BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of the inflator of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear view thereof;
FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof;
FIG. 4 is a left side view thereof;
FIG. 5 is bottom view thereof;
FIG. 6 is a top view thereof;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view thereof;
FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the firing lever incorporated into the inflator of the invention;
FIG. 8B is a front view thereof;
FIG. 8C is a right side view thereof;
FIG. 9A is a front view of the housing of the inflator of the invention with all other components removed;
FIG. 9B is a right side view thereof;
FIG. 9C is a left side view thereof;
FIG. 9D is a top view thereof;
FIG. 9E is a bottom view thereof;
FIG. 10A is a front view of the operative components of the inflator of the invention with the housing omitted;
FIG. 10B is a right side view thereof;
FIG. 10C is a left side view thereof;
FIG. 10D is a top view thereof;
FIG. 10E is a perspective view thereof;
FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 10B along lines 11A-11A with the firing lever removed for clarity;
FIG. 11B is a perspective view of FIG. 11A;
FIG. 11C is a partial cross-sectional of the inflator of the invention employing an alternative embodiment of a check valve to prevent an inflated inflatable from deflating in the event the gas cartridge is removed;
FIG. 11D is a partial cross-sectional of the inflator of the invention employing another alternative embodiment of a check valve to prevent an inflated inflatable from deflating in the event the gas cartridge is removed;
FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 10A along lines 12A-12A; and
FIG. 12B is a perspective view thereof.
Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1-7, the heat sealable inflator 10 of the invention comprises a generally rectangular housing 12 having an integral peripheral flange 14. The material constituting the housing 12 with its flange 14 is composed of a heat sealable material such as polyurethane that may be heat sealed to conventional inflatable articles such as personal floatation devices, life rafts, and the like (not shown). Characteristically, the material constituting the housing 12 and its integral flange 14 is of a generally softer material having a hardness in the range of 40 to 90 on the durometer scale Shore D and a tensile strength of about 5800 psi.
As best shown in FIG. 2, formed in the rear surface 16 of the inflator housing 12 is an exhaust port 18 which provides fluid communication from the inflator 10 into the inflatable article (not shown).
As best shown in FIG. 7, the inflator 10 is adapted to receive the threaded neck of a gas cylinder (shown in phantom as numeral 20) such that upon release of the gas therefrom, the gas may flow through the inflator 10 and then out the exhaust port 18 (see FIG. 2) into the inflatable article (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 7, the inflator 10 comprises a firing lever 22 to which is tethered a jerk handle 24 by means of a braided lanyard 26. A removable safety clip 28 is provided for retaining the firing lever 22 into its normal unfired position substantially flush with the left side 30 of the inflator (see FIGS. 5 and 6) such that the firing lever 22 does not protrude therefrom and otherwise be inadvertently caught or snagged.
The firing lever 22 is shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C and generally comprises an L-shaped configuration having an upstanding arm 32 to which the lanyard 26 is inserted into and tightly and permanently secured such as by staking. The lower leg portion 34 of the firing lever 22 comprises a pivot hole 36 through which a pivot pin 38 is inserted and a cammed surface 40 which is operatively designed to cam against the actuator pin 42 of the pierce pin assembly 44 described hereinafter in more detail. To reduce friction, the pivot hole may be a plurality of upstanding protrusions 36A encircling the pivot hole 36.
FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate the housing 12 of the invention with all of the other components removed. Correspondingly, FIGS. 10A-10E illustrate the other components that are assembled within the housing 12 of FIG. 9. These other components shown in FIG. 10 include the firing lever 22 and the safety clip 28 as previously described above and a safety flag 48, preferably colored red, that is snap-fitted between ridges 50 formed in the housing 12. The safety flag 48 is hidden behind the firing lever 22 when the firing lever 22 is in its unactuated/unfired condition. Conversely, the flag 48 is exposed when the firing lever 22 is actuated, thereby indicating a fired condition.
As best shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B and 12A and 12B, a generally cylindrical sleeve 52 is molded in-situ with the housing 12. The cylindrical sleeve 52 comprises at its upper portion 42 a threaded bore 56 for receiving the threaded neck of the gas cylinder 20.
As best shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B and 12A and 12B, the pierce pin assembly 44 is reciprocatably positioned within a longitudinal bore 60 of the housing 12. The pierce pin assembly 44 comprises an actuator pin 42 with a firing pin 54 staked therein for piercing the frangible seal of the gas cartridge 20 when actuated. The actuator pin 42 comprises an O-ring groove 62 at its lower end for receiving a conventional O-ring 64. The O-ring 64 prevents air flowing from the gas cartridge 20 from escaping from the longitudinal bore 60 such that it is directed to exit the housing 12 via exhaust port 18 to flow into and inflate the inflatable.
