Patent Application
20220170629
This disclosure relates to outdoor torches in general and, more particularly, to liquid fuel burning torches.
Outdoor torches, lawn torches, patio torches and the like frequently rely on liquid fuels for operation. The fuels may contain scents, repellents, and other additives. Some inconveniences of operation of such torches include the fueling or refueling operation, and placement of the fuel cannister within the torch for proper function.
Some fuel cannisters come prefilled and may be considered disposable or recyclable in that the fuel canister itself may be discarded after use rather than refilled from a separate container. Still, issues remain with respect to installation and operation of these fuel canisters. Some issues that may be faced include positioning the fuel container into a receptacle and attachment of a flame guard for proper operation. Additionally, even if the fuel cannister is already provided with a wick it may have need to be properly exposed and set for operation. This may involve contact with the fuel as the wick is extracted or exposed from it's packing or shipping location. Extension of the wick may also mean it no longer has the ability to draw all of the fuel out of the container while burning properly.
What is needed is a system and device for addressing the above and related issues.
The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof, comprises a fuel container having a fuel reservoir, a flame guard affixed atop the fuel reservoir and providing a wick holder, and a fuel container flange at the connection of the flame guard to the fuel container extending radially outward from the fuel container.
The flame guard may provide a flame guard flange affixed to a fuel reservoir flange on the fuel reservoir forming the fuel container flange. The flame guard flange may be roll seamed with the fuel reservoir flange to form the fuel container flange.
In some embodiments, the flame guard comprises a frustoconical shroud elevating the wick holder from the fuel reservoir. The flame guard may comprise an externally threaded neck affixed to the shroud and containing the wick holder. A wick may be retained in the wick holder in an operational position wherein that the wick is operable to combust liquid fuel and extends into the fuel reservoir to contact a floor thereof. The fuel container may have a quantity of torch fuel within the fuel reservoir, and a cap affixed to the threaded neck to seal the neck against fuel leaks without moving the wick from the operational position.
The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a fuel container including a fuel reservoir permanently mated to a flame guard to form a first flange extending radially outward from the fuel reservoir. The flame guard comprises a shroud elevating an integrated neck above the fuel reservoir and having a wick with a position in the neck that is exposed to allow operation of the wick to burn liquid fuel while the wick extends to a bottom floor of the fuel reservoir.
In some embodiments, the fuel reservoir is roll seamed to the flame guard to form the first flange. In another embodiment, the first flange is formed from roll seaming a flame guard flange to a fuel reservoir flange. The fuel reservoir may comprise a sidewall permanently attached to the bottom floor and to the fuel reservoir flange such that no openings into the fuel reservoir exist through the neck of the flame guard.
The fuel container may include a quantity of fuel in the fuel reservoir. It may also comprise a replaceable cap that fits onto the neck in such a manner as to seal the neck against fuel leaks while the wick remains at the position in the neck where it is exposed to allow operation of the wick to burn liquid fuel while the wick extends to a bottom floor of the fuel reservoir.
In some cases, the shroud is frustoconical and tapers from the first flange inward to the neck. The neck may provide external threads, and the replaceable cap may provide cooperating internal threads.
The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a torch having a fuel reservoir permanently mated to a flame guard to form a first flange extending radially outward from the fuel reservoir, and a pole mounted receptacle that receives the fuel reservoir suspended therein by the first flange. The flame guard comprises a shroud elevating an integrated neck above the fuel reservoir and having a wick with a position in the neck that is exposed to allow operation of the wick to burn liquid fuel while the wick extends to a bottom floor of the fuel reservoir.
In some cases, the fuel reservoir comprises a cylindrical wall affixed to the flame guard. The receptacle may be covered by the first shroud. The fuel reservoir may have no openings apart from the neck of the flame guard. In some cases the torch further comprises a cap that fits onto the neck in such a manner as to seal the neck against fuel leaks while the wick remains at the position in the neck where it is exposed to allow operation of the wick to burn liquid fuel while the wick extends to a bottom floor of the fuel reservoir.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The shroud 206 may terminate at an outer edge forming a shroud flange 208. The shroud flange may extend generally laterally and horizontally away from a centerline of the fuel container 100. In some cases, the shroud flange 208 forms the flange 102 of the fuel container but it may also join with other components to form the flange 102 as described below.
The fuel reservoir 104 may comprise a sidewall 210, which may have a cylindrical shape. A bottom of the fuel reservoir 104 may be closed by floor 212 joined to the sidewall 210. The floor 212 may be seam rolled, welded, or otherwise affixed to the sidewall 210 if the floor 212 and sidewall are formed of separate components (e.g., as metallic components). However, they may also be formed integrally (e.g., as polymeric components).
The sidewall 210 forms a top opening 216 (at least initially) that may be surrounded by a sidewall flange 214. The sidewall flange 214 may form the flange 102 of the fuel container 100 or it may be joined to the shroud flange 208 to form the flange 106. The sidewall flange 214 may be joined to the shroud flange 208 by seam rolling, welding, gluing, or other means depending upon the materials used to form the sidewall flange 214 and the shroud flange 208.
Referring now to
The fuel container 100 may be sized for direct insertion into the receptacle 306 such that the fuel reservoir 104 is suspended within the receptacle 306. The flange 106 may rest atop the receptable and cover all or part of an opening of the receptacle 306 into which the fuel reservoir 104 is inserted. The flame guard 102 is thereby positioned outside and at the highest point on the torch 300 for operation.
The fuel container 100 may be provided with a cap 314 that fits to the threads 204 to prevent leakage or spillage of fuel 308 during transit or when not otherwise in use. The neck 202 and/or wick holder 205, as well as the flame guard 102 and fuel reservoir 104, may be sized such that the wick 316 is sufficiently exposed for proper operation as soon as the cap 314 is removed. The wick 316, fuel reservoir 104, and the flame guard 102, including neck 202, may be sized such that the wick 316 extends all the way to the floor 212 of the fuel reservoir 104 minimizing unburnable fuel within the fuel reservoir 104.
The torch 300 may also provide a snuffer 310 on a tether 312. The cap 314 may be replaced on the neck 202 after snuffing to prevent fuel loss or spillage when the torch 300 is not in operation.
It will be appreciated that by forming the flame guard 102 as the only top covering for the fuel reservoir 210, several problems may be avoided. These include, but are not limited to, the need to provide a separate lid, flame guard, and means for suspending the product within a torch receptacle. While a cap 314 may still be used to protect the wick 316 and/or prevent spillage through the wick holder 205, the cap 314 used may also utilize a thread specification that is common to fuel containers and may be the only threaded connection of the fuel container 100. Other connections may be permanent in that apart from the cap 314 and neck 202, joined components do not need to be, and may not be, nondestructively separable. For purposes of the present disclosure an integral or permanent connection would be a connection wherein the connected components cannot be separated without tools and would not be or would not be expected to be reusable if separated. The embodiments of the present disclosure also reduce the number of mechanical connections relying on tight tolerance of the component pieces (for example, prior art flame guard and fuel cannister interfaces). One of skill in the art will readily appreciate other advantages and distinctions.
It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers.
If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.
It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not be construed that there is only one of that element.
It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.
Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.
Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks.
The term “method” may refer to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs.
The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a ranger having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%.
When, in this document, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)—(a second number)”, this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 should be interpreted to mean a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. Additionally, it should be noted that where a range is given, every possible subrange or interval within that range is also specifically intended unless the context indicates to the contrary. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100 such range is also intended to include subranges such as 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc., as well as any other possible combination of lower and upper values within the stated range, e.g., 33-47, 60-97, 41-45, 28-96, etc. Note that integer range values have been used in this paragraph for purposes of illustration only and decimal and fractional values (e.g., 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be intended as possible subrange endpoints unless specifically excluded.
It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where context excludes that possibility), and the method can also include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (except where context excludes that possibility).
Further, it should be noted that terms of approximation (e.g., “about”, “substantially”, “approximately”, etc.) are to be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise herein. Absent a specific definition within this disclosure, and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be plus or minus 10% of the base value.
Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While the inventive device has been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments in relation to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made therein by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.
