the same device comprising of: a. an igniter b.
a vessel to contain a gas capable of supporting flame c. a valve to
regulate flammable gas d. a pincer mechanism to quench flame
3. A device that creates a flame with an igniter, a fuel source and
extinguishing means and methods using bellows and incorporated into
same the device comprising of: a. an igniter b. a vessel to contain
a gas capable of supporting flame c. a valve to regulate flammable
gas d. a bellows mechanism to create air flow
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. US60/740,716, filed on Nov. 30, 2005, the entire
contents which are hereby incorporated by reference as if presented
herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND ART
Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention pertains to a flame extinguishing
method as an integral part of a typical "utility" lighter. The
instant invention also applies to "pocket" lighters. Said lighters
are available commercially and worldwide and are manufactured by a
plurality of companies.
[0003] These said lighters are universally and basically
constructed of the same block components. Firstly, a handle being a
vessel or containing a vessel that is filled with flammable low
pressure gas. Secondly, attached to said vessel is a valve,
variable or fixed, that controls or releases said gas. Thirdly, as
a safety precaution various, "child proof" schemes such as dual
manipulation or trigger pressures have been employed to meet
various worldwide governmental codes and regulations before the
valve can become active. Fourthly, integrated into said handle
exists a piezio and/or electronic module capable of generating
enough voltage to create a spark. Fifthly, extending from the
handle body exists a tube of various lengths that is rigid or
flexible or pivotal relative to said handle orientation. Sixly,
resident in said tube is a electrically conducting insulated wire
and capillary tube to transport said flammable gas. Seventhly, at
the distal end of said tube when said valve is open and said
flammable gas is released to atmosphere and said electronic module
is triggered said spark is generated to said tube and the flammable
gas is ignited creating a flame and remains a flame at the release
to point atmosphere until said valve is closed.
[0004] The present invention relates to improving the typical
commercially available utility lighter by incorporating means and
methods into said lighter device that can also extinguish a flame
rendering the means to ignite a flame and extinguish a flame from
the same device and from the same point of the device. The means
and methods are commercially inexpensive yielding a combination
device that is as expendable and "throw away" or "disposable as the
current utility lighter is today.
[0005] The necessary ingredients for the creation and continuance
of fire is combustible fuel, oxygen and heat. By eliminating any
one of those components the flame will extinguish. A convenient
method to extinguish a flame by a human is to simply, "blow" it
out. This method requires no tools or compounds.
[0006] This common act of "blowing" results in two events of which
either one can extinguish the flame individually or a combination
of those events whose ratio is unimportant to accomplish the
extinguishing. [0007] 1. Event (1), is that the human exhalation of
CO2 lowers the immediate area of available oxygen necessary to
support flame. [0008] 2. Event (2), is that the physical force of
human exhalation disrupts the flame's boundary layer and cools the
fuel to the level flame is no longer sustainable. As previously
stated, three ingredients to support flame are: [0009] 1. Fuel
[0010] 2. Oxygen [0011] 3. Heat Event (1) reduces oxygen and Event
(2) reduces heat. Either one of these events in sufficient amounts
will extinguish flame. Also, a combination of Event (1) and Event
(2) regardless of ratio, but in sufficient amounts will extinguish
flame.
[0012] Humans have "blown" out candles and other small controlled
flames for centuries. However, it is necessary for one's mouth to
be within close proximity, (a couple of inches) for this method to
be effective. Candle snuffers have been in use for several hundred
years. Candle snuffers eliminate the need for blowing and therefore
also eliminate the necessary close proximity. Candle snuffers
utilize a variation of Event (1) by reducing oxygen. The bell of a
candle snuffer restricts the replenishment of oxygen consumed by
the flame to the a level insufficient to support the flame.
However, candle snuffers are an individual device, sometimes not
handy and not always easily manipulated. Human exhalation is the
preferred and most popular method of extinguishing flames.
[0013] A negative result of human exhalation is the possibility of
blowing melted wax onto surfaces. Another negative of mouth
extinguishing is the possibility of one with longer hair having
that hair falling into the flame and the risk of personal injury.
