EP0319780B1 - Apparatus for personal use - Google Patents

Abstract

Hitherto, porous or fibrous suction elements have been used in liquified gas containers to improve the transport of the gas. It was possible for problems to occur during operation due to mechanical abrasion and detachments. <??>Instead of the suction elements, discs 63 are proposed with integrated transport means 23 with capillary effect, which discs convey the liquified gas to a wick 40 or directly to the evaporation element 26. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a gas container for a device for personal use with a device for heating or for generating a flame by means of liquid gas, with a transport means provided in the gas container, which transports the gas to an evaporation element.

Such a gas container for a curling iron is already known (US Pat. No. 4,416,298), which is equipped with a heating device which is operated by means of a liquid gas provided in the gas container. In the liquid container, there are several porous or fibrous suction elements as a means of transport, which absorb liquid gas and guide it to a wick, even if the tank is only partially filled with liquid gas. The wick is received in a special holder and is connected to a fuel element via an evaporation device and valve device. The use of such suction disks is very complex and expensive due to the assembly problems and the contamination by mechanical abrasion and soluble substances.

In contrast, the object of the invention is to manufacture the means of transport more simply and cost-effectively and to improve it in such a way that simple handling during assembly is possible.

This object is achieved by the features listed in the characterizing part of claims 1 and 10, respectively. The means of transport is integrated in a disc that also serves to hold a wick. This means that the liquid gas is transported directly without any problems, regardless of the level or position. The transport element can be manufactured much cheaper by this integration. If there is no wick, the means of transport can also transport the liquid gas directly to the evaporation element. The means of transport can advantageously be firmly connected to the pane or the means of transport and the pane can be made in one piece from a single solid material. In this case, at least one of the surfaces is advantageously equipped with capillaries that direct the liquid gas to the centrally arranged wick or to the evaporation element when the gas container is horizontal, even if the gas container contains very little liquid gas. The surface is provided with capillaries that are wetted with liquid gas at any point in any position of the device and at every filling level of the tank.

The capillary can only be provided on one surface of the suction element or of the support element or on the two surfaces running parallel to one another and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the device.

The capillary can extend radially outward from the wick arranged concentrically in the housing of the device or the gas container and extend to the wall of the gas container, so that when the gas container is lying down, the remaining fuel can also be passed via the capillary to the wick.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is also advantageous that the individual transport means are formed by elevations, projections or knobs or cylindrical pins. The individual elevations or projections are arranged so closely next to one another that they have capillary channels form that perform the same function as a straight capillary. If the carrier disk is relatively thick, capillary bores can also be provided in the disk, which take over the transport of the liquid gas.

The capillary can also advantageously be formed in that two disks are arranged so closely next to one another that the intermediate space formed between the surfaces of the two opposing disks forms one or more capillaries.

In order to supply the wick with liquid gas at several points, for example, or to completely dispense with a wick, capillaries can also be provided directly in the inner walls of the gas container. The means of transport can then be integrated in an inner base (or in both) of the gas container and have numerous capillaries which extend radially outward and which direct the liquid gas directly or indirectly to the evaporation element or to the device for heating or generating a flame. In this way, the liquid gas transport is ensured in a simple manner with little construction effort, since the liquid gas is transported along the capillaries provided in the gas container until it reaches the combustion chamber or heating chamber via an outlet opening. A wick, which is normally used to supply liquid gas, can thus be dispensed with, so that considerable savings are achieved. The capillary can be provided in both bottoms of the gas container. Furthermore, it is possible to provide the capillary on the inner surfaces of the wall parts, so that when the gas container is lying down, a perfect supply of the transverse capillaries provided in the floors and thus the gas transport to the heating chamber or combustion chamber is also ensured.

The disk can be made of composite material, one part of the disk serving as a supporting element, while the other part of the disk, which forms the means of transport, consists of a porous material which contains numerous capillaries which are used to transport the liquid gas.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous to form the means of transport between two panes.

