U.S. patent application number 12/215682 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-24 for aerosol candle snuffer using non-flammable gas.
Invention is credited to Walter K. Lim.
Application Number | 20090239180 12/215682 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41089265 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090239180 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lim; Walter K. |
September 24, 2009 |
Aerosol candle snuffer using non-flammable gas
Abstract
An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames comprises an
aerosol container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas
therein, and a valve assembly on the container for controlling
discharge of the pressurized non-flammable gas from the container,
wherein a plurality of successively larger orifices are in the
valve assembly for reducing the pressure of the pressurized gas as
it is discharged through the valve assembly to a level sufficient
to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax
from a candle. In a preferred embodiment the quantity of gas
discharged is metered in each dispensing cycle, and a gas adsorbing
material is in the container for adsorbing and storing a reserve
supply of the gas and releasing it into the container as gas is
depleted from the container.
Inventors: |
Lim; Walter K.; (Rancho
Santa Fe, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dennis H. Lambert
7000 View Park Drive
Burke
VA
22015
US
|
Family ID: |
41089265 |
Appl. No.: |
12/215682 |
Filed: |
June 26, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60937208 |
Jun 26, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
431/2 ;
431/145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q 25/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
431/2 ;
431/145 |
International
Class: |
F23Q 25/00 20060101
F23Q025/00 |
Claims
1. An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames, comprising: a
container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas therein;
and an aerosol valve assembly on the container for controlling
discharge of the non-flammable gas from the container, said valve
assembly having a directional valve actuator for actuating the
valve and directing flow of discharged gas against a candle flame,
and means to reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure
of the gas discharged to a level sufficient to extinguish a candle
flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from the candle.
2. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said means to
reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas
reduces both the quantity and the pressure.
3. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said means to
reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas
comprises pressure reducing means comprising a plurality of
progressively larger orifices through which the gas flows as it is
being discharged, to reduce the pressure of the discharged gas.
4. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said means to
reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas
comprises metering means to limit the quantity of gas discharged
during a dispensing cycle.
5. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: gas adsorbing
and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a
reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as
the supply of gas is depleted.
6. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 2, wherein: gas adsorbing
and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a
reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as
the supply of gas is depleted.
7. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 3, wherein: gas adsorbing
and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a
reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as
the supply of gas is depleted.
8. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 4, wherein: gas adsorbing
and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a
reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as
the supply of gas is depleted.
9. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said valve
assembly comprises: a valve body having a tubular upper end and a
tubular lower end, a valve stem reciprocable in the tubular upper
end, and a valve actuator attached to said valve stem to move it
downwardly during a dispensing cycle; and said pressure reducing
means comprises a body orifice in said valve body, a stem orifice
in said valve stem, and a terminal orifice in said actuator, said
stem orifice having a larger diameter than said body orifice, and
said terminal orifice having a larger diameter than said stem
orifice.
10. An aerosol device as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said metering
means comprises a dip tube connected to said lower end of said
valve body, a ball reciprocable in said dip tube, a stop in a lower
end of said dip tube to retain said ball in said dip tube, and said
lower end of said valve body defining a seat against which said
ball seats at its upper limit of travel in said dip tube, the
volume of the dip tube between said stop and said seat determining
the volume of gas discharged during a dispensing cycle.
11. An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames, comprising:
an aerosol container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas
therein; a valve assembly on the container for controlling
discharge of the pressurized non-flammable gas from the container;
and a plurality of successively larger orifices in the valve
assembly for reducing the pressure of the pressurized gas as it is
discharged through the valve assembly, said reduced pressure being
sufficient to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow
molten wax from a candle.
12. A method of extinguishing a candle flame, comprising the steps
of: providing a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas in a
container; discharging a puff of said pressurized gas from the
container and against a candle flame to extinguish it; and using a
plurality of sequentially larger orifices in the flow path of the
discharged gas to reduce the pressure to a level sufficient to
extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from
the candle.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
patent application Ser. No. 60/937,208, filed Jun. 26, 2007, the
disclosure of which is incorporated in full herein by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to devices for
extinguishing candles, and more particularly to a candle snuffer
that expels a puff of non-flammable gas against the candle flame to
extinguish it.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Millions of candles are burned in homes, restaurants, places
of worship and other places for a variety of purposes. These
candles are often extinguished by blowing on the flame, but a
person blowing out the candle has to take a deep breath and place
their face close to the flame to blow it out with a quick puff.
Often this act is too strong and forceful, and hot, liquefied
molten wax is blown onto a surrounding surface, sometimes with a
burning fragment of the wick--a cause of many home fires in the
United States.
[0004] Some of the foregoing problems are solved by various candle
snuffing devices that are known in the prior art for extinguishing
the flames of candles without blowing on them. These typically
comprise an inverted conical or bell-shaped housing carried on the
end of a long handle, wherein the housing is simply placed over the
flame to extinguish it.