An advantage of the present invention is the additional range of
operation. Many candles are placed where the user can easily with
the combination of arm length and lighter wand extension light a
candle. Typical of said places are higher mantles, shelves, under
tables and around bathtubs. To manually blow these candles out one
must displace said candles and position them within close proximity
of the mouth. This action can result in spilled hot wax that can be
dangerous and soiling. The ability to extinguish at the same
distance that one ignites is novel and advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention declares methods and means to
extinguish candles or other small, desired and controlled flames
that is part of and embodied in conventional and popular lighters.
Some lighters are utilize stored fuel. Those fuels can be butane or
other low pressure combustible liquids and gases that are released
by valves and delivered via capillary tubes. Others are combustible
liquids that wick up a suitable material to be presented to
atmosphere. Igniting methods include mechanical sparking of
materials capable and possessing those attributes that produce
sparks such as flints or similar compound derivatives. Other
igniting methods include electronic excitation to cause a high
voltage sufficient to result in a physical spark between
electrodes. All of these methods and means are well known and are
produced as "lighters" by the billions, annually, worldwide. They
are produced in a variety of shapes, colors, lengths, sizes, child
proof mechanisms and schemes, designs and combinations with other
art.
[0015] One method and means to extinguish a flame with a chemical
compound that reduces the available oxygen around the flame to a
level that is insufficient to support the flame. The compound can
either possess attributes that replace available oxygen or
chemically bind available oxygen and thereby reducing said oxygen
to an insufficient level to support the flame. These various and
commercially available compounds may be found in several forms. One
form may be that of liquids under low pressure that evaporate to a
gaseous state when released to atmosphere. The release of the gas
may extinguish the flame by one or combination of both of the two
methods previously outlined. That is, (1) reduce available oxygen;
(2) disrupt the flame boundary layer and cool the fuel.
[0016] The extinguishing gas is stored in a vessel integrated into
the lighting device. The storage vessel may be in the handle as is
the butane in standard lighters. It may be adjacent to or imbedded
in the handle and the extension wand. The delivery of the gas to
the flame area is controlled by means of a valve. Said valve may be
a separate valve operated by a trigger or a button or other
digitally and manually activated means. The same igniting trigger
or mechanism may be used by means of a switching mechanism that
switches to the desired function. Said valve or valves and
operative means is part of the lighter device. The delivery from
the valve may be via a capillary tube extending to the end of the
lighter device. Said capillary tube may be separate from the
capillary tube utilized for the delivery of the combustible gas or
may be the same tube used for the delivery of the combustible gas.
Methods and means of complimentary manifolds may be used to
determine which gas, combustible or extinguishing, is presented to
the wick area.
[0017] Chemical agents and compounds exist as prior art to
neutralize certain other compounds and when combined mask the
apparent odor perceived by humans. The chemical composition of the
residual smoke that results from a typical wick immediately after
extinguishing is well known. Chemical compounds or agents can be
devised to neutralize said compositions. These compounds or agents
may be included in the low pressure non-combustible gas storage
vessel and released with said gas upon the extinguishing event to
aid in reducing lingering odors.
[0018] Another method declared is that instead of the
aforementioned compressed gas stored in the device handle, the
flame be extinguished by ambient air alone. This can be
accomplished by utilizing a bellows method where the user simply
supplies the force necessary to slightly compress ambient air and
channel it via the existing wand to the flame base. Certain levers
and possibly springs can facilitate the bellows to return to the
relaxed position or aid in the compression. An open to ambient air
chamber may be comprised of materials that when relaxed contain a
sufficient volume of air to extinguish a flame. When compressed
that said air is forced via a tube to the flame with enough
velocity to extinguish the flame. A variation of using ambient
compressed air to extinguish the flame is to by methods and means
of a simple cylinder and piston or ram arrangement. By drawing a
piston back into a cylinder the mechanical suction created could
also draw ambient air. If said piston is released by force of a
spring or other mechanism the air in the cylinder chamber could be
directed at the flame with sufficient velocity to accomplish
extinguishing. This could be a "pre-cocked" mechanism or a rapid
release mechanism similar to the electrical generating devices that
provide the spark for lighting the devices today. Instead of a
magnet and coil arrangement there would be a cylinder and piston
arrangement.