The assembly of the transport means or the disk can be simplified in that the transport means is pushed onto the wick before the wick is installed in the gas container, so that both parts can be assembled together in the gas container.

The capillary elements according to the invention have the considerable advantage over the previous porous or fibrous suction elements that they are easier to assemble and more secure against the formation of contaminants.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing several possible embodiments.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a sectional view of a curling iron with a gas container for holding liquid gas, in which a wick is supported by means of discs;

Fig. 2

a liquid gas-absorbing cartridge with a wick for use, for example in a curling iron which is supported by a disk in the cartridge;

Fig. 3

a sectional view of another embodiment of such a cartridge, in the bottom or walls of which numerous radially extending capillaries are provided;

Fig. 4

a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 3;

Fig. 5

a further embodiment of a disc in which a transport means is integrated, the individual capillaries being provided on the surface of the disc;

Fig. 6

a side view of FIG. 5;

Fig. 7

a further embodiment of a means of transport with projections provided on the surface, lying closely next to one another;

Fig. 8

a side view of FIG. 7;

Figures 9-11

spaced disks, between which capillaries are provided.

In the drawing, 10 denotes a curling iron, which consists of a heatable tube 12, for example for unscrewing curls and a handle part 14 filled with liquid gas; at its right end there is a fill valve 16 for refilling with LPG.

In the handle part 14, which serves to hold the liquid gas, a wick 40 is arranged concentrically, which is received in a holder 20 connected to the handle part and is supported on the inside of the handle part 14 via a support disk 62. A means of transport 22 is integrated in the support disk 62; the liquefied gas reaches the wick 40 and, via an evaporation element 26 shown in FIG. 2, a device for heating a heating element 28.

A further exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. It is a cartridge, for example for insertion in a curling iron or in another working device, with a device for heating or for generating a flame. The cartridge is a cylindrical gas container 31 which is inserted into the actual device and e.g. can be coupled via a valve. For the sake of simplicity, only the left part of the gas container 31 is illustrated in FIG. 2. In the gas container 31 there is a support disk 63 with a transport means 23 integrated therein, which is supported on the inner sides 32 of the gas container 31. The disk-shaped transport means 23 is provided with holes 34 so that the liquid gas can be distributed evenly in the gas container 31. The disk-shaped transport means 23 has a bore 38 which runs concentrically to the longitudinal center axis of the curling iron or of the handle part and in which a wick 40 is received. The wick 40 extends, e.g. also emerges from FIG. 1 over the entire length of the gas container 30 or 31 and ends in the holder 20 or 21.

The evaporation element 26 is located in a central bore provided in the holder 20 or 21, via which the liquid gas evaporates and is fed to a heating element or a device for generating a flame.

The disk-shaped transport means 22, 23 can consist, for example, of a fleece-like material, through the capillary action of which the liquefied gas is also supplied to the wick 40 when the implement assumes, for example, the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 and only the lower third of the gas container 30, 31 is filled with liquid gas. Instead of the disk-shaped transport means 23 shown in FIG. 2, the transport means according to FIGS. 5 and 6 can be formed from a ring 43 with struts 44 arranged like spokes. The disk-shaped transport means 24 consists entirely of a plastic. In the two opposite surfaces 46 and 48 of the struts 44 there are radially extending capillaries 50 which converge to form the bore 38 for receiving the wick 40. The outer ends of the capillary 50 extend to the inside 32 of the gas container 31.

2, the gas container 31 is delimited on both sides by a base 70. In the drawing according to FIG. 2, only the left bottom 70 of the gas container 31 is shown. Numerous radially extending capillaries 50 can be provided on the inner surface of the bottom 70 (see FIG. 2) or (see FIG. 3) on ribs 72 protruding into the interior and formed on the bottom 71 4 emerges - extend from the inside 32 of the gas container 33 to the center of the bottom 70, 71 or the ribs 72. In addition, it is also possible to provide capillary 50 in the longitudinal wall part of the gas container and to connect it to the capillaries 50 in the ribs 72 of the gas container 33. In this way, the liquid gas transport to an opening provided in the bottom 70, 71 and thus to an evaporation element 42 is ensured even when the gas container is lying down. Of course, the capillary need not be placed on the bottom or rib surface; they can also be integrated into the walls, for example as bores.

