Heat-Activatable Gas Appliance End Fitting for Continuous Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing appliance end fittings for gas grills often experience issues with gas flow interruption due to the ball valve member binding or getting trapped, which can occur when the valve is subjected to excessive heat, leading to incomplete gas supply.
Innovation Solution
An improved appliance end fitting featuring a heat-sensitive design with a cylindrical valve assembly and O-ring made of nitrile butyl rubber, where excessive heat causes the lock collar to release, allowing continuous gas flow unless manually shut off, incorporating a heat-activatable material for secure connection and a Delrox sleeve for enhanced heat resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a ball valve member is used in the appliance end fitting, then the valve can be simplified in construction, but the valve member tends to bind up or get trapped in the passage, interfering with gas supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ball valve member from the appliance end fitting, extracting the problematic component that caused binding and gas supply interruption. The valve function is redistributed to other components (cylinder valve and excess flow valve) which are more reliable and less prone to binding issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the valve functions into separate components: the cylinder outlet valve for manual control and the excess flow valve for automatic protection. This segmentation eliminates the need for a single complex ball valve thatprone to binding, improving overall reliability while maintaining simplified operation.
2Productivity
If the appliance end fitting is connected to the gas cylinder, then gas flow is enabled, but excessive heat causes the ball valve member to bind or get trapped, interrupting gas flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes excessive heat as a triggering mechanism for the excess flow valve to close, converting the harmful thermal condition into a beneficial safety response. When heat exceeds safe levels, the excess flow valve automatically shuts off, preventing dangerous situations while maintaining normal gas flow under appropriate conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary excess flow valve that mediates between the gas supply and the appliance, providing thermal protection without interfering with normal operation. This intermediary component activates only under excessive heat conditions, ensuring reliable gas flow during normal use while protecting against thermal hazards.
3Device complexity
If a floating ball valve member is used, then the valve construction is simplified, but the ball shape causes it to bind up in the passage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ball-shaped floating valve member from the appliance end fitting, removing the component whose spherical geometry causes binding in the passage. The valve functionality is replaced with alternative mechanisms that do not suffer from the binding issue inherent to ball shapes in confined passages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures uninterrupted gas flow to the grill by using a heat-activatable O-ring and valve assembly that maintains gas supply even under high temperatures, providing both thermal and excessive flow protection in a cost-effective and simplified manner.
Implementation Method 1
An O-ring of heat activatable material is disposed in the annular gap for sealing and securing the plug and the socket together
Implementation Method 2
incorporating a heat-activatable material for secure connection and a Delrox sleeve for enhanced heat resistance
Data Source
AI summary
An end fitting for use in connecting a gas source in fluid communication to an appliance, includes a nut mounted by a fusible and meltable heat activatable material on a socket having a chamber for receiving a plug. The plug connects to the gas source and the socket connects to the appliance. An O-ring of meltable heat activatable material separates the plug and socket. The socket includes a spring that biases a valve member against the plug and between closed and open conditions, respectively, to block or permit fluid flow from a source and through the chamber. In case of excess heat buildup in the socket body, the heat activatable materials melt but unless the gas source is turned off always allow a predetermined amount of gas to flow.