FR2838812A1 - Gas lighter using liquid phase gas, has crown providing reinforcement for hole at top of reservoir into which gas distribution device is fitted - Google Patents

Abstract

The lighter comprises a reservoir (2) made of an amorphous polymer material, with an upper wall (7) having a hole (9) provided with a gas distribution device (10) in the form of a tubular element (19) which fits into the hole to form a seal. The upper wall of the reservoir comprises an annular groove (36) arranged around the hole receiving the tubular element. The upper wall is reinforced by a crown (37) which fits into the annular groove to form an annular wall (38) between the groove and the hole which is clamped between the reinforcing ring and the tubular element.

Description

of tightness.

GAS LIGHTER

  The present invention relates to gas lighters. More particularly, the invention relates to a gas lighter comprising a fuel tank made of amorphous polymer material which comprises an upper wall traversed by a well provided with a gas distribution device which comprises a tubular element fitted with

sealing in the putts.

  the aforementioned amorphous polymers are polymers having chains of monomers arranged

  untidy, unlike semi-polymers

  crystalline or crystalline, in which the arrangement of the chalnes is regular. Certain amorphous polymers, among which one can cite the category of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrenes) or SAN (Styrene Acrylonitrile), have several advantages for the production of fuel tanks for lighters. Indeed, certain amorphous polymers are transparent, which makes it possible to visualize the level of fuel in liquid phase restarted in the tank, and they are generally less expensive and easier to process than

semi-crystalline polymers.

  These amorphous polymers are generally relatively brittle at room temperature because their elongation at the elastic limit is low, generally less than 51. These polymers therefore do not support extension stresses because these cause micro-cracks and consequently gas leaks. In addition, their mechanical properties deteriorate with the

aging of the material.

  Also, to mount the gas distribution device in the upper wall of such reservoirs, use is generally made of complex arrangements, such as

  that disclosed in document WO-A 01/18452.

-283 881 2

  In this document, the tubular element is provided with an O-ring which forms the seal between said tubular element and the well of the upper wall of the reservoir, and this tubular element is held in the well by means of a threaded ring which is screwed in a part

upper threaded putts.

  The device described in this document has the disadvantage of comprising numerous and complex parts, which complicates the assembly of the lighter and therefore

  increases its manufacturing cost and decreases its reliability.

  In addition, the size of such a distribution device

  limits the possibilities of miniaturization of the lighter.

  Finally, this solution is not satisfactory in terms of sealing since the O-ring, which is only relatively weakly compressed so as not to cause micro-cracks, does not guarantee perfect sealing. The object of the present invention is in particular to

overcome these disadvantages.

  To this end, a lighter of the kind in question is characterized in that the upper wall of the reservoir has an annular groove arranged around the well, in that the tubular element of the dispensing device is embolished in the well, and in that said wall upper is reinforced by a crown embolished in the annular groove, the upper wall forming, between the groove and the well, an annular wall which is clamped between said crown and said tubular element, in order to obtain a seal between said tubular element and the well

only by mutual contact.

  Thanks to these arrangements, a lighter is obtained, the reservoir of which is relatively inexpensive due to the use of the amorphous polymer, but nonetheless perfectly waterproof thanks to the presence of the crown of reinforcement embedded in the annular groove which surrounds the putts. This reinforcing ring avoids the presence of extension stresses in the upper wall of the reservoir and in particular in the annular wall situated between the groove and the well, but creates rather compression stresses in the annular wall which avoids the appearance of microcracks. Thus the mounting of the tubular element of the gas distribution device

  in the tank well is perfectly waterproof.

  In addition, the assembly of the gas distribution device is particularly simple, since it is not necessary to have recourse to an attached seal between the well and the tubular element, nor to a screwed ring for

hold said tubular member.

  In preferred embodiments of the invention, it is possible to have recourse to one or other of the following arrangements: - the annular groove has a first annular face oriented radially outwards and the crown comprises a first annular face oriented radially inwards which is embolished tight against the first annular face of the groove; - The annular groove has a second annular face oriented radially inward and the crown has a second annular face oriented radially outward which is embossed without tightening in said second annular face of the groove; - the well, the tubular element, the crown and the groove have a cylindrical shape of revolution, the groove having a certain internal diameter and the crown having an internal diameter at most equal to the internal diameter of the groove, the well having a certain diameter and the tubular element having an outside diameter at least equal to the diameter of the well; - The groove has a certain outside diameter and the crown has an outside diameter at most equal to the outside diameter of the groove; - The lighter comprises a head which surmounts the reservoir and which comprises an ignition device and a control device controlling the gas distribution device, said crown belonging to the head of the lighter; the head and the wind crown formed in one piece, in a semi-crystalline polymeric material; - The tubular element is embolished by force in a hole in the head; - The gas distribution device comprises a regulation device and a valve housed inside the tubular element; - The tubular element is metallic and has an internal shoulder against which a micro-porous disc is held by pressing a ring, the tubular element having an end crimped against said ring; - The reservoir has a side wall on which is welded said upper wall; - the reservoir is formed from a chosen material

among ABS and SAN.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will appear during the description which follows

  follow, given by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a lighter according to an embodiment of the invention, - Figure 2 is a partial enlarged view of the

section shown in Figure 1.

