TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high pressure gas
injection device, for example. More specifically, the
invention relates to a high pressure gas jetting device
suitable for employing in a fire-extinguisher to be loaded on
an automotive vehicle for use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, known fire-extinguishers are typically
filled with dried powder of baking soda in a container and
mounted carbon dioxide bomb. Upon use, by gripping a handle
with removing a stopper pin, a seal plate of the bomb is ruptured
to jet the baking soda powder through a nozzle by the pressure
of the carbon dioxide.
However, because of a shape, in which a handle is provided
at the upper portion of the container and a hose is drooped
from the upper portion of the container to the side portion,
as well as large size of the container per se, occupied space
is too large to arranged in a home or to load on the automotive
vehicle. Also, such fire-extinguisher is simply colored in
red to have unattractive looking.
As a measure for this, compact fire-extinguishers mainly
adapted for loading on the automotive vehicle have been
developed. Such fire-extinguisher has a size portable by one
hand and incorporates a gas tank preliminarily filled with an
extinguishing gas to tap the bottom portion of the container
on a relatively hard portion to cause upward movement of a
needle form member within the gas tank to pierce a seal plate
of the gas tank to jet the extinguishing gas from the tip end
head portion of the container.
However, in case of the fire-extinguisher jetting a gas
from the tip end head portion by tapping the bottom of the
container, after picking up the fire-extinguisher in finding
fire, it becomes necessary to select an appropriate portion
to tap with the container. Also, after actually starting
jetting of gas from the tip end head portion of the container,
the orientation of the container has to be changed toward the
firing site to cause loss in extinguishing time, and all amount
of gas filled in the gas tank cannot be used for extinguishing
fire.
Also, a force for tapping the container should be
variable per individual and hardness of the portion to be tapped
is not uniform. Furthermore, it cannot be expected upon
occurrence of fire to coolly select the portion having an
appropriate hardness for tapping and to tap such portion with
an appropriate force. Accordingly, it is difficult to have
a design to assure jetting of extinguishing gas upon tapping
with the container at any condition. In this connection, some
user should repeat tapping operation for a plurality of times,
and in some case, the extinguishing gas cannot be jetted.
Furthermore, in certain manner of tapping with the
container, it becomes indeterminable the timing of starting
jetting of the extinguishing gas. Also, since the gas is jetted
from the tip end head portion of the container, it can be
expected that the gas is jetted toward the face of the user
to cause frightening of user to release the container from the
hand.
Such problem should be true not only in the compact
fire-extinguisher but also in other high pressure gas jetting
device.
The present invention has been worked out in view of the
problems set forth above. Therefore, it is an object of the
present invention to provide a high pressure gas jetting device
which can jet a gas in a condition where a jetting direction
is oriented toward a target without requiring tapping of the
container, will not cause influence on a jetting operation and
can expect gas jetting timing in certain extent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish the object set forth above, the
present invention as defined in claim 1, comprises a first
cylindrical member disposed a gas tank sealingly enclosing a
high pressure gas, a second cylindrical member threadingly
engaged with the first cylindrical member and capable of
rotation relative with the former, and a needle form member
provided within the second cylindrical member and moving in
an axial direction by relative rotation of the first and second
cylindrical members to pierce a sealing plate of the gas tank.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
2, the high pressure gas within the gas tank is jetted from
the tip end hole of the second cylindrical member through a
through aperture formed in the axial direction of the needle
form member.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
3, the high pressure gas is non-inflammable gas of carbon
dioxide, nitrogen, inert gas and the like.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
4, an angle of relative rotation of the first and second
cylindrical members causes the needle form member piercing the
sealing plate of the gas tank within 180°.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
5, at least one groove parallel to a rotation axis of relative
rotation is formed on the outer surface of the first and second
cylindrical members, and a stopper releasably engaging over
both grooves in the condition where respective grooves are
aligned and thus preventing relative rotation of both
cylindrical members.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
6, antistatic process is provided for the first and second
cylindrical members.
According to the present invention as defined in claim
7, the needle form member has a truncated cone shape at the
tip end.
The present invention basically comprises a first
cylindrical member disposed a gas tank sealingly enclosing a
high pressure gas, a second cylindrical member threadingly
engaged with the first cylindrical member and capable of
rotation relative with the former, and a needle form member
provided within the second cylindrical member and moving in
an axial direction by relative rotation of the first and second
cylindrical members to pierce a sealing plate of the gas tank,
and can be constructed in various forms. According to the
present invention, the needle form member pierces the seal
plate of the gas tank by relative rotation of the first and
second cylindrical members.
