Gas cylinder connector

• US 4,960,261 A
• Filed: 09/21/1988
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Isoworth Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Isoworth (Bahamas) Limited
• Inventors: Clark, Peter F., Scott, Alistair
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, A MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/247,176
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 137/322, 137/318, 137/320, 251/129.19, 251/148, 251/82, 251/149.8, 285/316, 222/549, 222/545, 222/537
• US Class Current: 251/148
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/008 Gas cartridges or bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/133 using flexible hooks F16L37/1215 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/32 at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6137 Longitudinal movement of valve

Abstract

A connector for connecting a carbon dioxide cylinder to a carbonation apparatus includes a female part having a cylindrical recess for receiving a male part carried by the carbonation apparatus. An axially movable actuator extending through the male part projects through a central passage at the bottom of the cylindrical recess to engage a valve member for opening the valve. The actuator is in three parts and the center part itself forms a valve which is closed when the actuator is depressed for supplying carbon dioxide from the cylinder to a carbonation chamber but which, when the actuator is released, may open response to pressure in the carbonation chamber for supplying carbon dioxide therefrom to another part of the apparatus, such as a concentrate supply device.

Claims

1. A female carbon dioxide supply connector for attaching a carbon dioxide supply vessel to a male connector part of a carbonation apparatus which is to utilize carbon dioxide from said vessel, said female connector comprising:

(a) a female connector part having a cylindrical recess with an open top end and a closed bottom end, the cylindrical surface of said recess being adapted to form a gas tight seal with the male connector part, said female connector part also having a passage below said recess and substantially coaxial therewith, said passage having a top end opening into the bottom of said recess and a bottom end remote from said recess;

(b) means for connecting said female connector part to a vessel containing carbon dioxide so that carbon dioxide in said vessel is supplied to the bottom end of said passage;

(c) normally closed valve means for normally blocking flow of carbon dioxide through said passage to said recess but permitting such flow upon physical engagement and displacement, whereby said valve means can be opened by an actuator rod connected in the male connector part; and

(d) positive stop means for fixing the axial position of said male connector part in said recess when said male connector part is engaged in said recess.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of said passage is of smaller cross-section than said recess, the female connector part including an inclined guide surface at the juncture of said cylindrical recess and the top end said passage for guiding the actuating rod into the passage.

3. A connector according to claim 2, wherein said inclined guide surface is substantially conical.

4. A connector according to claim 1, including a downwardly and outwardly inclined surface on the outside of said connector part for engagement by locking fingers for locking the male and female parts together.

5. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said positive stop means includes a radially extending bottom surface adjacent the bottom end of said cylindrical recess for forming a positive stop to be engaged by the male part.

6. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said normally closed valve means comprises a solid valve element of resilient material overlying the lower end of said passageway, said solid valve element having an upwardly facing surface directly engageable by a valve actuating rod for opening the valve.

7. A female carbon dioxide supply connector for attaching a carbon dioxide supply vessel to a male connector part of a carbonation apparatus which is to utilize carbon dioxide from said vessel, said female connector comprising:

(a) a female connector part having a cylindrical recess with an open top end and a closed bottom end, the cylindrical surface of said recess being adapted to form a gas tight seal with the male connector part, said female connector part also having a passage below said recess and substantially coaxial therewith, said passage having a top end opening into the bottom of said recess and a bottom end remote from said recess;

(b) means for connecting said female connector part to a vessel containing carbon dioxide so that carbon dioxide in said vessel is supplied to the bottom end of said passage;

(c) normally closed valve means for normally blocking flow of carbon dioxide through said passage to said recess but permitting such flow upon physical engagement and displacement, whereby said valve means can be opened by an actuator rod connected in the male connector part;

said normally closed valve means including a downwardly facing valve seat on said female connector part surrounding the bottom end of said passage and a valve element disposed below said valve seat, said valve seat and said valve element being constructed and arranged so that said valve element can contact said valve seat only along a predetermined line of contact circumscribing a predetermined valve area, said valve area being substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of said recess.

8. A connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said valve seat includes a circular ridge projecting downwardly around the bottom end of said passage.

9. A vessel according to claim 8, wherein outside diameter of said circular ridge is approximately 3.5 mm.

10. A vessel according to claim 9, wherein the inside diameter of said circular ridge is approximately 2.5 mm.

11. A connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said valve area is about 10 mm² or less.

12. A connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said valve element is a unitary body of a resilient material, said unitary body overlying the entire lower end of said passage when engaged with said valve seat.

13. A connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said resilient material has a Rockwell hardness of about R85 to about R110.

14. A carbon dioxide supply vessel comprising a female connector as claimed in claim 7 and a hollow vessel body having an interior space containing carbon dioxide, said means for connecting said female connector part to a vessel including means for attaching said female connector part to said vessel body so that the interior space of said vessel body communicates with said valve means.

15. The combination of a vessel according to claim 14 and a carbonation apparatus having a cylindrical male connector part and a sealing ring, said male connector part being received in said cylindrical recess of said female connector part, said sealing ring being engaged between the cylindrical male connector part and the said female connector part so as to provide a substantially gas tight seal with said cylindrical inner surface of said recess in said female connector part, locking means for locking said male and female connector part to one another, and a valve actuator rod extending through said male connector and axially movable relative thereto, said valve actuator rod abutting said valve element, whereby downward movement of said valve actuator will displace said valve element away from said seat and open said valve means.

16. The combination according to claim 15, wherein said valve actuator rod projects into said passage for opening said valve.

17. The combination according to claim 16, wherein said valve actuator rod includes a tip portion projecting into said passage and projecting through said valve area when said valve means is open, said tip portion of said rod bring freely and non-sealingly received within said passage so that carbon dioxide can flow through said passage around the exterior of said tip portion when said valve means is open.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 17, wherein said tip portion of said rod is devoid of internal passageways.

19. The combination as claimed in claim 15 further comprising positive stop means for fixing the axial position of said male connector part in said recess at a predetermined axial location relative to said female connector part.

20. The combination according to claim 19, wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of resilient locking fingers carried on one of said connector parts movable generally radially with respect thereto, and an inclined surface on the other one of said connector parts, said fingers being engageable with said inclined surface, said inclined surface being shaped to draw said connector parts together upon engagement with said fingers and radially inward movement of said fingers.

21. A female carbon dioxide supply connector for attaching a carbon dioxide supply vessel to a male connector part of a carbonation apparatus which is to utilize carbon dioxide from said vessel, said connector comprising:

(a) a female connector part having a cylindrical recess with an open top end and a closed bottom end, the cylindrical surface of said recess being adapted to form a gas tight seal with the male connector part, said female connector part also having a passage below said recess and substantially coaxial therewith, said passage having a top end opening into the bottom of said recess and a bottom end remote from said recess at least a part of said passage being of substantially smaller cross-section than said recess;

(b) means for connecting said female connector part to a vessel containing carbon dioxide so that carbon dioxide in said vessel is supplied to the bottom end of said passage; and

(c) normally closed valve means for normally blocking flow of carbon dioxide through said passage to said recess but permitting such flow upon actuation by an actuating rod of the carbonation apparatus inserted in said passage, whereby .said valve means can be opened by an actuator rod connected in the male connector part, said passage being devoid of internal seals and being adapted to freely and non-sealingly engage an actuator rod inserted therein, whereby carbon dioxide can flow around the exterior of the actuator rod when said valve means is open.

22. A connector according to claim 21, wherein the female connector part includes an inclined guide surface at the juncture of said cylindrical recess and the top end said passage for guiding the actuating rod into the passage.

23. The combination of a female connector according to claim 21 and a carbonation apparatus having a cylindrical male connector part and a sealing ring, said male connector part being received in said cylindrical recess of said female connector part, said sealing ring being engaged between the cylindrical male connector part and the said female connector part so as to provide a substantially gas tight seal with said cylindrical inner surface of said recess in said female connector part, locking means for locking said male and female connector part to one another, and a valve actuator rod extending through said male connector and axially movable relative thereto, said valve actuator rod, having a tip portion extending into said passage in said female part and abutting said valve means, said tip portion of said actuator rod being freely and non-sealingly engaged in said passage.

24. The combination as claimed in claim 23, wherein said tip portion of said rod is devoid of internal passageways.

25. A carbon dioxide supply connector for use with carbonation apparatus and with a carbon dioxide supply vessel having a connector part which comprises a female member having an internal space defined by an internal cylindrical surface, a stop surface located within said female member, an inclined external locking surface, a passage which has a cross-section narrower than and which at one end communicates with the interior of the female member and a valve which normally closes said passage but which is openable to put the passage in communication with the interior of the vessel;

the carbon dioxide supply connector comprising;

a conduit for supplying carbon dioxide to the carbonation apparatus; and

a further connector part for detachably interconnecting the conduit with the connector part of the carbon dioxide supply vessel;

said further connector part comprising a male member which has a hollow interior in communication with said conduit and which is adapted to be slidably inserted into the female member, the end of the male member being adapted to engage said stop surface to positively define the position of the male member relative to the female member when fully inserted therein;

a sealing member disposed on the outside of the male member and adapted to cooperate with said cylindrical surface of said female member to form a gas tight seal therewith;

a valve actuator positioned in the hollow interior of the male member and adapted to be axially movable for opening the valve of the connector part of the vessel;

resilient locking fingers positioned outwardly of the male member and projecting beyond the end thereof, each said finger having an inwardly directed projection adapted to engage said locking surface of said connector part of said vessel; and

means for moving the locking fingers inwardly to a locking position and holding them in said locking position so that the engagement between the locking surface and the locking fingers may draw said male member into said female member and hold said male member in said defined position therein.

26. A carbon dioxide supply connector according to claim 25, including stop means defining a retracted position of said actuator.

27. A connector part for a carbon dioxide supply vessel for detachably connecting the vessel to a carbon dioxide supply connector according to claim 25, said connector part comprising:

a female member having an internal space open at one end to receive a male member, said internal space being defined by an internal cylindrical surface adapted to cooperate with a sealing member on the male member to form a gas tight seal therewith;

an external locking surface which is adapted to be engaged by inwardly directed projections of locking fingers of the carbon dioxide supply connector when said locking fingers are moved inwardly, said locking surface being inclined to face outwardly and away from said one end of said female member such that inward movement of said locking fingers draws the male member into said female member;

a stop located within said female member and adapted to cooperate with the end of the male member to form a positive stop which defines the position of the male member within the female member when the locking fingers are in their locking position;

a passage which has a cross-sectional narrower than the internal space of the female member and which at one end communicates with the internal space of the female member; and

a valve for closing said passage, said valve being normally closed and being openable by axial movement of a valve actuator in the interior of the male member to place the interior of the supply vessel in communication with said conduit via said passage and said male and female members.

28. A connector part according to claim 27, wherein said stop surface is constituted by an end surface of said internal space of said female member.

29. A connector part according to claim 27 wherein said stop surface is provided by a radial projection or rib inside said internal space of said female member.

30. A connector part according to claim 27, wherein said one end of said passage comprises a divergent conical recess in an end surface of said female member.

31. A connector part according to claim 27, wherein said locking surface is frustoconical

32. A connector part according to claim 27, in which said valve comprises a stem located in said passage.

33. A connector part according to claim 27, in combination with a carbon dioxide supply vessel to which said connector part is secured.

34. A connecting joint comprising:

(a) a first connector part having;

(1) a female member having an internal space open at one end to receive a male member, said internal space being defined by an internal cylindrical surface adapted to cooperate with a sealing member on the male member to form a gas tight seal therewith;

(2) an external locking surface, said locking surface being inclined to face outwardly and away from said one end of said female member;

(3) a stop located within said female member and adapted to cooperate with the end of the male member to form a positive stop which defines the position of the male member within the female member;

(4) a passage which has a cross-section narrower than the internal space of the female member and which at one end communicates with the internal space of the female member;

(5) a valve for closing said passage, said valve being normally closed and being openable by axial movement of a valve actuator in the interior of the male member to place the interior of the passage in communication with said interior space of said female member; and

(b) a carbon dioxide supply connector having;

(1) a conduit for supplying carbon dioxide to the carbonation apparatus; and

(2) a further connector part for detachably interconnecting the conduit with the first connector part;

sad further connector part comprising a male member which has a hollow interior in communication with said conduit and which is adapted to be slidably inserted into the female member, the end of the male member being engaging said stop in said female member to positively define the position of the male member relative to the female member;

a sealing member disposed on the outside of the male member and cooperating with said cylindrical surface of said female member to form a gas tight seal therewith;

a valve actuator positioned in the hollow interior of the male member and adapted to be axially movable for opening the valve of the first said connector part;

resilient locking fingers positioned outwardly of the male member and projecting beyond the end thereof, each said finger having an inwardly directed projection engaging said locking surface of said connector part of said vessel; and

means for moving the locking fingers inwardly to a locking position and holding them in said locking position so that the engagement between the locking surface and the locking fingers draws said male member into said female member and holds said male member in said defined position therein.

35. The connecting joint of claim 34, further comprising a carbon dioxide supply vessel containing carbon dioxide and communicating with said passage of said first connector part and a carbonation apparatus connected to said conduit of said carbon dioxide supply connector.