Patent Application
20130220447
The present invention is directed to a protective device for use in connection with gas bottle post valves.
Gas bottles have a variety of end uses. Such end uses range from various industrial applications, where a specified gas is required (ranging from inert gases, such as nitrogen, to oxygen gas), to medical uses where oxygen is to be administered to a patient in need of oxygen. Such bottles have a tubular valve stem extending from an end of the gas bottle for engagement with a gas delivery tube or pipe. An exemplary such valve stem is the CGA 870 medical oxygen post which is a four sided elongated valve stem having operative orifices on the side of the valve stem for engagement with an oxygen source.
Of attributes found important for protective devices used with medical gas valves, “use evidence” is particularly important because in emergency medical situations it is important for emergency personnel to be able to quickly identify which cylinder contains oxygen for use by a patient. “Use evidence” is also important to re-fillers of such compressed gas re-fillers, because full cylinders are frequently returned for credit when a full cylinder cannot be identified by content. This increases the re-filler's costs and affects the oxygen user's perception of value and quality provided by the re-filler.
An additional benefit sought for the protective device is the ability to physically protect the valve seat (the area between the bottom end of the protective device and the top of the compressed valve cylinder). Scratches and damage to the valve seat and post valve surface result in leak paths for oxygen to escape, which can result in explosion and/or fire.
The protective device must also address the needs of all who use or benefit from the protective device. Such parties include the compressed gas producers (who fill the gas bottles and initially install the protective device), the compressed gas distributors who receive the compressed gas bottles having the protective device, and the ultimate end users (home-based patients, hospitals, medical care personnel, etc.). Each level of distribution sometimes requires different attributes of the protective device. For instance, the compressed gas producer requires a protective device which is easy to install, is protective in nature, and locks into place. The distributor requires the protective device to be physically stable as installed, and not subject to being displaced from the valve stem during storage or transportation. The ultimate end users require the protective device to be physically stable as installed to provide “evidence of use” indication, and easy to remove. It would also be an advantage for the protective device to serve as means to lift and transport the gas cylinder, and/or to resist any inclination to be removed from the valve stem when grabbed by a transporter or end user.
Several prior art gas valve protective products exist, including cellulose bands and shrink wrap, and those described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,012, U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,242, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,714. Each of these products provide certain benefits, but none provide all of the desired benefits. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,012 is essentially the same as that of U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,242 with the exception that the device is cut, opened, and has a ratchet locking mechanism. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,012 appears to have been developed in an attempt to improve on the installation shortcomings of the device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,242 which requires tools and/or other installation aids and requires substantial downward force for installation. However, in actual practice the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,012 becomes very cumbersome to install by requiring two hands to pre-fold each corner of the device before assembly.
The protective device described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,714 is even more cumbersome than the protective device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,242. The device of this patent must be wrapped around the valve stem in covering position to the gas orifice, with one free end being locked into a locking mechanism of the other free end to maintain the device in place. The fact that this protective device is able to be wrapped around the valve stem (instead of being pulled over) attempts to solve the main problem with the protective device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,242, which is ease of installation. However, this solution is only partially successful, as the fact that one free end must be placed into the locking mechanism at the other end and pulled tight for locking purposes requires some dexterity and extra effort. This is a significant problem when these protective devices are placed on large numbers of compressed gas cylinder valve stems in an assembly line type of environment due to the manual labor involved. This type of protective device is also difficult to secure tightly around the valve body and is prone to becoming accidentally dislodged during normal handling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,992 discloses a tamperproof wrap-around seal for gas cylinders which includes a loop member adapted to be gripped by the finger of a user for transport of the gas cylinder. However, the disclosed loop is intended for a single finger, and is undesirably offset from the center of gravity of the gas cylinder.
A need accordingly exists for means by which a gas bottle may be modified to clarify whether gas has been delivered by the bottle, or whether the bottle is unused, and which does not suffer from any of the disadvantages suffered by conventional devices.
A need also exists to provide a protective device for a gas bottle valve which enables the gas bottle to be transported by gripping of the protective device.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a protective device for use with gas bottle post valve stems.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a protective device that will serve to seal an orifice in a post valve stem of a gas bottle.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a protective device that can be easily placed in locking engagement with a post valve stem of a gas bottle.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a protective device that may be easily engaged and easy to remove, while remaining in secure protective engagement with the valve stem during use.
It is yet further an object of the present invention to provide a protective device which is configured to enable the user to transport the gas cylinder by gripping of the protective device.
A gas cylinder valve stem protective device is accordingly provided comprising a three-sided body capable of being positioned about at least a portion of a four-sided gas cylinder valve stem in protective relationship to three adjacent opposing faces of the valve stem, the body comprised of two opposing sides and a side extending therebetween. One of the sides has at least one projection extending from an interior surface thereof which is configured to engage a portion of an opposing surface of the valve stem whereby the protective device is prevented from being easily removed from engagement with the valve stem. One of the opposing sides has extending therefrom a locking strip capable of being lockingly engaged with the other of the opposing sides to maintain the three-sided body in encompassing relationship with the valve stem. The device includes at least one tear strip, whereby the protective device may be removed by tearing the tear strip so as to permit disengagement and removal of the protective device from the valve stem, the tear strip defined by opposing tear lines or perforations. The two opposing sides of the body may optionally each have extending from upper extents thereof upwardly extending grip members each configured for being gripped and supporting a user's finger, whereby a gas cylinder to which the gas cylinder valve stem is attached may be lifted or supported upon finger engagement with the grip members.
