Abstract:
A manual inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed on the inflator. The status indicator comprises a “single point” indicator having an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational or the color “red” when the inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent gas cylinder.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applications Ser. Nos. 61/226,131 filed Jul. 16, 2009 and 61/169,713 filed Apr. 15, 2009, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to inflators for inflating articles such as life rafts, life vests, and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to inflators having indicators that indicate the operating condition of the inflator. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     Presently, there exist many types of inflators designed to inflate inflatable articles such as personal floatation devices (life vests, rings and horseshoes), life rafts, buoys and emergency signaling equipment. Inflators typically comprise a body for receiving the neck of a cylinder of compressed gas such as carbon dioxide. A reciprocating pierce pin is disposed within the body of the inflator for piercing the frangible seal of the gas cylinder whereupon the compressed gas therein flows into an exhaust manifold of the inflator and then into the article to be inflated. Typically, a manually movable firing lever is operatively connected to the pierce pin such that the pierce pin pierces the frangible seal of the gas cylinder upon jerking of a ball lanyard. U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,288, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, illustrates one particular embodiment of a manual inflator. 
     There also exist many types of automatic inflators designed to automatically inflate the inflatable article upon submersion in water. In this way, during an emergency situation such as a downed aviator, injured person, or man overboard, the inflatable article automatically inflates thereby alleviating the need for the person to manually activate the inflator. Representative automatic actuators for inflators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,059,814; 3,091,782; 3,426,942; 3,579,964; 3,702,014; 3,757,371; 3,910,457; 3,997,079; 4,233,805; 4,267,944; 4,260,075; 4,382,231; 4,436,159; 4,513,248; 4,627,823; and 5,076,468, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     The above-referenced manual and automatic inflators have been successfully commercialized in many industries. In the marine industry, for example, automatic inflators are commonly incorporated into personal floatation devices, life rafts, buoys, emergency signaling equipment, and the like. Because of the nature of such devices, the reliability of the automatic inflator to work properly during exigent circumstances is paramount. Unfortunately, devices intended to be used during emergency situations are often stored away, such as in a locker, hold, or well of a boat, and ignored for inordinate periods of time. Further, when eventually removed from storage for maintenance, such emergency devices are commonly inspected and serviced only by yachtsmen and boaters who lack any specialized training or expertise in servicing inflators. Consequently, inflators may be improperly serviced by inadvertently installing a spent gas cylinder or in the case of an automatic inflator, by inadvertently installing a spent bobbin. Obviously, an inflator that has been improperly serviced, will fail to properly operate during an emergency situation. 
     Various safety indicators have been developed for indicating the operating condition of inflators and gas cylinders used in connection therewith. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,358, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, there exists an indicator system that interconnects between the gas cylinder and the inflator. The one-time, disposable indicator system is responsive to the high pressure release of gas from the gas cylinder during a discharge and changes from a color “green” signifying the gas cylinder being charged to a color “red” signifying that the gas cylinder has been discharged. As taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,986, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, status indicators have also been incorporated within automatic actuators for indicating when the automatic actuator is in its “cocked” position armed and ready for firing and when the automatic actuator has been fired. The status indicator incorporated into the automatic inflator as taught by this patent, indicates the existence of or the ready-condition or status of the bobbin within the automatic inflator. However, it is incapable of indicating the charged condition of the gas cylinder. 
     It should be appreciated that the gas cylinder indicator of U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,358 and the automatic actuator status indicator of U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,986 may be used together with the former indicating the spent condition of the gas cylinder and the latter indicating the spent condition of the bobbin of the automatic actuator. However, it should also be appreciated that the gas cylinder indicator may be indicating “green” representing a fully charged gas cylinder whereas the automatic inflator indicator may be indicating “red” representative of a spent bobbin. Conversely, the gas cylinder indicator may be indicating “red” and the automatic inflator indicator may be indicating “green”. Of course, the automatic inflator indicator could be displaying “green” even when the gas cylinder is missing entirely. In such scenarios, it is possible for the yachtsman or boater to visualize only the “green” indication and carelessly fail to recognize the “red” indication. In such an event, the yachtsman or boater would mistakenly believe that the automatic inflator is in full operating condition. 
     In recognition of the possible confusion of separate status indicators, the United States Coast Guard has mandated that all 1F automatic inflators include a “single-point” status indicator that indicates the overall operating condition of the automatic inflator inclusive of the gas cylinder. U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,087, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, complies with the Coast Guard requirement by providing an automatic inflator having an indication of full ready-condition via a single-point window. However, there presently exists a need for single-point indication of full ready-condition in connection with a manual inflator. 
     Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art programs and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the manual inflator art. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an inflator for inflating an inflatable article including a gas cylinder indicator for indicating the proper installation of a gas cylinder to the automatic inflator. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic inflator for inflating an inflatable article including a gas cylinder indicator that indicates the charged condition of the gas cylinder connected to the automatic inflator. 