The capillary 50 provided in the left bottom can also be provided in the right bottom (not shown in the drawing) of the gas container 33.

To support the transport of the liquid gas, a filter element 74 can be provided adjacent to the evaporator element 42 in connection with the capillary channels 50 (see FIG. 3), which then takes over the function of the wick 40 and simultaneously performs a cleaning function.

Instead of the wheel-shaped supporting part 24 shown in FIG. 5, the transport means 25 can consist of a circular disc, according to FIGS. 7 and 8, on the surface of which numerous, closely arranged projections or knobs 60 are provided, which due to their close arrangement of capillary channels form the surface and thus guarantee the liquid gas transport. The knobs 60 can be provided on both surfaces. The transport means 25 also serves for concentrically receiving the wick 40.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 9, two support disks 63 and 64 are arranged so closely next to one another that the intermediate space formed between them forms one or more capillaries 52. According to FIG. 10, spacers 66 can be provided in the space described in FIG. 9, which ensure the minimum space between the two support disks 63 and 64.

11, a fleece 68 can also be provided in the intermediate space, which replaces the described capillary channels due to its capillary action.

Claims (14)

1. A gas container (30, 31, 33) for an appliance for personal use comprising a heating means or a means for producing a flame using liquefied petroleum gas, with a vehicle (22) provided in the gas container (30, 31, 33) to convey the gas to a vaporization element (26, 42), characterized in that the vehicle (22, 23, 24, 25) forms a constituent part of a supporting disk (62, 63, 64) which includes at least one capillary (50, 52, 60) and is in contact with a wick member (40) or directly with the vaporization element (26, 42) for the purpose of supplying liquefied petroleum gas.
2. The gas container as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle (22, 23, 24, 25) includes a capillary (50, 52, 60) extending at least on one of the outer surfaces arranged in particular transversely to the longitudinal axis of the gas container (30, 31).
3. The gas container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the capillaries (50) extend radially outwardly from the wick member (40) which is arranged concentrically in the gas container (30, 31) in the housing of the appliance, reaching up to the inside wall (32) of the gas container (30, 31).
4. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the capillaries (50) are provided on both surfaces of the vehicles (22, 23, 24, 25), said surfaces extending in particular transversely to the longitudinal axis of the gas container (30, 31).
5. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the capillaries are formed by a plurality of projections or knobs (60) closely arranged side by side on the surface of the vehicle (25).
6. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that capillary bores are provided in the vehicle.
7. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two disks (63, 64) are arranged side by side in such close relationship that the space remaining therebetween provides one or several capillaries (52).
8. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle is arranged on the surface of bars (44) of a disk.
9. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle is provided between two disks (63, 64).
10. A gas container (30, 31, 33) for an appliance for personal use according to the prior-art portion of claim 1, characterized in that the vehicle is formed by capillaries (50) integrated into the inside wall of the gas container (30, 31, 33).
11. The gas container as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the vehicle is integrated into a bottom (71) of the gas container (33) having arranged in its inner bottom surface a plurality of capillaries (50) extending approximately radially from the wick member arranged concentrically in the bottom or from the vaporization element (42) up to the inside walls (32) of the gas container (33).
12. The gas container as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, characterized in that the capillaries (50) are arranged on rib members (72) provided on the bottom (71) and projecting into the gas container (33), said capillaries extending approximately radially from the vaporization element (42) which is likewise concentrically arranged in the bottom, up to the wall (32) of the gas container (33).
13. The gas container as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, characterized in that capillaries (50) are arranged in the side wall portion of the gas container (33), said capillaries communicating with the capillaries in the bottom (71, 72) of the gas container (33).
14. The gas container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a filter element (74) is provided in the area of transition between the capillaries (50) and the vaporization element (42).

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