U.S. patent number 3,860,385 [Application Number 05/319,171] was granted by the patent office on 1975-01-14 for cigarette lighter.
Invention is credited to Yoshitaka Nakanishi.
United States Patent |
3,860,385 |
Nakanishi |
January 14, 1975 |
CIGARETTE LIGHTER
Abstract
A gas lighter comprises a gas tank, a valve casing accommodated
within the gas tank, a cylindrical packing inserted sealingly into
the valve casing, and a valve cap being connected threadly within
the valve casing and having one end thereof hermetically in contact
with one end of the cylindrical packing, thus forming a valve
chamber of the structure having an improved gas-tight property. The
valve chamber is provided with a port of a nozzle therewithin, a
first valve means for closing the gas passage intercommunicating
with the nozzle, and a second valve means for blocking the gas flow
in the gas passage. The second valve means is provided with at
least two layers of porous reducing disks having gas permeability
as well as elasticity, and a barrier disk having gas impermeability
as well as rigidity and being inerted between the porous reducing
disks. The barrier disk has a rugged surface on at least one side
thereof. The gas tank has at the bottom part thereof an opening
which is subjected to be closed by welding a bottom lid thereto at
the periphery thereof before feeding a liquidized gas into the gas
tank. After welding operation, the liquidized gas is adapted to be
fed into the gas tank through a fine slot provided on the gas tank.
After gas feeding operation, the fine slot is closed by inserting
there into a blocking pin which is welded to the peripheries
surface of the slot, thus, liquidized gas stays sealingly within
the tank.
Inventors: |
Nakanishi; Yoshitaka (Ichikawa,
JA) |
Family
ID: |
27518303 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/319,171 |
Filed: |
December 29, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 29, 1971 [JA] |
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47-2954 |
Dec 29, 1971 [JA] |
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47-4244 |
Sep 11, 1972 [JA] |
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47-91100 |
Nov 2, 1972 [JA] |
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47-127149 |
Nov 17, 1972 [JA] |
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47-114702 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
431/344; 431/146;
431/276; 251/121; 431/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23Q
2/173 (20130101); F23Q 2/167 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F23Q
2/00 (20060101); F23Q 2/167 (20060101); F23Q
2/173 (20060101); F23d 013/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;431/344,276,277,130,131,150 ;251/121 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dority, Jr; Carroll B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burns; Robert E. Lobato; Emmanuel
J. Adams; Bruce L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A gas lighter comprising a bottom-closed cylindrical valve
casing, a valve cap threadedly connected within said valve casing,
and a cylindrical packing accommodated within said valve casing,
the outer peripheral surface of said cylindrical packing being in
close sealing contact with the inner peripheral surface of said
valve casing, similarly the upper end of said packing with the
lower end of said valve cap, and the lower end of said packing with
the bottom wall of said valve casing respectively so as to provide
a valve chamber closely sealed by said valve casing and the valve
cap, and in which said cylindrical packing is provided with a
barrier wall for separating said packing into upper and lower
chambers, said barrier wall having an aperture intercommunicating
the upper and the lower chambers with each other, a valve seat
mounted within said upper chamber and on said packing, and said
lower chamber accommodating therewithin at least two layers of
reducing disks for reducing the velocity of gas flow having gas
permeability together with elasticity and a barrier disk having gas
impermeability together with rigidity inserted between said
reducing disks, a nozzle displaceable in upward and downward
directions having the lower end thereof inserted into said valve
chamber and the other end thereof staying at the outside of the
valve chamber, and a valve seal member fixed at the lower end of
said nozzle for opening and closing gas passage to the nozzle by
contacting with and separating from said valve seat due to the
displacement of said nozzle.
2. A gas lighter according to claim 1, in which said barrier disk
is formed with a number of grooves for controlling the gas flow at
least on one surface thereof.
3. A gas lighter according to claim 1, in which said valve seat is
formed in a cylinder having a peripheral wall thereof extending
upwardly from a bottom part inserted within said valve cap, said
valve cap being disposed on said cylinder, a shoulder part engaging
the upper end of said cylinder for lowering down said cylinder.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved gas lighter, more
particular to a disposable gas lighter employing liquidized gaseous
fuel such as butane.
Gas lighters of this kind have already been well known to the
public. Conventional gas lighters of this kind have such defects
that liquidized gas is apt to be leaked out and the flame is very
unstable to keep a constant height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a gas lighter
without blow-bye.
Another object is to provide a gas lighter having such function as
to segulate gas flame constantly in an uniform height.