[0005] Other candle snuffing devices that extinguish candle flames
without blowing on them are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,267,581
and 6,305,928. The snuffer described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,581
also has an inverted conical housing carried at the distal end of a
long handle, but the handle has a reservoir for container a
quantity of water, and pump means in the handle is operative to
discharge a mist of water into the conical housing to prevent the
wick from smoking when the flame is extinguished. The snuffer
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,928 also has an elongate handle
and a reservoir for containing a quantity of water, with a pump for
discharging water against a candle flame to prevent the wick from
smoking, but instead of the conical housing on the distal end of
the handle as in the '581 patent, this system has a pair of blocks
pivoted together along one edge and means connected with the blocks
to cause them to swing together against opposite sides of a candle
flame to extinguish the flame.
[0006] All of the foregoing conventional candle snuffing devices
are effective at extinguishing a candle flame, but must be placed
over and into intimate contact with the end of the candle in order
to extinguish the flame. As a result, molten wax from the candles
tends to collect on the snuffing devices over a period of time,
requiring them to be cleaned. Moreover, many people object to
spraying water against a candle flame to extinguish it because of
the potential risk of getting water on surrounding furniture and
damaging it.
[0007] It would be desirable, therefore, to have a candle snuffing
device that enables the flames of candles to be extinguished more
easily and safely than is accomplished by blowing on them, that
does not require the device to be brought into contact with the
candle, and that does not spray water.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is a candle snuffing device that does
not require it to be brought into contact with the candle, and
which does not require water to be sprayed.
[0009] The candle snuffing device of the invention comprises a
container of non-flammable gas under pressure, with means for
discharging a puff of the gas against a candle flame with
sufficient force and volume to extinguish the flame but
insufficient to scatter molten wax. More particularly, the candle
snuffer of the invention comprises a non-flammable gas in an
aerosol dispenser with a valve and directional actuator that helps
aim the puff of gas at the candle flame. The user simply has to
point the spout of the device at the base of the flame from a
distance of about 2 inches and press the spray actuator for only a
short puff.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the aerosol dispenser includes a
metering means that limits the discharge of gas to a small volume
or short puff each time the actuator is depressed, and a pressure
reducing means that reduce the pressure of the discharged gas to a
level that will not blow molten wax. The short, low pressure puff
is adequate to extinguish the flame but will not blow the molten
wax even if the gas is aimed directly at the molten wax.
Additionally, the preferred embodiment includes a gas storage means
in the container that stores a reserve supply of gas to replenish
the gas as it is used.
[0011] More specifically, in a preferred embodiment the dispenser
includes a valve assembly having a valve body, a valve stem, and a
valve actuator. The metering means comprises a dip tube connected
to the valve body, with a ball reciprocable in the dip tube between
a stop at the lower end of the dip tube and a seat on the valve
body at the upper end of the dip tube, the free volume of the dip
tube between the stop and the seat determining the volume of gas
discharged during a discharge cycle. The pressure reducing means
comprises a series of progressively larger orifices in the valve
assembly through which the gas flows as it is being discharged,
including a body orifice, a stem orifice, and a terminal orifice.
The gas storage means comprises a predetermined quantity of a gas
adsorbing material, such as zeolite or activated carbon, that
adsorbs and stores a quantity of the gas for subsequent release
into the container as the pressure in the container drops below a
predetermined level.
[0012] In an alternate embodiment of the invention the
progressively larger orifices for reducing the discharge pressure
are incorporated, but the metering means is omitted.
[0013] In another embodiment the metering means for achieving a
metered discharge is incorporated, but the progressively larger
orifices for reducing the discharge pressure are omitted
[0014] Any of the forms of the invention may or may not include the
gas storage means for storing a reserve supply of gas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of
the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts
throughout the several views, and wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation, with parts shown in
section, of a preferred embodiment of candle snuffer in accordance
with the invention being used to extinguish the flame of a
candle.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the
valve assembly for controlling the discharge of the gas against a
candle flame, with the valve shown in closed position.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve
assembly of FIG. 2, shown in its opened position with the valve
actuator depressed.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 3,
showing an alternate embodiment that incorporates progressively
larger orifices for reducing the discharge pressure but omits the
metering means.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 3,
showing another embodiment that incorporates the metering means but
omits the progressively larger orifices.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0021] A preferred embodiment of aerosol device according to the
invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1, shown directing a
puff of non-flammable gas 11 against the flame F of a candle C to
extinguish the flame. The device comprises a container 12 made of
metal, plastic, glass or other suitable material, and in the
particular embodiment disclosed herein has a valve cup 13 affixed
to the upper end thereof. A valve assembly 14 is affixed to the
cup, with a directional valve actuator 15 attached to the valve to
operate it. A dip tube 16 is attached to the valve body, and
comprises a part of a metering means that discharges only a
predetermined quantity of the gas in any discharge cycle. The
metering means includes a ball 17 that is free to reciprocate up
and down in the dip tube, with a stop such as a pin 18 or other
means, such as inwardly formed dimples or the like, at a desired
location in the tube to limit downward movement of the ball in the
tube. When the valve actuator is depressed, pressurized gas flows
up the dip tube, carrying the ball with it. At its upper limit of
travel, the ball seats against a seat 19 on the lower end of the
valve assembly. The volume of the dip tube between the pin 18 and
the seat 19 determines the volume of gas that will be discharged in
a single cycle when the valve actuator is depressed and held
down.
