Pressurized gas dispensing device, assembly including such a device and a control device, and container provided with such a dispensing device

• US 8,869,845 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: Moretti, Alessandro, Pisot, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): NIESZ, JASON KAROL
• Application Number:
  US12/993,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 137/557, 137/612, 137/614.06, 220/203.19, 251/149.9, 141/54, 141/197, 141/302, 141/311.R, 141/368
• US Class Current: 141/197
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/04 Arrangement or mounting of valves valves per se F16K ; snap-coupling of nipples F16L37/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0311 Closure means
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0338 Pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7795 Multi-stage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87973 Coupling interlocked with valve, or closure or actuator

Abstract

The invention relates to a pressurized gas dispensing device such as a tap, which includes a first end, to be placed in the opening of a pressurized gas storage tank, and a second end, including a connection interface selectively connectable to a device for controlling the filling and/or withdrawal of gas from the tank, the dispensing device including an internal gas circuit having an upstream end connecting inside the tank and a downstream end to be connected to said filling and/or withdrawal control device, the internal circuit including in series, upstream to downstream, a pressure regulator and a downstream insulation valve, the portion of the internal circuit located between the pressure regulator and the downstream insulation valve defining a so-called low-pressure chamber, the dispensing device; being characterized in that the connection interface includes at least one safety lock selectively movable between a first rest position, wherein the lock shapes the connection interface into a first configuration connectable to said combined filling and/or withdrawal control device, and a second active position, wherein the lock shapes the connection interface into a second configuration preventing connection to a combined filling and/or withdrawal control device, the safety lock being subject to the pressure in the so-called low-pressure chamber directly and/or via an intermediate transmission member such as a movable piston, the safety lock being moved to the active position thereof by the pressure in the low-pressure chamber when the pressure in the low-pressure chamber is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A pressurized gas dispensing, comprising a first end intended to be placed in the orifice of a pressurized-gas storage reservoir, and a second end comprising a connection interface that can be connected selectively to a device adapted to control the filling and/or the withdrawing of gas from the reservoir, the dispensing device comprising an internal gas circuit having an upstream end intended to communicate with the inside of the reservoir and a downstream end intended to be connected to the said filling and/or withdrawing control device, the internal circuit comprising, in series, from the upstream end downstream, a pressure regulator and a downstream isolation valve, a portion of the internal circuit that lies between the pressure regulator and the downstream isolation valve defining a low-pressure chamber, wherein the connection interface comprises at least one safety lock that can be moved selectively between a first rest position in which it configures the connection interface in a first configuration in which the device is connectable to the said mating filling and/or withdrawing control device and an active second position in which it configures the connection interface in a second configuration that prevents connection of the device to a mating filling and/or withdrawing control device, the safety lock being subjected to the pressure in the low-pressure chamber directly and/or via a moving piston, the safety lock being moved into its active position under the action of the pressure in the low-pressure chamber when the pressure in the low-pressure chamber is above a set threshold.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the safety lock is urged by default towards its rest position.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the safety lock is configured so that, when the safety lock is switched from the rest position to the active position, the safety lock alters at least one of a shape of the connection interface, a volume of the connection interface, an orientation of the connection interface, and a dimension of the connection interface.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the rest and active positions of the safety lock correspond respectively to positions which are retracted and which project with respect to the connection interface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the safety lock comprises a ball able to move in a housing formed in the connection interface and opening onto the exterior surface thereof.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal circuit comprises an additional isolating valve known as the upstream valve arranged in series between the pressure regulator and the downstream isolation valve.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal circuit comprises a safety release valve intended to be subjected to the pressure in the reservoir in order selectively to close off or to open a passage for the gas from the reservoir towards a discharge zone according to the temperature and/or pressure of the gas in the reservoir in relation to at least one set threshold, the discharge zone of the safety release valve opening into the low-pressure chamber upstream of the downstream isolation valve.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the internal circuit comprises a filling duct intended to fill a reservoir and a withdrawing duct intended to withdraw gas from a reservoir, said filling and withdrawing ducts being common or separate and coinciding at a common end intended to be connected to a filling and/or withdrawing control device so that filling and withdrawing are performed via one and the same access port.

9. An assembly comprising the pressurized gas dispensing device of claim 1 and a device adapted to control the filling and/or withdrawing of gas from the reservoir, wherein the connection interface is connected to the device adapted to control the filling and/or the withdrawing of gas from the reservoir.

10. A pressurized gas container comprising an orifice in which is inserted the first end of the pressurized gas dispensing device of claim 1.