Structure of a LPG tank valve

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6669167
  • Patent Number
    6,669,167
  • Date Filed
    Friday, March 8, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 30, 2003
    20 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Hirsch; Paul J.
    • Keasel; Eric
    Agents
    • Lei; Leong C.
Abstract
An improved structure of a LPG tank valve having a threaded connector mounted onto a LPG tank and a rotating button being provided to one end of the threaded connector, and an urging device being provided to the threaded connector, and the bottom end of the rotating button aligned with the urging device being provided with an urging rod, the urging device includes a tube body, an urging rod and a spring, and one end of the tube body is vertically locked to the threaded connector, via the connector and the space of the valve, the tube body is provided with the urging rod, and the rod head of the urging rod is higher than the tube body and is protruded into the mouth of the LPG tank valve, and the lower end of the rod head is connected in series with a spring urged the wall of the tube body, and a gap is formed between the rod body of the urging rod and the wall of the tube body and when the valve is mounted onto the tank, the bottom end of the tube body does not urge against the needle valve of the tank and only when the rotating button is depressed, the press down pushes the urging rod and the needle valve is forced to open and the liquefied gas is released.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




(a) Technical Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to an improved structure of a LPG tank valve, and in particular, an urging device within the valve of a LPG tank.




(b) Description of the Prior Art





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a conventional LPG tank valve and a LPG tank. The valve


20


is connected to a stove


30


via a connection tube (not shown). The bottom end of the valve


20


is provided with a threaded connector


211


for mounting with the threaded head


11


of the LPG tank


10


. The needle valve


12


within the threaded head


11


is in engagement with an urging device


23


within the threaded connector


21


.

FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing the valve of LPG tank in a closed position. The bottom end of the rotating button


22


in aligned with the urging device


23


is provided with a press rod


24


, and the urging device


23


comprises a tube body


25


and a needle valve


26


. One end of the tube body


25


is vertically locked to the threaded connector


21


, and the needle valve


26


is mounted at the mouth of the threaded connector


21


to the vale


20


such that one end of the needle valve


26


protruded out of the threaded connector


21


is located below the rod


24


. When the valve


20


is connected to the LPG tank


10


, the tube body


25


forces open the needle valve


12


within the mouth


11


of he tank, at this instance, LPG fills out the space of the tube body


25


. If the rotating button


22


has not been rotated, the press rod


24


will not press the needle valve


26


, the valve


26


blocks LPG from escaping. When LPG is required, as shown in

FIG. 3

, the rotating button


22


is rotated downward to press down the rod


24


and the needle valve


26


is opened, the LPG via the inner chamber of the LPG valve


20


, from the outlet tube


27


of the valve, flows to the burner


30


. The conventional structure has the following drawbacks:




(1) After a period of use of the LPG tank valve, the inlet of the needle valve is accumulated with carbon residue, and dust, and the valve may not be restored to its closed position, and this may cause a LPG leakage or cause explosion to the burner.




(2) The needle valve on the LPG tank is not required as leakage from a LPG tank can be detected in the LPG supplier. Therefore, it is a waste of cost in manufacturing and increases the cost of material. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of a LPG tank valve which mitigates the above drawbacks.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of a LPG tank valve having a threaded connector mounted onto a LPG tank and a rotating button being provided to one end of the threaded connector, and an urging device being provided to the threaded connector, and the bottom end of the rotating button aligned with the urging device being provided with an urging rod, characterized in that the urging device includes a tube body, an urging rod and a spring, and one end of the tube body is vertically locked to the threaded connector, via the connector and the space of the valve, the tube body is provided with the urging rod, and the rod head of the urging rod is higher than the tube body and is protruded into the mouth of the LPG tank valve, and the lower end of the rod head is connected in series with a spring urged the wall of the tube body, and a gap is formed between the rod body of the urging rod and the wall of the tube body and when the valve is mounted onto the tank the bottom end of the tube body does not urge against the needle valve of the tank and only when the rotating button is depressed, the press down pushes the urging rod and the needle valve is forced to pen and the liquefied gas is released.




Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a LPG tank valve, wherein the accumulated carbon or dust will not be formed at the needle valve.




Other objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a conventional LPG tank valve and a LPG tank.





FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing the conventional LPG tank valve prior to the opening of the valve.





FIG. 3

is a sectional view showing the conventional LPG tank valve in the course of opening of the valve.





FIG. 4

is a sectional view showing the improved structure of the LPG tank valve in accordance with the present invention.





FIG. 5

is a sectional view showing the LPG tank valve prior to the opening of the valve in accordance with the present invention.





FIG. 6

is a sectional view showing the LPG tank valve in the course of opening of the valve in accordance with the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a conventional LPG tank valve and a LPG tank.

FIG. 2

is a sectional view showing the conventional LPG tank valve prior to the opening of the valve.

FIG. 3

is a sectional view showing the conventional LPG tank valve in the course of opening of the valve.





FIG. 4

is a perspective view showing the LPG tank valve in accordance with the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, the urging device


110


is positioned within the LPG tank valve


100


and comprises a tube body


111


, an urging rod


112


and a spring


115


. One end of the tube body


111


is vertically locked to the threaded connector


101


of the valve


100


and passes through the space


102


of the valve


100


. The urging rod


112


is inserted into the tube body


111


and the rod head


113


of the urging rod


112


is higher than the mouth of the tube body


111


and is protruded into the valve


100


. The bottom end of the rod head


113


connected in series with the spring


115


urges the wall of the tube body


111


, and a gap


114


is formed between the urging rod


112


and the tube body


111


.





FIG. 5

is a sectional view showing the LPG tank valve prior to the opening of the valve in accordance with the present invention. When the valve


100


is mounted onto a LPG tank


200


, the bottom end of the tube body


111


does not press onto the needle valve


202


of the mouth


201


of the tank and the spring force of the spring


115


pushes up the urging rod


112


. At this instance, the liquefied gas within the tank


200


is similar to that in a tank without the valve


100


. As the needle valve


202


seals the tank


200


and the liquefied gas will not release from the tank


200


. As shown in

FIG. 6

, when the gas is to be released, the rotating button


120


of the valve


100


is rotated downward and the button


120


is protruded to the press rod


121


of the valve


100


to push down the rod head


113


, and the spring force of the spring


115


is overcome. This will cause the urging rod


112


to press open the needle valve


202


of the mouth of the tank


201


to release the liquefied gas within the tank


200


. The gas will flow from the gap


114


to the space


102


of the valve


100


via the outlet tube


103


of the valve


100


to the burner


30


.




In view of the above, the LPG tank valve


100


does not need to install a conventional needle valve


26


but employs the needle valve


202


at the mouth


201


of the tank to achieve the transporting of liquefied gas and to prevent liquefied leakage. In accordance with the present invention, the reciprocating of the rod body of the urging rod


112


within the tube body


111


will clear away the accumulated carbon or dust at the gap


114


and the gap will not be blocked.




While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. An improved structure of a LPG tank valve having a threaded connector mounted onto a LPG tank and a rotating button being provided to one end of the threaded connector, and an urging device being provided to the threaded connector, and the bottom end of the rotating button aligned with the urging device being provided with an urging rod, characterized in that the urging device includes a tube body, an urging rod and a spring, and one end of the tube body is vertically locked to the threaded connector, via the connector and the space of the valve, the tube body is provided with the urging rod, and the rod head of the urging rod is higher than the tube body and is protruded into the mouth of the LPG tank valve, and the lower end of the rod head is connected in series with a spring urged the wall of the tube body, and a gap is formed between the rod body of the urging rod and the wall of the tube body and when the valve is mounted onto the tank, the bottom end of the tube body does not urge against the needle valve of the tank and only when the rotating button is depressed, the press down pushes the urging rod and the needle valve is forced to open and the liquefied gas is released.
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