A gas lighter according to the present invention comprises a gas
tank, a valve casing accommodated within the gas tank, a
cylindrical packing inserted sealingly into the valve casing, and a
valve cap being connected threadly within the valve casing and
having one end thereof hermetically in contact with one end of the
cylindrical packing, thus forming a valve chamber hermetically by
an assembly of the valve casing, the cylindrical packing and the
valve cap.
The valve chamber is provided with a part of a nozzle therewithin,
a first valve means for closing the gas passage intercommunicating
with the nozzle and a second valve means for blocking the gas flow
in the gas passage.
The second valve means is provided with at least two layers of
porous reducing disks having permeability as well as elasticity and
a barrier disk having inpermeability as well as rigidity and at
least one side thereof forming a rugged surface and being inserted
between the porous reducing disks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of a gas lighter relating to the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the gas lighter in an enlarged scale.
FIG. 3 is a plan similar to FIG. 2, with a wind proof member and a
nozzle cap removed.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view in an enlarged scale taken along the
line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of a metal plate
provided within the gas lighter.
FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing
another gas lighter relating to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing the process for welding a
blocking pin to a gas injecting slot provided on a fuel tank of the
gas lighter.
FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the process for injecting a
fuel into the tank of the gas lighter.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale showing a nozzle
of the gas lighter.
FIG. 10 is a partial front elevation showing the gas lighter in
packaged condition.
Other objects and advantages will appear from the following
description of an example of the invention, and the novel features
will be particularly point out in the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1-4.
A gas lighter according to the present invention comprises a gas
tank 1 containing liquidized gas, a nozzle 2 for jetting out gas
staying in the gas tank, a valve means 3 for opening and closing
the gas flowing passage, a reducing means 4 for lowering down the
gas pressure, a manually operable ignition means 5 composed of a
spark wheel 5a for igniting gas spouting through an opening of the
nozzle, a flint 5b and a lever 6 functionally related to the
operation of the ignition means for opening the valve means by
lifting up the nozzle.
The valve means 3 and the reducing means 4 are accommodated within
a valve casing 7 which is formed in a cylindrical shape, and at the
lower part thereof is integrated with the bottom wall 9 having a
slot 8, and at the upper part thereof is integrally connected with
the top wall 10 of the fuel tank.
A cylindrical packing 14, made of elastic and corrosion-proof
material such as rubber, synthetic resin or the like, is provided
with a cylindrical member 11, a barrier wall 12 having an aperture
13 thereon and extending integrally to a radial direction from the
inner peripheral surface ov the valve casing, and is hermetically
engaged, or at least closely sealed, within the valve casing 7 at
the inner peripheral surface of the lower part thereof, while the
outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical packing is pressed
against the inner peripheral surface of the valve casing 7 due to
gas pressure within the fuel tank so as to interfere with gas
flowing on the contact surface of the cylindrical packing with the
valve casing. Since the valve casing is threadly connected with a
cylindrical valve cap 15 at the inner surface of the upper part
thereof and the lower end of the valve cap 15 is in close contact
with the upper end of the cylindrical packing 14, these parts
interfer with gas flow on the contact surface of the cylindrical
packing 14 with the valve cap 15 as well as interfering the gas
flow through with the interspace of the threadly connected portion
between the valve casing and the valve cap.
A valve seat 16 is inserted into the upper chamber of the
cylindrical pacing 14. Into the lower chamber thereof are inserted
a reducing disk 17 made of filter paper, another reducing disks 18,
19 having gas permeability and elasticity like those of foaming
material, and a barrier disk 20 having impermeability as well as
rigidity like those of metallic material interposed between the
reducing disks and a packing 21 respectively. The reducing disks
18, 19 are able to control the gas flow by changing the
condensation thereof due to the process hereinafter described.
Moreover, the reducing disks 18, 19, the barrier disk 20, the valve
seat 16 and rubber packing 21 respectively are so small in size as
to be picked by a pincette. These parts are firstly inserted into
the upper and the lower chambers of the cylindrical packing 14,
subsequently the cylindrical packing is inserted within the valve
casing 7, whereby the reducing disks, the barrier disk and rubber
packing can easily and rapidly be assembled together.
It is required to provide an annular interspace for the gas flow
between the outer peripheral surface of the barrier disk 20 and the
inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical packing 14, therefore,
the diameter of the barrier disk is smaller than that of the
cylindrical packing.
FIG. 5 shows an example of an improved barrier disk 20 which is
provided with a groove 22 formed on one surface thereof, and the
groove is adapted to be in contact with the reducing disk 19. Now,
by compressing the reducing disk 19 through the barrier disk 20,
there occurs portions of higher and lower compressibility on the
reducing disk due to the groove so as to be able to make the gas
flow smoothly. The construction serves to prevent the flame
becoming larger at an instant of igniting the gas, then gradually
the flame becoming smaller as the time elapses. Thus the flame is
kept to a constant height as well as the gas flow is controlled
smoothly, the grooves 22 may be formed on both surfaces of the
barrier disk 20, moreover the grooves may be formed in intersected
positions to each other, or in a shape having rugged surface.