  In the various figures, the same references have been kept for designating identical or similar elements. FIG. 1 represents a gas lighter 1 comprising a reservoir 2 intended to contain a fuel under pressure and partially in the liquid phase, such as

for example isobutane.

  In the embodiment shown, the reservoir is formed by a tank 3 with a U-section which has a bottom 4 and an annular side wall 5 which extends upwards from the bottom to an end.

upper 6.

  This upper end is closed by an upper wall 7 which, in the example shown, is an attached piece fixed for example by welding to the wall

lateral 5.

  The entire reservoir 2 is made of at least one amorphous polymeric material, chosen for example from ABS (Acrylonitrile Butad'iene Styrene) and SANs (Styrene Acrylonitrile). For example, the tank 3 can be made of SAN and the upper wall 7 of ABS, these materials can be welded in a known manner, for

example by ultrasonic welding.

  The advantage of these amorphous polymers is in particular that they are inexpensive and easy to use. In addition, some of them can be transparent, allowing the user to control the level of

  liquid phase fuel restarted in the tank.

  Of course, other polymers of the amorphous type could be used, since their mechanical and chemical properties are compatible with their

  use as a gas lighter tank.

  Given the prevailing gas pressure inside the tank, the tank 3 and the upper wall 7 have relatively thick walls, and the tank may if necessary include a trigger guard 8 which s'. extends vertically from the bottom 4 by connecting two faces

opposite the side wall 5.

  The upper wall 7 of the tank has a well 9 which, in the example shown, extends vertically and which can advantageously have a cylindrical shape of revolution. In this well 9 is arranged a gas distribution device 10 which is actuated by a control device 11 carried by a head 12 of the lighter, which

overcomes tank 2.

  This head 12 also forms a mounting support for a folding hood 13, as well as for a device

ignition 14.

  The ignition device, known per se, can comprise for example a toothed friction wheel 15 and a stone 16, but it would of course be possible to use other types of ignitions, such as for example a

piezoelectric device.

  In the embodiment shown, the head 12 is retained on the upper wall 7 of the reservoir by lugs 17 of said head which cooperate by clipping with complementary lugs 1 8 molded with the

upper wall 7 of the reservoir.

  In the example considered here, the dispensing device 10 comprises a tubular element 19 which can advantageously be metallic and have a shape

cylindrical of revolution.

  The distribution device 10 can also include, for example: - a device for regulating the gas flow rate comprising, for example, a micro-porous disc 20 which is held against an internal shoulder 21 of the tubular element 19 formed towards the lower end of said tubular element , the micro porous disc 20 masking an orifice 21a formed in the center of the shoulder 21 and, being a plate against the face lower than said shoulder by a rigid ring 22 itself retained in the lower part of the tubular element by crimping the lower end 23 to said tubular element, - a valve 24 formed of a tubular hollow body which carries in its lower part a shutter such as an elastomer disc 26 adapted to close the aforementioned orifice 21a, this hollow body delimiting a conduit gas outlet 27 which communicates with the interior of the tubular element 19 by means of slots 28 or

  similar housings in said hollow body.

  The device for regulating the gas flow and the valve are advantageously housed inside the element.

tubular 19.

  The aforementioned gas outlet conduit 27

  opens in the vicinity of the ignition device 14.

  The control device 11 comprises a tilting fork 30 around an axis integral with the head 12. A first end 31 of the fork 30 cooperates with a recess 32 formed in the upper part of the hollow body 25 so as to lift said hollow body when the user presses on the second end 33 of the fork. In order to keep the valve 24 closed in the rest position, a compression spring 34 is placed between the lower face of the end 33 of the fork.

  and the bottom 35 of a well formed in the head 12.

  As shown in more detail in FIG. 2, the tubular element 19 of the distribution device 10 is

embolism in well 9.