It is preferred that the high pressure gas within the
gas tank is jetted from the tip end hole of the second
cylindrical member through a through aperture formed in the
axial direction of the needle form member. According to this,
since the high pressure gas is jetted from the tip end hole
of the second cylindrical hole through the through aperture
of the needle member by relatively rotating both cylindrical
members in the condition directing the tip end hole of the
second cylindrical member toward the target, the jetting gas
can be certainly directed to the target.
As set forth, it is preferred to jet the high pressure
gas from the tip end hole of the second cylindrical member
through the through aperture formed in the needle form member.
However, it is also possible to jet the gas from jetting hole
formed on the side portion of the first or second cylindrical
member.
The first and second cylindrical members can be
arbitrarily selected the cross-sectional shapes, such as
polygon shape, rhomboid shape, star shape and so forth in
addition to circular, triangular, quadrangular shapes except
for the portion where the thread is formed, and can be produced
from various materials selected among resin, such as plastic,
reinforced plastic, metal, such as aluminum, alloy and so forth,
wood or so forth. The tip end hole to be formed in the second
cylindrical member is single or a plural. When a plurality
of tip end holes are formed, one of those is arranged at the
center portion and remaining hole are arranged thereabout.
As a mechanism for causing relative rotation of the first
cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member, a toy
pistol form may be applied and a power transmission mechanism
for rotating the other in response to actuation of a trigger
with fixing either one of the first and second cylindrical
members.
The high pressure gas may be non-inflammable gas of
carbon dioxide, nitrogen, inert gas and the like as used for
fire-extinguisher. As used as an oxygen bomb, oxygen may be
used. Since the high pressure gas is low temperature,
remarkable extinguishing effect can be achieved together with
the extinguishing action and cooling effect of the non-inflammable
gas when the present invention is used as the fire-extinguisher.
When non-inflammable gas is used as the high
pressure gas, it may be applicable as a washing device for
washing dust or so forth depositing on various devices by
utilizing the jetting pressure. Also, when insect killer,
agricultural chemicals or so forth is admixed with the high
pressure gas, it can be used for spraying these insect killer,
agricultural chemicals and so forth.
It is preferred that an angle of relative rotation of
the first and second cylindrical members may cause the needle
form member piercing the sealing plate of the gas tank within
180° so that, after initially gripping both cylindrical members,
relative rotation becomes possible to jet the gas without
changing grip, a period required for extinguishing operation
can be shortened.
It is further preferred that at least one groove parallel
to a rotation axis of relative rotation is formed on the outer
surface of the first and second cylindrical members, and a
stopper releasably engaging over both grooves in the condition
where respective grooves are aligned and thus preventing
relative rotation of both cylindrical members.
When a plurality of grooves are formed on the cylindrical
members, stable grip feeding can be attained when the
cylindrical members are gripped by hand and can prevent
slippage upon causing relative rotation. Furthermore, it can
be provided superior appearance in design. By releasably
engaging the stopper over both grooves in the condition where
respective grooves are aligned and thus preventing relative
rotation of both cylindrical members. In order to attain
superior grip feeling and improvement of the appearance, it
is provided roughening process for forming fine projections
or fine recesses together in place of or together with the
grooves. It is preferred to connect the first and second
cylindrical members preliminarily by a string so that the
stopper may not be released from the device.
The first and second cylindrical members is preferably
formed with the material difficult to be charged, with plating
the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member, or with
providing a conductive body on the inner peripheral surface
to provide antistatic process. In this case, releasing of the
cylindrical member held by the user due to occurrence of static
electricity can be prevented.
It is preferred that the needle form member has a
truncated cone shape at the tip end. In this case, the needle
form member can certainly pierce the seal plate of the gas tank
by relative rotation of the first and second cylindrical
members. More preferably, stepped portion extending in
circumferential direction is formed on a tapered surface/
However, the configuration of the tip end of the needle form
member is not limited to this, but can be the tip end
configuration of an injection syringe, threaded one, curved
one and other arbitrary shape.
On the other hand, cross-sectional shape of the needle
form member may be arbitrarily selected among polygon shape,
rhomboid shape, start shape and so forth in addition to circular,
triangular, quadrangular. Also, material may be arbitrarily
selected among various materials, such as stainless, steel,
(preferably provided plating process with No.
3 chromium), ceramic and the like.