     The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to me merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many of the beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For the purposes of summarizing this invention, the invention comprises a manual inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed on the inflator. The status indicator comprises a “single point” indicator having an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational or the color “red” when the inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent gas cylinder. 
     More particularly, the manual inflator comprises a body having a boss for receiving the gas cylinder and having the indicator window. A pierce pin assembly is reciprocatably mounted within a bore in the body. The pierce pin assembly comprises an actuator of a first color (e.g., “red”) that is in alignment with at least a portion of the indicator window at least when a fully-charged gas cylinder is received in the boss, thereby allowing the first color to be visualized through the indicator window. The pierce pin assembly further comprises a cap of a second color (e.g. “green”) that is in alignment with at least a portion of the indicator window at least when either a gas cylinder is not received in the boss or a non fully-charged gas cylinder is received in the boss. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be greatly appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent methods do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more succinct understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be directed to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a three-quarter sectional view of the manual inflator of the invention and an installed gas cylinder in a ready condition with the “green” color of the actuator showing through the single-point status indicator window; 
         FIG. 2  is the same view as  FIG. 1 , but with the gas cylinder removed, illustrating a not-ready condition with the “red” color of the cap showing through the single-point status indicator window and illustrating the gas cylinder collar permanently factory-installed onto the threaded neck of the gas cylinder that threadably engages into the threaded boss of the manual inflator: 
         FIG. 2A  is a partial cross-sectional, exploded view of the inflator and gas cylinder showing the break-ring of the gas cylinder collar on the neck of the gas cylinder that fractures upon firing of the inflator; 
         FIG. 3  is the same view as  FIG. 3 , but with the firing lever being pulled to its fully-fired position, illustrating the pierce pin having pierced the frangible seal of the gas cylinder and illustrating the “red” color of the cap showing through the single-point indicator window; 
         FIG. 3A  is the same view as  FIG. 3 , but with the firing lever being partially pulled to its fully-fired position, illustrating the cam surface of the firing level caming against the cap; 
         FIG. 4  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the manual inflator showing a not-ready condition after pulling of the lanyard causing the pierce pin to pierce the frangible seal of the gas cylinder; 
         FIG. 5  is a three-quarter sectional view of the manual inflator with the gas cylinder removed, illustrating the broken-off break-ring in the cavity of the collar of the gas cylinder and illustrating the “red” color of the cap still showing through the single-point indicator window as the firing lever is returned to its at rest position; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, three-quarter section view of a collar  16  that is intended to be adhered to the tip of the cylinder  20  by means of an adhesive; 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the assembled glue-on collar of  FIGS. 6 and 7  dimensioned for fitting into the inflator of the invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a three-quarter section view of the glue-on collar and threaded neck of the cylinder fully fitted into the inflator. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the manual inflator  10  of the invention comprises a generally rectangular body  12  having a generally circular-cylindrical boss  14  with internal threads. A generally circular-cylindrical threaded collar  16  is permanently threadably connected onto the threaded neck  18  of a conventional gas cylinder  20 . The collar  16  serves as a connector to threadably connect the gas cylinder  20  to the inflator  10  (and to prevent replacement use of other gas cylinders without such collars  16 ). 
     As described below, a lanyard  22  with a jerk handle  24  is operatively connected to a pierce pin assembly  26  reciprocably contained within the rectangular body  12  to pierce the frangible seal  20 S of the gas cylinder  20  whereupon the escaping gas from the gas cylinder  20  flows out a conventional manifold  28  sealingly connected to the inflatable device to which the inflator  10  is installed, thereby inflating the device. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 2A , the generally circular-cylindrical collar  16  having internal threads  16 IT is threaded onto the threaded neck  20 T of the gas cylinder  20 . It is contemplated that the collar  16  will be permanently installed onto the neck  20 T at the factory with a suitable thread adhesive such as TM “Loctite” and then the gas cylinder/collar assembly sold at retail. The collar  16  includes an integrally-formed, generally circular-cylindrical break-ring  16 R formed within a cavity  16 C via fracturable webs  16 W extending from the annular edge of the break-ring  16 R and the lumen of the wall of the cavity  16 C. As explained below in more detail, the break-ring  16 R breaks-off the collar  16  upon firing of the pierce pin assembly  26  and thereby functions as a sensor to sense when the gas cylinder  20  has been spent (or is missing). The cavity  16 C includes an annular lip  16 L to retain the break-ring  16 R in the cavity  16 C once broken off, thereby making sure it is discarded with the spent gas cylinder/collar  20 / 16 . 