[0019] Another method to extinguish a flame incorporated into a
lighter as single device is electro-mechanically. Electrical energy
stored in a typical battery could energize a electrical coil and
because of the resultant magnetic field force a piston or cause a
piston to move with the a relative compressing motion in a cylinder
with sufficient velocity to create an air stream and extinguish a
flame.
[0020] Another method to extinguish the flame is to rapidly draw
ambient air across the flame. Electrical energy stored in a typical
battery could energize a electrical coil and because of the
resultant magnetic field force a piston or cause a piston to move
with the a relative motion causing a suction in said cylinder. As
ambient air rushes into the nozzle to equalize pressure in the
suction chamber said ambient air is drawn around the flame with
sufficient velocity to extinguish the flame.
[0021] Another method of candle snuffing that is prior art is a
tong apparatus that when clamped onto the wick quenches the flame.
This configuration can be adapted to and built into a typical wand
lighter whereas the operator may slide or otherwise manipulate
mechanisms to advance said tong to the flame and clamp onto the
wick. Another method similar to the immediate tong quencher would
be to incorporate into or onto the typical wand lighter a
traditional snuffer bell. The bell could be stored within the body
housing or nested adjacent to it and extended to the wand end when
desired and extinguishing. The operation of extension and
retraction can be accomplished with simple mechanical slides,
levers, tracks, springs triggers and other known prior art.
[0022] The described said invention with all the associated
attributes and methods is also suited for pocket lighters. A dual
chambered vessel can contain on one side a low pressure flammable
liquid and on the other side a low pressure non-flammable liquid.
Typical of present day pocket lighters the flammable liquid
surrenders to a gaseous state when vented to atmospheric pressures.
This gas is valved and ported and ignited by various means to
produce flame. This is known prior art. This invention combines the
two stated functions of a lighting device and an extinguishing
device in the same handheld device. Thusly and conversely, the
non-flammable liquid stored in said universal housing also
surrenders to a gaseous state when vented to atmosphere and is also
ported and valved to the tip of said housing to extinguish flame.
Double acting triggers, separate triggers combined ports and valves
or individual ports and valves all are in this instant
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will be more obvious and better understood by
reference to the following descriptions taken with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 an orthographic view with a "button" adaptation for
extinguishing.
[0025] FIG. 2 an orthographic view utilizing the lighting trigger
as the adaptation for extinguishing.
[0026] FIG. 3 an orthographic view utilizing an electrically driven
plunger as the forced air source positive extinguishing.
[0027] FIG. 4 an orthographic view utilizing an electrically driven
plunger as suction air source.
[0028] FIG. 5 an orthographic view utilizing bellows as forced air
source.
[0029] FIG. 6 an orthographic view utilizing a pincer mechanism to
snuff a flame.
[0030] FIG. 7 section views
[0031] FIG. 8 an orthographic view utilizing the instant invention
means and methods in a "pocket" lighter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0032] There exists a myriad configurations of "child proofing" and
"triggering" schemes in utility lighters. Many involve pressing,
twisting, squeezing and other manipulations to allow the lighter to
light. What is shown is this embodiment is a simple "example" and
not intended to be the invention. Also, the physical relationship
between the components as depicted is not necessarily the only
relationship but is represented as one of many typical ways the
instant invention can be incorporated.
[0033] FIG. 1 describes the internal components of a typical
utility lighter with the instant invention included. The shell
housing 1 provides a grip and a platform for the components. In the
handle 1 is various vessels one of which is a low pressure vessel 2
containing a flammable gas. The other vessel which part of the
object of the present invention is a low pressure vessel 3
containing a flame extinguishing gas. Housing 1 is attached to a
tubular extension 1a which house the capillary tubes which delivers
the flammable gas 1a and the extinguishing gas 3b. In a typical
utility lighter operation the user grips the housing 1, manipulates
the child proof mechanism 4, squeezes the trigger 5. The trigger
the through various energy transfer mechanisms 6 open the flammable
gas valve 7 to release gas into the capillary tube 2a and also
initiates the pressure to cock the piezio spark igniter 9. As the
flammable gas travels to the distal end of the tube 1a the igniter
fires and electricity is carried to the distal end of 1a via wires
10 and produces a spark thereby igniting the flammable gas and
producing a flame. This flame is maintained as long as the trigger
is held closed and gas is allowed to travel down capillary tube
2a.