The upper end of the valve cap 15 is projected out of the opening
formed on the upper end of the valve casing 7 and the projected
portion is formed to be integral with an adjusting wheel 23. A
cylindrical member 24 formed integrally with the valve seat 16 is
inserted within the valve cap, and the upper end surface of the
cylindrical member 24 is engaged with the shoulder 25 of the valve
cap. In this way, when the adjusting wheel 23 of the valve cap is
turned in any optional direction for displacing the valve cap
upward or downward, the direct holding-down force against the
cylindrical member 11 of the cylindrical packing 14 and the
holding-down force against the barrier wall 12 through the valve
seat 16 effected respectively by the lower end of the valve cap are
changed respectively, thus resulting in variation for condinsation
of the reducing disks 18 and 19 so as to control the exhausting
capacity of gas as mentioned above. In order to define the maximum
and minimum limits of the control, a pin 26 projecting on the
adjusting wheel 23 is adapted to be inserted into the groove 22 of
an arc shape provided on the top wall 10 of the fuel tank 1 for
adjusting an angle to be allowable of turning a knob.
A valve seal 27 attached to the valve seat 16 is made of elastic
material such as rubber or synthetic resin and is forcedly inserted
into the slot 28 of the nozzle 2 through the lower end thereof,
thus the nozzle is adapted to be idly engaged within the valve cap
so that the upper part of the nozzle passes through a packing 29 to
be extended upwardly from the upper end of the valve cap. An
annular interspace 31 for the gas flow is provided between the
nozzle and the valve cap by means of a boss 30 which is formed to
be integral with the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle, and
the annular interspace is intercommunicated with a longitudinal
slot 28 of the nozzle through a transversal slot 32 of the
nozzle.
Coil spring 33 is provided within the annular interspace 31 and one
end thereof is anchored to the boss while the other end thereof is
anchored to the packing 29 so as to press the nozzle 2 downward for
closing the valve and keeping the same in the closed condition.
The operative lever 6 for displacing the nozzle upward and downward
is formed at one end thereof a forked member 34 which engages an
annular groove 35 of the nozzle, and at the other end of the lever
6 is provided with a holding part 36 to be pushed by a thumb, an
appropriate portion between the holding part and the forked member
is supported by a fulcrum 37 for lever 6 formed integrally with the
top wall 10 of the fuel tank 1.
The pressurizing part of the lever is displaced by the coil spring
33 and furthermore lifted up by a leaf spring 38 bent in V-shape,
the valve is more securely closed with the aid of the coil spring
33.
Moreover, one end of the coil spring is inserted into a groove 39
obliquely provided on the top wall 10 of the fuel tank 1 and the
other end of the spring is subjected to support the lever 6, thus
the spring is readily fixed to the fuel tank (refer to FIG. 6).
The spark wheel 5a is attached to a forked member 41 by means of a
pin 42, and a bottom closed cylinder 43 extending downward from the
forked member 41 is supported by a cylindrical holder 44 formed
integrally with the top wall 10 of the fuel tank and the cylinder
43 passes through an aperture 45 provided on the lever, thereby the
lever is fixed to the tank. The flint 5b is inserted into a slot 46
of the cylinder 43 and the top end of the flint is adapted to be
pressed against the spark wheel 5a by the coil spring 47 which is
inserted within the slot 46.
A wind shield 48 surrounding the spark wheel 5a and the nozzle 2 is
forcedly mounted to be secured within a partial wall 49 projecting
on the top wall 10 of the tank 1. The wind shield is provided on
the top surface thereof with an opening 50 through which passes the
flame. A peripheral margin 51 of the opening is formed to be bent
downwardly, thus the flame is slenderized by the peripheral margin,
thereby protecting the user from getting burned. Furthermore, on
the side wall 52 of the wind shield is provided an aperture 53 for
obtaining complete combustion of gas as well as for preventing the
wind shield from being heated up. The upper surface 54 of the wind
shield has about the same level at both ends thereof and has a
downwardly curved surface forming caved-in arc so as to facilitate
the operation for revolving the spark wheel and for holding down
the lever 6 by means of a thumb.
A cap 55 is formed of synthetic resin having flexibility as well as
self-supportability to seal the opening of the nozzle 2. For this
purpose, the cap 55 comprises a sleeve 56 hermetically engaged with
the forward end of the nozzle tube, a head portion 57 extending
from the end portion of the sleeve in an axial direction thereof to
be convergent longthwise, and a knob portion 58 formed at the
forward end of the head portion. The inner circumferential surface
of an aperture 59 provided on the sleeve is formed to be engageable
elastically and hermetically with the outer circumferential surface
of the forward end of the nozzle. The head portion 57 passes
through the opening of the nozzle 2, thereby the knob portion 58
can be extended through the opening 50 to be positioned above the
wind shield 48 so as to be readily removable from the nozzle.
In spite of the projection of the head portion, since it has
flexibility, packing of gas lighter can be carried out
advantageously, because of the head portion 57 being readily bent
by itself, in case a gas lighter is placed on a mount of a
pasteboard 66 and fastened to be packed with film 62 having thermal
contraction property therearound, moreover is conveniently carried
out because the head portion 57 is easily engageable within or
removable from a narrow spaced opening of the nozzle surrounded by
the wind shield.
Now the process for producing the fuel tank as well as for sealing
the tank after filling up liquidized gas therein will be elucidated
in detail hereinafter.
The tank 1 is produced by means of, for example, an injection
molding process employing symthetic resin having excellent tensile
strength, cold and heat resisting property, chemicals proof such as
polyamide system resin, S A resin, polycarbonate resin. The bottom
part of the tank 1 has the opening in a similar shape to the one
shown in the sectional view of the tank and the opening is closed
by a bottom lid 63 made of the material having the identical
properties with that of the tank. The bottom lid is formed around
the periphery thereof to be integral with each other an outer wall
portion 64 extending upwardly and an inner wall portion 65 which is
longer than the length of the outer wall portion 64 measuring from
the bottom part to the upper end thereof, and the lower part 69 of
the tank is adapted to be inserted within a groove provided between
the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion. Subsequently,
before the fuel tank is filled with liquidized gas, the contact
surface between the bottom part of the tank and the two inner and
outer wall portions is welded by means of oscillation at the lower
surface of the bottom lid 63 using, as an example, a tool horn
employed in a conventional supersonic welding apparatus, thus the
contact surface is readily welded. Since the welding area occupying
the inner wall portion of the bottom lid against the wall portion
of the tank is more extensive than that of the outer wall portion,
large deposition strength can be obtained without spoiling the
appearance.
The fuel tank is provided at the top wall 10 thereof with a small
inlet 68 to be engageable with a stop plug 67. When the tank is
filled with liquidized gas through the inlet, the stop plug 67 made
of the material having the identical properties with that of the
tank is inserted into the inlet. After this stage, a tool horn 69
of a conventional supersonic welding apparatus, as an example, is
put on the head portion of the stop plug and the oscillatory wave
caused by a vibrator 70 is transmitted to the stop plug so as to
weld the contact surface of the stop plug and the inlet. As welding
means for a stop plug and the bottom lid, there can, of-course, be
applied a high frequency heating deposition process or some other
appropriate thermal deposition process besides the supersonic
deposition process.
At the welding stage for the stop plug, although the tank has
already been filled with liquidized gas, welding heat does not
cause volatile reaction of liquidized gas staying in the tank,
since the deposition area occupying the stop plug 67 is smaller
than that on the bottom lid 63, so that welding operation is able
to be carried out perfectly and readily so as to minimize the
fraction defective in deposition.
If the inlet 68 for injecting liquidized gas is too small, and
cooled liquidized gas is injected under pressure into the tank
through the inlet, liquidized gas sometimes happens to be vaporized
in the air and to be frozen at the opening of the nozzle. This
freeze makes the continuous injecting operation very difficult. In
order to avoid the cumbersome difficulty, a packing 72 mounted on
the forward end of a gas injecting nozzle 71 is forcedly pushed
against the inlet 68 of the tank 1, then a rotor 74 of a valve 73
is turned so that a passage 75 of the rotor 74 is able to
intercommunicate with a passage 76 of the nozzle 71 and at the same
time a passage 77 crossing to the passage 75 in the rotor
intercommunicates with a passage 79 connected with a vacuum pump
78, thus, air in the tank 1 is sucked out by actuation of the
vacuum pump 78 to make vacuous the inside of the tank to the extent
of 5 - 6 atmospheric pressure. Subsequently, the rotor 74 is
rotated up to 90.degree. in the counter clockwise direction for
intercommunicating the passage 77 with the passage 76 of the nozzle
71 together with the passage 80 intercommunicating with a passage
82 connected with the liquidized gas tank 81, thus liquidized gas
staying in the tank 81 is filled within the fuel tank 1 under the
suction pressure due to vacuum. In this way, liquidized gas is
filled in the tank without exposure in the air, so that continuous
injection is smoothly carried out in safety causing no trouble in
evaporation of liquidized gas, or dispersion in the course of
injection operation.
* * * * *