[0022] As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the valve assembly 14
comprises a valve body 20 having a reduced diameter tubular lower
end portion 21 with the seat 19 on its lower end, and a larger
diameter tubular upper end portion 22 with a castellated upper end
23 crimped into the valve cup 13. A body orifice 24 is formed in
the valve body between the upper and lower end portions, and the
dip tube 16 is received on the end of the lower end portion 21.
[0023] If desired, radially extending webs 25 can be formed in the
valve body at the lower end of the upper portion to serve as a seat
for a spring as described hereinafter.
[0024] A valve stem 30 has a lower end reciprocable in the tubular
upper portion of the valve body 20, and a tubular upper end portion
31 extending through the valve cup, with the actuator 15 attached
to it. A spring 32 is engaged on the lower end of the valve stem
and acts between the valve stem and valve body to urge the valve
stem in an upward direction. At least one stem orifice 35 extends
through the side of the valve stem at the lower end of the tubular
upper end, and a sealing gasket 36 secured between the valve cup 13
and the upper end of the valve body 20 in surrounding relationship
to the valve stem normally closes the stem orifice when the
actuator 15 is not depressed, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0025] A terminal orifice 40 is formed in the actuator 15, and a
discharge spout 41 leads to the exterior of the actuator. If
desired, an elongate discharge spout 41' may be affixed to the
actuator, as indicated in dot-and-dash lines.
[0026] In accordance with the invention, the body orifice 24, valve
stem orifice 35, and terminal orifice 40 are progressively larger
toward the outlet so that as the gas leaves the container it
undergoes expansion and the pressure is reduced to a level that
will not scatter the molten wax as the device is used to blow out a
candle flame. In a specific construction the body orifice 24 has a
diameter of from 0.010 to 0.013 inch; the stem orifice 35 has a
diameter of 0.013 to 0.018 inch; the terminal orifice 40 has a
diameter of 0.10 inch; and the discharge spout 41 has a diameter of
0.24 inch. Using a diameter of 0.010 inch for the body orifice and
0.013 inch for the stem orifice, the area of the stem orifice thus
is 1.7 times the area of the body orifice; the area of the terminal
orifice is 59 times the area of the stem orifice; and the area of
the discharge spout is about 5.8 times the area of the terminal
orifice. Stated differently, the area of the stem orifice is 1.7
times the area of the body orifice; the area of the terminal
orifice is 100 times the area of the body orifice; and the area of
the discharge spout is 572 times the area of the body orifice. It
should be understood that the invention is not limited to these
specific orifice sizes, and other sizes could be used so long as
the approximate relative size relationships given are
maintained.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows the valve actuator 15 and valve stem 30
depressed, and the arrows indicate the flow path of gas from the
container and through the sequentially larger orifices. A "puff" of
discharged gas sufficient to extinguish a candle flame typically is
from about 1/4 to about 1 second in duration.
[0028] The non-flammable gas can comprise carbon dioxide or
nitrogen or other suitable gas for extinguishing the flame. With
reference again to FIG. 1, a gas adsorbing and storage material 50
may be placed in the container to adsorb and store a reserve supply
of the non-flammable gas. The material may comprise zeolite or
activated carbon or other suitable material, and may be
incorporated in a pouch, all as disclosed in applicant's prior
issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,786, the disclosure of which is
incorporated in full herein by reference.
[0029] An alternate embodiment of the invention is indicated
generally at 10A in FIG. 4, wherein like parts are indicated by
like reference characters. This form of the invention incorporates
the progressively larger orifices 24, 35 and 40 as in the FIG. 3
embodiment, but the metering ball 17 is omitted from valve stem
16'. Thus, the pressure of the discharged gas is reduced as in the
first embodiment but flow will continue as long as the actuator is
depressed and a supply of gas remains in the container. To use this
form of the invention the actuator should be depressed only for an
instant to discharge a short puff of gas. The gas storage means 50
may be incorporated in this form of the invention, or omitted.
[0030] Another embodiment is indicated generally at 10B in FIG. 5,
wherein like parts are indicated by like reference characters. This
form of the invention incorporates the metering means, i.e. the
ball 17 in dip tube 16, but does not have the pressure-reducing
progressively larger orifices in the valve body 20', valve stem 30'
and valve actuator 15'. Instead, the body orifice 24', stem orifice
45, and terminal orifice 40' may be conventionally sized, although
in a preferred construction the stem orifice 45 is relatively
large, with a diameter on the order of about 0.040 inch. The gas
storage means 50 may be incorporated in this form of the invention,
or omitted.
[0031] While particular embodiments of the invention have been
illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood
that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *