BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a lock assembly for LPG cylinders according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating how to engage the lock assembly with a LPG cylinder;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a LPG cylinder engaged with a receptacle of the lock assembly;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the engagement between the receptacle;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating how to use the key to remove the receptacle;
FIG. 5A is a front view of the lock assembly shown in FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The following description are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiment of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lock assembly 10 comprises a key 1 and a receptacle 2. The receptacle 2 is configured to be threadedly engaged with an orifice 31 of an LPG (low pressure gas) cylinder 3. The receptacle 2 is provided at an end with a groove 21 in which is fitted an O-ring 22. The other end of the receptacle 2 is formed with external threads 23 adapted to engage with internal threads of the orifice 31 of the LPG cylinder 3. The receptacle 2 has a primary cylindrical recess 24 the bottom of which is formed with a secondary cylindrical portion 13 which is eccentric with respect to the primary cylindrical recess 24. The key 1 has a primary cylindrical portion 12 and a secondary cylindrical portion 13 which is eccentric with respect to the primary cylindrical portion 12. The primary cylindrical portion 12 of the key 1 is dimensioned to fit into the primary cylindrical recess 24 of the receptacle 2, while the secondary cylindrical portion 13 is sized to engage with the secondary cylindrical recess 25 of the receptacle 2. The key 1 has an enlarged head 11 provided at the center with a protuberance 14 which is mounted with a circular ring 15. The circular ring 15 may be replaced with a D-shaped ring (see FIG. 6).
When in use, the receptacle 2 is first fitted in the orifice 31 of the LPG cylinder 3 and then the key 1 is inserted in the receptacle 2 to engage the primary cylindrical portion 12 and the secondary cylindrical portion 13 of the key 1 with the primary cylindrical recess 24 and the secondary cylindrical recess 25 of the receptacle (see FIGS. 2,3 and 4) Thereafter, the key 1 is turned to rotate the receptacle 2 into the orifice 31 thereby preventing gas from flowing out of the LPG cylinder 3 (see FIGS. 5 and 5A). Similarly, when desired to open the LPG cylinder 3 for use, it is only necessary to insert the key 1 into the receptacle 2 to engage the primary cylindrical portion 12 and the secondary cylindrical portion 13 of the key 1 with the primary cylindrical recess 24 and the secondary cylindrical recess 25 of the receptacle 2, and then the key 1 is turned to rotate the receptacle 2 out of the orifice 31 of the LPG cylinder 3.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Patent Application
20080016924