  Furthermore, the upper wall 7 of the reservoir presents around the well 9, an annular groove 36 which can, for example, have a cylindrical shape of revolution and which is open upwards. In this annular groove 36 is a crown reinforcement 37, so that the annular wall 38 which separates the groove, ge 36 from the well 9 is tightened radially between the crown 37 and the tubular element 19. This tightening ensures the tightness between the well 9 and tubular element 19 by the sole contact between these two parts, without the need for an additional seal. Preferably, the annular groove 36 and the crown 37 are concentric with the well 9 and with the tubular element 19. Advantageously, the tubular element 19 is embolished with gentle friction in the well 9, while the annular face 39 of the crown 37 which is oriented radially inward is embolished tight against the annular face 40 of the groove which is oriented radially outward. It will be noted however that it is possible to have a slight clearance, a few hundredths of a millimeter, between the tubular element 19 and the well 9, the tightening of the crown 37 in the groove 36 ensuring the compression of the annular wall 38, without creating constraint

  extension therein, against the tubular member 19.

  Preferably, the annular face 41 of the crown 37 which is oriented radially outwards is embossed without tightening in the annular face 42 of the groove

  which is oriented radially inwards.

  More precisely: - the outside diameter of the tubular element 19 can be at least equal and advantageously substantially equal to the inside diameter of the well 9, - the inside diameter of the crown 37 can be smaller (for example, from about 3 to 12 hundredths of a millimeter) to the inside diameter of the groove 36, - and the outside diameter of the crown 37 can be at most equal, and preferably less than the outside diameter of the groove 36 so that the crown 37 does not generate constraints extension in the part of the

  upper wall 7 located outside the groove 36.

  These different arrangements allow an excellent seal between the tubular element 19 and the points 9, without risking generating micro cracks in the upper wall of the reservoir, in particular at

near the well 9.

  Advantageously, the material constituting the crown 37 must be relatively rigid and capable of supporting a relatively large elongation, preferably greater than 5%. For example, the crown

  37 can be made of semi-polymer material

  crystalline, for example POM (polyoxymethylene) or

  also in polyamide, for example of type 6-6.

  In order to reduce the number of pieces, the crown 37 is made in one piece in said semi-crystalline polymeric material with the head 12. In addition, this material allows simple mounting of the tubular element

  19 by force embolism in a hole 43 in the head 12.

  Of course this embodiment is in no way limiting, it is in particular possible to produce the head 12, the crown 37 and the tubular element 19 in a single

  piece, either metallic or semi-crystalline polymer.

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Claims (12)

  1. Gas lighter comprising a fuel tank (2) made of amorphous polymer material which comprises an upper wall (7) through which a well (9) is provided with a gas distribution device (10) which comprises a tubular element ( 19) embolism with sealing in the well, characterized in that the upper wall (7) of the reservoir has an annular groove (36) arranged around the well (9), in that the tubular element (19) of the dispensing device is embedded in the well (9), and in that said upper wall is reinforced by a crown (37) fitted in the annular groove (36), the upper wall forming, between the groove and the well, an annular wall (38 ) which is clamped between said crown and said tubular element.   2. Lighter according to claim 1, in which the annular groove (36) has a first annular face (40) oriented radially towards the outside and the crown has a first annular face (39) oriented radially towards the inside which is embossed tight against   the first annular face of the throat.   3. Lighter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the annular groove has a second annular face (42) oriented radially inward and the crown has a second annular face (41) oriented radially outward which is fitted without Tightening   in said second annular face of the groove.   4. Lighter according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, in which the well (9), the element   tubular (19), the crown (37) and the groove (36) have a cylindrical shape of revolution, the groove having a certain internal diameter and the crown having an internal diameter at most equal to the internal diameter of the groove, the well having a certain diameter and the tubular element having an outside diameter at least equal to the putts diameter.   5. Lighter according to claim 4, wherein the groove (36) has a certain outside diameter and the crown (37) has an outside diameter at most equal to the outside diameter of the groove.   6. Lighter according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, in which the lighter comprises a   head (12) which surmounts the reservoir (2) and which comprises an ignition device (14) and a control device (11) controlling the gas distribution device (10),   said crown (37) belonging to the head (12) of the lighter.   7. Lighter according to claim 6, in which the head (12) and the crown (37) are formed in one   piece, in a semi-crystalline polymeric material.   8. Lighter according to claim 6 or 7, in which the tubular element (19) is embolished by force in a hole (43) in the head (12).   9. Lighter according to any one of   claims 1 to 8, wherein the device   gas distribution (10) comprises a regulating device and a valve housed inside the element tubular (19).   10. Lighter according to claim 9, wherein the tubular lielement (19) is metallic and has an inner shoulder (21) against which is held a micro-porous disc (20) by pressing a ring (22), the clement tubular having a crimped end (23) against said ring.   11. Lighter according to any one of   claims 1 to 10, wherein the reservoir (2)   has a side wall (5) on which is welded said upper wall (7).   12. Lighter according to any one of   claims 1 to 11, in which the reservoir (2) is   form in a material chosen from ABS and SAN.