The present invention is applicable not only for the case
where the device is actuated manually but for the case where
the device is actuated automatically. Namely, by fixing one
end of a biasing means, such as coil spring on the inner portion
or outer portion of either one of the first and second
cylindrical member and fixing the other end on the other member
via a stepper which is molten at a predetermined temperature,
it becomes possible to cause relative rotation of the first
and second cylindrical members by the biasing means with
melting down the stopper upon occurrence of fire. Such
automatic high pressure gas jetting device may be installed
in high-vision, in the vicinity of gasoline tank, ceiling
portion of a public telephone box, ceiling of cash-dispenser
box as well as a guest room in the hotel, general home. Also,
by employing non-inflammable gas as the high pressure gas,
such automatic has jetting device may be formed into a
fire-extinguisher which is thrown into the fire to be actuated
by the heat of the fire.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view showing the preferred
embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a longitudinal
section of (a);
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the major part of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a section showing another embodiment; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment.
BEST MODE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION
Figs. 1(a), (b) and 2 show a form under normal condition
of an embodiment, in which a high pressure gas jetting device
according to the present invention is applied for a compact
fire-extinguisher. The extinguisher is generally constructed
with a hollow cylindrical container main body 2 (first
cylindrical member), in which a longitudinally elongated
bottle form gas tank 1 (e.g. made of Nippon Tansan Gas Kabushiki
Kaisha) sealingly containing carbon dioxide as a high pressure
gas, is received, and a hollow cylindrical cap 3 (second
cylindrical member) rotatable relatively with threading
engagement with a front portion (upper side in the drawing)
of the container body 2. The gas tank 1 is projectingly formed
with a mouth portion 4. An opening end of the mouth portion
4 is sealed with a sealing plate (not shown). A threaded groove
5 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion
4.
The container body 2 and the cap 3 are formed of plastic
which is difficult to be charged, and are provided
substantially the same diametric dimensions and substantially
the same colors.
The tip end portion of the container body 2 is formed
with a thick inner cylinder portion 6 projecting in the axial
direction, at the center portion. On the inner periphery of
the inner cylinder portion 6, an internal thread portion 7
threadingly engageable with the mouth portion 4 of the gas tank
1 is formed. It should be noted that the container body 2 is
divided into two (2a, 2b). The mouth 4 of the gas tank 1 in
the condition divided into two is threadingly engaged with the
inner thread portion 7 to fix the gas tank 1 on the container
body 2. Here, between the container body 12 and the gas tank
1, a bond or adhesive is not disposed. While fixing between
the container main body 2 and the gas tank 1 is performed by
threading engagement by the mouth portion 4, in this embodiment,
it is also possible to form projections for fixing on the gas
tank 1 and to form means for engaging with the projections in
the container body 2.
On the outer periphery of the inner cylindrical portion
6, a threaded groove 8 of greater pitch than that of the thread
formed in the mouth portion 4 of the gas tank 1. The threaded
groove 8 is engaged with a threaded groove 9 formed on the inner
periphery of the cap 3. As shown in Figs. 1(a) and (b),
engagement of the container body 2 and the cap 3 is established
so that substantially uniform gap is defined between the inner
end surface of the cap 3 and the end surface of the inner
cylindrical portion 6 and between the end edge portion of the
cap and the step portion of the container body 2 to permit
further tightening.
At substantially center portion of the cap 3, a tip end
hole 10 extending therethrough is formed. On the back surface
side of the tip end hole 10, a recessed portion 3a buried with
a needle piece 11 is formed. As shown in detail in Fig. 2,
the needle piece 11 is constituted of a cylindrical main body
11a to be fitted in the recessed portion 3a, a needle 11c (needle
member) projecting backwardly from the main body 11a, and a
nozzle 11b projecting frontwardly. A through aperture 11d is
formed in the axial direction in the needle 11c, the main body
11a and the nozzle 11b. These tip end hole 10 and the needle
piece 11 are arranged coaxially. The needle 11c is arranged
in opposition with the seal plate of the gas tank 1 (in the
shown embodiment, a distance between the tip end of the needle
11c and the seal plate of the gas tank 1 are set to be
substantially 0).
Then, in this embodiment, when the container body 2 and
the cap 3 are relatively rotated for 10° in tightening direction
(direction where the container body 2 and the cap 3 are approach
with each other), the needle 11c is moved in the axial direction
to contact the tip end thereof to the seal plate of the gas
tank 1. Pitch of the threaded grooves 8 and 9 are set to cause
fracture of the seal plate as relatively rotated for 35°.
As shown in Fig. 1(a), on the front portion of the
container body 2 and the rear portion of the cap portion 3,
grooves 12 and 13 parallel to axial direction of these are
formed with a given interval in the circumferential direction.
The grooves 12 and 13 are formed with the same pitch. A stopper
(not shown) is releasably engaged over these grooves in the
condition where both grooves 12 and 13 are aligned with each
other. A ring is integrally attached to the stopper.
As set forth above, the compact fire-extinguisher is
produced as follow. At first, in a condition where the
container body 2 is divided into two, the gas tank 1 is
introduced from the front side opening, and the mouth portion
4 is fixed by threading engagement with the inner threaded
portion 7 of the inner cylindrical portion 6 of the container
body 2. Thereafter, the container body 2 divided into two are
integrally assembled. Next, the cap 3 buried with the needle
piece 11 is threadingly engaged with the container body 2. The
threading engagement is established for permitting further
tightening as set forth above. With such simple operation,
the compact fire-extinguisher can be completed.
In order to establish threading engagement with
permitting further tightening, it is considered to
preliminarily provide marking on the container body 2 and the
cap 3 and to stop thread tightening when two markings are
matched. On the other hand, it is also possible to stop thread
tightening when grooves formed on the container body 2 and the
cap 3 are aligned. By releasably engaging the stopper over
both grooves in the condition where the grooves are matched,
unexpected relative rotation of both cylindrical members in
normal condition can be successfully prevented. Upon use, it
is preferred to integrate the ring with the stopper so that
the stopper may be easily released. Needless to say, it is
preferred to provide a marking for the rotating position to
stop thread tightening when a plurality of grooves are to be
formed.
The compact fire-extinguisher completed, is loaded in
the automotive vehicle, for example. Since the stopper is
provided between the container body 2 and the cap 3, unexpected
relative rotation in the normal condition can be successfully
prevented. On the other hand, since grooves 12 and 13 are
formed on both members 2 and 3 are formed, it may provide good
appearance.
Here, discussion will be given with respect to occurrence
of fire in the engine. At first, the container body 2 and the
cap 3 are gripped by respective hands. Since both members 2
and 3 are formed of plastic which is difficult to be charged,
it may not be caused to generate static electricity to be
released from the hand. In this condition, only by directing
the tip end hole 10 of the cap toward the engine and causing
relative rotation of the container body 2 and the cap 3, the
needle 11c pierces the seal plate of the gas tank to jet the
gas from the tip end hole 10 of the cap 3 through the through
aperture of the needle piece 11 (the needle 11c, the main body
11a and the nozzle 11b). Therefore, the jetted gas is certainly
directed to the target.
Since a plurality of grooves 12 and 13 are formed on the
container body 2 and the cap 3, stable grip feeling can be
attained upon gripping by hand and slipping upon causing
relative rotation can be successfully prevented.
On the other hand, since the gas can be jetted by relative
rotation for 45° of the container body 2 and the cap 3, it becomes
possible to cause relative rotation without changing gripping
by the hand from initially gripping the container body 2 and
the cap 3. Thus, extinguishing of fire can be performed with
a short period.
Since high pressure carbon dioxide is low temperature,
remarkable fire-extinguishing effect can be achieved together
with fire-extinguishing effect and cooling effect of non-inflammable
gas, even in compact size.
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment. In this embodiment, the
cap 3 is significantly extended rearwardly to slidingly contact
the outer peripheral surface of the container body 2 onto its
inner peripheral surface. Even in this embodiment, similar
effect to the former embodiment can be obtained.
Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment. In this embodiment,
shape of the cap 3 is rounded at the tip end, which is applicable
either for the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 or the embodiment
of Fig. 3.
As set forth above, according to the invention of claim
1, by gripping respective of the first and second cylindrical
members and causing relative rotation of both cylindrical
member in the condition directing the tip end hole of the second
cylindrical member toward the target, the needle member may
pierce the seal plate of the gas tank to certainly jet the
jetting gas.
According to the invention of claim 2, since the high
pressure gas is jetted from the tip end hole of the second
cylindrical hole through the through aperture of the needle
member by relatively rotating both cylindrical members in the
condition directing the tip end hole of the second cylindrical
member toward the target, the jetting gas can be certainly
directed to the target.
According to the invention of claim 3, it can be used
as the fire-extinguisher. Since the high pressure gas is low
temperature, remarkable extinguishing effect can be achieved
together with the extinguishing action and cooling effect of
the non-inflammable gas.
According to the invention of claim 4, after initially
gripping both cylindrical members, relative rotation becomes
possible to jet the gas without changing grip, a period required
for extinguishing operation can be shortened.
According to the invention of claim 5, stable gripping
feeding can be obtained and slipping upon relative rotation
can be suppressed. Also, superior appearance in design can
be attained. Furthermore, by the stopper, unexpected relative
rotation in the normal condition can be presented.
According to the invention of claim 6, releasing of user
due to action of static electricity can be prevented.
According to the invention of claim 7, the needle member
can certainly pierce the seal plate of the gas tank by relative
rotation of the first and second cylindrical members.