[0034] The present invention is to include means and methods to
extinguish a flame using the same lighting device. This action is
accomplished in FIG. 1 by pressing button 11 and thereby opening
valve 12 and releasing an extinguishing gas from vessel 3 and
allowing said gas to travel to the distal end of 1a via capillary
tube 3a and smothering the flame and/or disrupting the boundary
layer of the fuel sufficient enough that fire is no longer
supportable. FIG. 7 in Section A-A shows a possible relationship
between flammable gas vessel 2 and extinguishing gas vessel 3. View
B shows the ends of the capillary tubes 3a and 2a at the distal end
of tube 1a and open to atmosphere.
[0035] FIG. 2 depicts a configuration whereby an individual button
is not utilized but the same trigger that is used to light now
becomes the mechanism to extinguish. For this instance, if the
child proofing button 4 is not pushed, the various mechanisms 6
will not allow the flammable gas valve 7 to open and also prevents
the igniter 9 from being cocked. However the trigger is
mechanically attached to the extinguishing gas valve 12 allowing it
to open and thereby accomplishing the same chain of events as just
previously described.
[0036] FIG. 3 depicts an electrically driven plunger 17. Battery 14
is electrically connected to switch 19 which is coiled upon
pressure on button 11. When switch 19 is closed electric current is
allowed to flow through wire coil 16 creating a magnetic field.
Plunger 17 is a ferrous metal type and is driven forward as the
arrow depiction indicates forcing air through capillary tube 13 and
out distal end 3a to extinguish a flame.
[0037] FIG. 4 depicts an electrically driven plunger 17. Battery 14
is electrically connected to switch 19 which is coiled upon
pressure on button 11. When switch 19 is closed electric current is
allowed to flow through wire coil 16 creating a magnetic field.
Plunger 17 is a ferrous metal type and is driven backward as the
arrow depiction indicates creating a vacuum and sucking air through
distal end 3a and capillary tube 13. When the distal end of 1a is
close enough to a flame the rushing air into 3a is drawn across
said flame to extinguish.
[0038] FIG. 5 depicts a bellows apparatus 20 that when "squeezed"
by hand with enough force and rapidity forces air through capillary
tube 13 to distal end 3b and thusly extinguishing a flame.
[0039] FIG. 6 depicts a pincer arrangement at the distal end of
tube 1a. With the "child Safety" button 4 not activated and when
trigger 5 is pressed wire 24 is wound around drum 26 a rides over
idle pin 25 to close pincers 23. In FIG. 3, Section C-C it is shown
that when wire 24 has force upon it in the direction depicted the
pincer arms 23 rotate about pin 27 and close. This said closure
upon the wick of a lighted candle will quench the flame. FIG. 7,
Section C-C depicts the pincer scissors action.
[0040] FIG. 7 in Section A-A shows a possible relationship between
flammable gas vessel 2 and extinguishing gas vessel 3. View B shows
the ends of the capillary tubes 3a and 2a at the distal end of tube
1a and open to atmosphere.
[0041] FIG. 8 depicts the invention means and methods incorporated
into a "pocket lighter. The external general housing 30 is the
outer walls of the two vessel inside that are constructed by said
housing 30 and divided by structure 31. Vessel 32 contains
flammable low pressure gas. Vessel 33 contains low pressure
extinguishing gas. The valve 36 controls the flammable gas and
valve 41 controls the extinguishing gas. On both valves there
exists a variable control for flow control 37 for flammable and 42
for extinguishing. Also, on both valves exists open/close valves 38
for flammable gas and 42 for extinguishing gas. When thumbwheel 38
is struck it frictions upon a flint 40 creating a spark. At the
same time and motion the open/close valve 36 is opened allowing
flammable gas to escape to atmosphere and said gas is ignited by
said spark. Flame occurs as long as valve 36 is held open by lever
38. Conversely, when valve 41 is opened by pressure on lever 42 it
allows the extinguishing gas to escape to atmosphere through
capillary stem 44 and said gas extinguishes the flame.
* * * * *