Lantern with ignitor and valve regulator
A lantern includes a burner, a valve unit connected to the burner and configured to control a fuel flow toward the burner, an ignition unit configured to ignite the burner, and a housing. The valve unit includes a valve regulator and a control knob, and the ignition unit includes an ignition switch. The housing holds the control knob and the ignition switch at an offset angle.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/785,274 filed on Mar. 24, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a lantern, particular to a lantern having a simpler structure for easier assembly and maintenance.
2. Related Art
Lanterns that use compressed-gas fuel have been available for several decades. To operate this type of lantern, a user connects the lantern to a source of compressed gas, such as a tank containing liquid propane (LP), butane, natural gas or the like, or mixtures of flammable gases. The user then opens a valve using a control knob, which allows the fuel to flow through a burner assembly and lights the gas with a match or the like. Nowadays, many of these lanterns are lit by electronic ignitors, such piezoelectric ignitors, which may be actuated by turning the control knob. Lanterns equipped with electronic ignitors are significantly more convenient than match-lit lanterns. However, implementation of electric ignitors requires the lantern structure to be more complicated and hence assembly, maintenance and repair become much more difficult. Accordingly, there is a need for a gas powered lantern that has an improved structural arrangement for easier assembly, maintenance and repair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention meets the foregoing needs and allows for an improved ignitor and valve regulator structure, which results in easier assembly, maintenance and repair, reduced manufacturing time and costs and other advantages apparent from the discussion herein.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention, a lantern includes a burner, a valve unit connected to the burner and configured to control a fuel flow toward the burner, wherein the valve unit including a valve regulator and a control knob, an ignition unit configured to ignite the burner and include an ignition switch, and a housing configured to hold said control knob and said ignition switch at an offset angle.
The housing may include a first housing element configured to hold the ignition unit structurally separated from the valve unit; and a second housing element assembled together with the first housing to hold said valve regulator therebetween.
According to another aspect of the invention, a lantern includes means for burning fuel, means for controlling a fuel flow toward the burning means, means for igniting the burning means and means for holding the controlling means and the igniting means at an offset angle.
The controlling means may include means for rotating about a first axis, and the igniting means may include means for moving along a second axis. The first and second axes may form an acute angle.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the invention. No attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention and the various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings:
The embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
According to an embodiment, the ignitor button 108 may be separated from the control knob 106. For example,
The lantern 100 also may include a shield 112 made up of, for example, a metallic material to protect the user from the heat generated from the lantern 100 operation. The shield 112 may be formed with any number of materials, but a metallic material may be more suitable for the elevated temperatures that accompany the use of the lantern 100. Additionally, a top shield 114 may be arranged above and on top of the shield 112 to protect the user from the heat and/or flames generated from the operation of the lantern 100.
Additionally as shown in
As further shown in
In particular, the valve 706 may include a valve opening 704 that may stop or allow fuel flow post the valve 706. The valve opening 704 may be opened by movement of an actuating needle 708. Accordingly, when the actuating needle 708 moves in the direction shown by arrow D, the valve opening 704 may opens allowing the fuel that is located in valve chamber 702 to flow through the valve 706 and into a diaphragm chamber 714. The actuating needle 708 may be actuated via movement of a diaphragm 712 and an engagement surface 710. Accordingly, when the diaphragm 712 moves left or right in the direction D based on the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 714, the engagement surface 710 moves with the diaphragm 712 and accordingly so does the actuating needle 708. Movement of those three structures opens and closes the valve opening 704. When the valve opening 704 is open, the fuel in valve chamber 702 may flow through the valve 706 into diaphragm chamber 714 and flows up through output conduits 716 and 718 and out through the outlet 310. Accordingly, the diaphragm 712 of this construction 712 may be able to be constructed such as there is no fluid flow-through in the diaphragm 712. This may create a stronger construction in the valve regulator 202 that also may make the construction of the valve regulator 202 less expensive and further makes manufacturing easier.
While the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs, embodiments, applications or modifications of the invention.
Claims
1. A lantern comprising:
- a burner;
- a valve unit connected to said burner and configured to control a fuel flow toward the burner, said valve unit comprising a valve regulator and a control knob;
- an ignition unit configured to ignite said burner and comprising an ignition switch; and
- a housing configured to hold said control knob and said ignition switch at an offset angle.
2. The lantern of claim 1, the housing comprising:
- a first housing element configured to hold said ignition unit structurally separated from said valve unit; and
- a second housing element assembled together with said first housing to hold said valve regulator therebetween.
3. The lantern according to claim 1 wherein said lantern further comprises:
- an extension that connects said valve regulator to said burner;
- a globe that substantially surrounds said burner; and
- a shield that substantially surrounds said globe.
4. The lantern according to claim 4 wherein said valve regulator threadingly connects to said burner through said extension.
5. The lantern according to claim 1 wherein said control knob is configured to rotate about a first axis, said ignition switch is configured to operate along a second axis, and the first and second axes form an acute angle.
6. The lantern according to claim 1 wherein said acute angle is between about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees.
7. The lantern according to claim 1 wherein said valve unit further comprises a stop that limits a rotational movement of said control knob.
8. The lantern according to claim 1 wherein said valve unit further comprises a valve that is actuated by movement of a diaphragm.
9. The lantern according to claim 8 wherein said diaphragm does not have a fluid channel.
10. The lantern according to claim 8 wherein said valve unit further comprises an input and output.
11. The lantern according to claim 10 wherein said valve unit further comprises a plurality of springs.
12. The lantern according to claim 8 wherein said valve unit comprises an actuating needle and a valve opening.
13. The lantern according to claim 12 wherein the movement of said diaphragm moves said actuating needle to create a valve opening in said valve unit.
14. A lantern comprising:
- means for burning fuel;
- means for controlling a fuel flow toward said burning means;
- means for igniting said burning means; and
- means for holding said controlling means and said igniting means at an offset angle.
15. The lantern of claim 14, wherein said controlling means comprises means for rotating about a first axis.
16. The lantern of claim 15, wherein said igniting means comprises means for moving along a second axis.
17. The lantern of claim 16, wherein said first and second axes form an acute angle.
18. The lantern of claim 17, wherein said acute angle is between about 5 degrees to 30 degrees.
19. The lantern of claim 16, wherein said holding means structurally separates said controlling means and said igniting means.
20. The lantern of claim 14, further comprising means for covering said burning means.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 26, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2007
Inventor: Mark Proffitt (Greeneville, TN)
Application Number: 11/727,302
International Classification: F23Q 7/12 (20060101); F23D 14/28 (20060101);