Smoke-producing apparatus for detecting leaks

• US 6,477,890 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CPS Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: K-Line Industries, Incorporated
• Inventors: Hulsebus, Jon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US09/662,914
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 73/407, 73/497, 102/334, 122/40, 239/136, 392/386, 392/394, 392/396, 392/397, 392/399
• US Class Current: 73/40.7
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 9/06 Apparatus for generating artificial fog or smoke screens for producing special effects on stages A63J5/00; smoke-pot projectors, e.g. arranged on vehicles, F42B5/155
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/20 using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material

Abstract

An apparatus for generating smoke includes a closed chamber having a top cover, and a metal air inlet tube, a metal air outlet tube and a metal suction tube extending through the cover. An electric coiled-wire heating element is positioned transversely in the chamber and connected electrically at each end to the metal air inlet tube and the metal suction tube. A spray dispenser is attached to the top cover and positioned over the heating element and is operably connected to a supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element. Separate controls are provided for controlling flow of the fluid onto the heating element for controlling smoke production, and for controlling flow of air for carrying smoke through a delivery line for use. An orifice and also a condenser is positioned at an outlet of the smoke-producing chamber to better distribute and control smoke in the air, and to reduce oil droplets and heat in the smoke-carrying air. Variations are provided to show manual, semi-automatic, and automatic apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use; and

a spark arrester positioned in the air outlet.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein one of the air inlet and outlet is metal.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the closed chamber includes a top cover and the dispenser is positioned under and proximate the top cover.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the dispenser is attached to the top cover.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the dispenser sprays at a distribution cone of about 80-90 degrees.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the air inlet and air outlet each include tubes and that are mounted to a top cover of the closed chamber along with the dispenser.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein a space from the dispenser to the heating element is about two to three inches.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1, including a pump for pumping the smoke-producing fluid to the dispenser, and a shutoff control for shutting off at least one of the pump and the heating element.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein the shutoff control includes a remote control.

10. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use, and

a suction line extending from a bottom of the closed chamber to a top of the chamber, wherein the suction line is metal, and wherein the heating element includes ends connected to the air inlet and the suction line.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, including an automatic shutoff operably connected to the heating element.

12. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use, wherein the air outlet includes an outlet orifice that is less than about 50% of a diameter of the air outlet.

13. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use;

an automatic shutoff operably connected to the heating element, and

a pump connected to the dispenser and an automatic shutoff operably connected to the pump.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 13, including a suction line extending from a bottom of the closed chamber to a top of the chamber.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 13, including an automatic shutoff operably connected to the air supply.

16. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use; and

a pump for pumping the smoke-producing fluid to the dispenser, and a shutoff control for shutting off at least one of the pump and the heating element;

wherein the shutoff control includes a remote control, and wherein the remote control includes a receiver associated with the chamber and further includes a sender for communicating with the receiver to activate the shutoff control.

17. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet;

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use; and

a control for controlling production of smoke and flow of smokeying air, the control including a sender configured to send a radio frequency shutoff signal, and including a receiver configured to receive the radio frequency shutoff signal and to then shut off at least one of the airflow, the smoke-generating fluid, and the heating element.

18. An apparatus for testing for leaks comprising:

a smoke-producing chamber;

a first control for controlling a quantity of smoke generated;

an air supply operably connected to the smoke-producing chamber; and

a second control, independent of the first control, for controlling flow of smoke from the smoke-producing chamber.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 18, including a remote control constructed to shut off the first and second controls from a location remote from the apparatus.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 19, wherein the remote control is a wireless control constructed to send signals through the air to the apparatus.

21. An apparatus for testing for leaks comprising:

a smoke-producing device including a control for controlling a quantity of smoke generated and dispensed, the control including a receiver for receiving signals and being constructed to turn off the smoke-producing device upon receiving a shutoff signal; and

a remote control sender constructed to send the shutoff signal to the receiver.

22. An apparatus for generating smoke comprising:

a closed chamber having a top cover, and an air inlet tube and an air outlet tube extending through the cover, at least one of the inlet and outlet tubes being conductive;

an electric coiled-wire heating element positioned transversely in the chamber and operably electrically connected to the at least one conductive tube; and

a spray dispenser attached to the top cover and positioned over the heating element and operably connected to a supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 22, including an air supply connected to the air inlet;

and

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 22, wherein the top cover is sealingly attached to the chamber but constructed to break away when a predetermined over-pressurization force is generated in the chamber.

25. An apparatus for generating smoke, comprising:

a closed chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet;

an electric heating element positioned transversely in the chamber;

a supply of smoke-producing fluid;

a dispenser positioned over the electric heating element and operably connected to the supply of smoke-producing fluid, the dispenser being configured to spread and drop controlled quantities of the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element;

an air supply connected to the air inlet; and

a conduit connected to the air outlet for communicating air from the air supply mixed with smoke generated by the heating element in the closed chamber to a location for use;

wherein the smoke-producing chamber includes sidewalls and a top cover sealingly attached to the sidewalls, the top cover being constructed to break away when a predetermined over-pressurization force is generated in the chamber.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a chamber adapted to hold smoke-producing fluid in a bottom thereof;

a heating element positioned in the chamber including contacts for operating the heating element to produce heat;

a pump including a suction line with an end positioned in the bottom for pumping the smoke-producing fluid onto the heating element; and

the chamber including a sidewall and a top cover sealingly attached to the sidewall to close the chamber, one of the top cover and the sidewall being constructed to release when a predetermined over-pressurization force is generated in the chamber.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 26, wherein the top cover is constructed to break away from the sidewall when the predetermined over-pressurization force is generated in the chamber.