The invention will be described in connection with the
As shown in the Figures, the present invention comprises a protective device 1 for use in connection with valve stems 5 for gas bottles. The protective device 1 is comprised of a three-sided unitary molded body 3 of such length as to extend along at least a portion of the length of the valve stem 5.
The cross-sectional dimension of the protective device should be such that the device snugly engages the valve stem to enhance the protective aspect of the device, and particularly to enhance the engagement of the protective device with the valve stem in the manner discussed below. The three-sided body has sufficient structural integrity as to result in the desired snug fit which pushed onto the valve stem.
The protective device is open-ended at each end to enable the three-sided device to be placed onto the valve stem from the side and subsequently locked into engagement therewith.
Finger grip members 7, 7′ may optionally be present and which extend from the top or uppermost extent of the opposing sides 9, 11 of the three-sided protective device. The finger grip members 7, 7′ are configured to be easily engaged by the user's fingers to enable the device (and hence the attached gas cylinder via the valve stem 5) to be lifted and transported by the user. The upwardly-extending finger grip members are preferably arcuate in configuration so as to comfortably being capable of being gripped by the finger of a user or transporter of the device. However, the gripping surface of the finger-grip members may be any suitable configuration capable of being gripped. The finger grip members need not be present, but when present, facilitate transport of the attached compressed gas cylinder.
The interior surface 17 of the rear side 15 includes at least one projection/lug (and preferably multiple projections/lugs) which is configured to fit in an opening 13′, 13″ in an adjacent side 19 of the valve stem 5. The engagement of the rear side 15 in an adjacent side of the gas valve provides stability for the gas cylinder when lifted by an upward force applied to the protective device when applied to the finger grip members. When opposing side 19 is so engaged, the protective device is prevented from being removed from the valve stem upon being placed thereon due to engagement of said projections 35, 35′ with the openings 13′, 13″ in surface 19 of the gas valve stem. The locking projection 35, 35′ may be of any suitable cross-sectional configuration which is suitably configured to engage with an opposing opening(s) in the valve stem. The projections may engage one or more of the gas port 13′ or pin index holes 13″. Preferably, three projections 35, 35′ are provided which engage a portion of valve stem surface 19. The presence of three projections as shown in
The three-sided body of the protective device is maintained about the valve stem by locking means 23 (locking strip) extending between the opposing sides 9, 11 of the three-sided body. One of the opposing sides has extending therefrom a locking strip 25 capable of being lockingly engaged with the other of the opposing sides 9 to maintain the three-sided body in protective relationship with the valve stem. The locking strip is attached (preferably by way of a living hinge) to one of the opposing sides 11 so as to be able to extend across the opening between the free longitudinal edges of the two opposing sides 9, 11.
An exemplary embodiment for the locking means consists of a locking tab 27 at the end of the locking strip 25 which is lockingly inserted into a locking cavity 29 extending from the opposing side of the three-sided body. An alternative embodiment for the locking means includes the use of ratchet means on the locking strip which lockingly engages a locking cavity on the opposing side. The particular locking mechanism used for the locking tab is not critical to practice of the claimed invention, and one skilled in the art can readily select an appropriate mechanism. The locking means need only be able to serve as a connection between opposing sides 9, 11 and to maintain the three-sided body in protective relationship to the valve stem.
The protective device also includes a mechanism to enable the protective device to be easily removed from locking engagement with the valve stem. Desirably, a tear strip 31 (
A tear strip may extend longitudinally along at least a portion of a side 15 of the protective device (
In order to enhance the ease by which the tear strip may be torn and removed, a grip member 39 (
The tear strip may also be formed as part of the locking strip as shown in
The protective device of the present invention may provide means to carry/store a washer seal 51 (
The housing may also be integrally molded into one of the walls of the protective device, with the walls of the housing 45 extending a short distance outwardly from the protective device a distance sufficient to account for the thickness of the washer seal (
In order to install the protective device of the present invention on a gas cylinder valve stem, the device is pushed onto the valve stem in an open three-sided configuration (i.e., with the locking strip pushed to the side) as shown in
The protective device may be formed of any suitable material which enables the protective sleeve to function in the manner discussed above. The protective device is preferably comprised of a plastic resin material suitable for molding a unitary molded body (such as by injection molding), and once formed, is sufficiently flexible to be placed over the valve stem and into engagement therewith, and sufficiently inflexible to remain engaged therewith absent removal of the tear strip.
The three sides of the protective device are molded in a manner to form a substantially inflexible U-shaped structure that can be pushed into registry with the gas valve stem.
The protective device may be comprised of a variety of plastic resin materials, such as low density polyethylene or filled flexible polyvinyl chloride. It is desirable for the body to be prepared from a plastic resin material which, once molded, is not entirely opaque, but permits viewing of the exterior of the gas valve stem. The selection of such materials and the molding method by which the device may be formed are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