It is noted that once the gas cartridge 20 is removed, an air may simply escape from inflated inflatable path in the reverse direction. In order to prevent deflation of the inflatable once the gas cartridge 20 is removed, a check valve is employed. The preferred embodiment of the check valve best illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B comprises a seat assembly 66 that is reciprocally and sealingly positioned over the actuator pin 42. The seat assembly 66 comprises an annular seal 68 positioned within a retainer clip 70 for support. The annular seal 68 functions to seal against the opening 72 in the bore 60 leading into the threaded bore 56 and against the outer cylindrical surface of the actuator pin 42. A spring 74 is positioned between the seat assembly 66 and the O-ring groove 62 to urge the seal 68 into sealing engagement with the opening 72 and to allow the seat assembly 66 to blow back by the force of the escaping gas from the cartridge 20 upon firing. The spring 74 also functions to return the seat assembly 66 to its sealing engagement with the opening 72 after the gas has escaped, thereby preventing leakage of the inflated inflatable in the event the gas cartridge 20 is removed.
Another embodiment of the check valve is illustrated in FIG. 11C and comprises a flapper valve 68A that secured over the exhaust port 18 by a fastener 69. The flapper valve is composed of a sealing material that forms a seal with the exhaust port 18 when the inflatable is inflated, thereby allowing the gas cartridge 20 to be removed without deflation of the inflatable.
Still another embodiment of the check valve is illustrated in FIG. 11D and comprises an annular seal 68B centered within a retainer ring 70A for support. The annular seal 68B functions to seal against the exhaust port 18. A spring 74B is positioned between the retainer ring 70A and an annular mounting ring 70A secured to the housing 12 to urge annular seal 68B into sealing engagement with the exhaust port 18 and to allow annular seal 68B to blow back by the force of the escaping gas from the cartridge 20 upon firing. The spring 74B also functions to return the annular seal 68B to its sealing engagement with the exhaust port 18 after the gas has escaped, thereby preventing leakage of the inflated inflatable in the event the gas cartridge 20 is removed.
It is noted that as shown in FIGS. 11C and 11D, the pierce pin 54 may comprise a central passageway that allows the flow of gas through the pierce pin 54 and the actuator pin 42 to exit therefrom proximate to the exhaust port 18. However, when using the pierce pin assembly 44 of the preferred embodiment, the pierce pin 54 may simply be fluted as shown in the other figures whereupon the escaping gas simply flows through the flute on the pierce pin 54 to blow back the seat assembly 66, then around the actuator pin 42 to exit the exhaust port 18.
An important feature of the present invention is the use of the cylindrical sleeve 52 of FIG. 10 in combination with the housing of FIG. 9. Specifically, as noted above, the material constituting the housing 12 should be of a softer material that is heat sealable with conventional articles to be inflated. In contrast, the material constituting the cylindrical sleeve 52 may be of a significantly harder, high-strength, material such as glass-filled nylon and having a tensile strength of about 30,000 psi. According to the invention, the cylindrical sleeve 52 is injection molded in a first step and then the housing 12 is injection molded about the sleeve 52 in a second injection molding step. These two steps may occur with the cylindrical sleeve 52 being insert-molded or with the cylindrical sleeve 52 being formed in-situ in a two-step molding process as more particularly set forth in our concurrently-filed patent application directed to the same and incorporated by reference herein.
Since the material constituting the cylindrical sleeve 52 is composed of a much stronger material than that of the housing 12, it should be appreciated that it can better withstand the significant pressures that occur immediately upon actuation when gas is rapidly flowing from the gas cartridge 20 through the housing 12 into the inflatable article. Indeed, the use of the cylindrical sleeve 52 in the structure provides the needed strength to withstand the force of the rapidly-flowing gas from the cartridge. Yet, the gas contacts only the housing 12 and no portion of the sleeve 52. The likelihood of separation between the materials is therefore essentially eliminated since the gas flows directly into the article being inflated without contacting the bond formed between the materials constituting the sleeve 52 and the housing 12.
Another significant advantage achieved by utilizing the cylindrical sleeve 52 as described above is the ability to incorporate a depending skirt portion 76 therefrom which forms a socket 78 with a blind hole for receiving the pivot pin 38. Specifically, the socket 78 depending from the skirt 76 is embedded within the housing 12 during the two-step injection process. Consequently, during assembly, the pivot pin 38 may be easily inserted therein without having to pre-drill a hole as in the case of my prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,478. The elimination of any need for pre-drilling significantly reduces manufacturing and assembly costs. A more detailed description of the manufacturing apparatus and method for forming the blind hole is set forth in our concurrently-filed application noted above that is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Now that the invention has been described,
Patent Application
20070277903