     The pierce pin assembly  26  comprises a pierce pin  26 P rigidly mounted within the center of a reduced-diameter portion  32 R portion of a generally circular-cylindrical actuator  32 . The actuator  32  is reciprocatably mounted within a generally circular-cylindrical longitudinal bore  34  in the body  12  with its increased-diameter portion  32 I being complementarily dimensioned for slidable engagement therewith. An O-ring seal  36  mounted onto the increased-diameter portion  32 I provides a seal between the increased-diameter portion  32 I of the actuator  32  and the bore  34 . The forward travel (toward the gas cylinder  20 ) of the actuator  32  is limited by a stop  38  formed in the bore  34 . 
     The pierce pin assembly  26  further includes a dome-shaped generally circular cylindrical indicator cap  39  mounted in a recess  40  formed in the rearward end of the increased-diameter portion  32 I of the actuator  32 . A spring  42  is entrained between the interior of the cap  39  and the interior of the recess  40  of the actuator  32  to constantly urge the two components apart. 
     Finally, the piece pin assembly  26  further comprises a generally L-shaped firing lever  44  with its short leg  44 S pivotably mounted within a slot  46  formed in the upper end of the body  12  by a pivot pin  44 P and with its longer leg  44 L extending along the side of the body  12 . The proximal end of the lanyard  22  is permanently affixed to the longer leg  44 L such that upon jerking of the lanyard  22  via its jerk handle  24 , the firing lever  44  pivots on the pivot pin  44 P whereupon a cam surface  44 C of the shorter leg  44 S cams against the upper surface of the indicator cap  39  forcing it forward into the longitudinal bore  34 . 
     For indicating the condition of the inflator  10 , actuator  32  is preferably colored to indicate a “ready” condition (e.g., the color green) whereas cap  39  is preferably colored to indicate a “not-ready” condition (e.g., the color red) as may be viewed through an indicator window  48  formed through the wall of the body  12 . 
     More specifically,  FIG. 1  shows the inflator  10  in an armed, fully-ready condition with a gas cylinder  20  installed. In this condition, the tip of the reduced-diameter portion  32 R of the actuator  32  is seated onto the break-ring  16 R of the collar  16 . As such, the pierce pin  26 P is in close proximity to and aligned with the frangible seal  20 S of the gas cylinder  20  and the spring  42  is compressed between the cap  39  and the actuator  32 . It is noted that the spring force of the spring  42  is exerted against the cam surface  44 C of the shorter leg  44 S of the firing lever  44  to urge the longer leg  44 L to a generally longitudinal position to be tucked along the body  12 . In this condition, the green color of the actuator  32  is visible through the window  48  thereby indicating a fully-armed and ready condition of the inflator  10 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a not-ready condition after pulling of the lanyard  22 . More specifically, as the lanyard  22  is pulled (see  FIG. 3A ), the firing lever  44  pivots on pivot pin  44 P causing the cam surface  44 C of its shorter leg  44 S to cam against the upper surface of the cap  39  forcing it forwardly in the bore  34 . Since the cap  34  is fully seated within the recess  40  of the actuator  32 , the actuator  32  is likewise forced forwardly in the bore  34  whereupon the break-ring  16 R is broken-off allowing the pierce pin  26 P to be forced through the frangible seal  20 S of the gas cylinder  20 . The gas from the gas cylinder  20  then flows into the device via manifold  28 . O-ring  36  prevents any escape of the gas out the bore  34 . 
     In this condition with an installed but spent gas cylinder  20 , the cap  39  is at the level of the indicator window  48  (i.e., protruding substantially out of the recess  40  with the actuator  32  more fully forward). Therefore, the red color of the cap  39  is visible through the window  48  thereby indicating a not-ready condition indicative of an installed but spent gas cylinder  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  as compared with  FIG. 1 , as the firing lever  44  is returned to its non-fired position ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ), the spring  42  moves the cap  34  rearwardly out of the recess  40  while continuing to urge the actuator  32  forwardly, thereby assuring that the red color of the cap  34  remains exposed in the window  48 . 
     Upon removal of the spent gas cylinder  20  as shown in  FIG. 5 , the now broken-off break-ring  32 R remains entrained within the cavity  16 C of the collar  16  since its diameter (inclusive of webs  32 W) is larger than the diameter the lip  16 L formed about the opened end of the cavity  16 C. The spent gas cylinder  20  with its collar  16  (and entrained break-ring  16 R) may then be discarded and a new one installed. 
     It is noted that in order to integrally form the break-ring  16 R during injection molding, the injection mold includes retractable pins that are inserted sideways into the cavity  32 C thereby ultimately forming slots  16 S through the side wall of the cavity  16 C after injection molding (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). 
     Comparing  FIG. 2  with  FIG. 1 , as a new gas cylinder  20  having a collar  16  according to the present invention, is threadably installed into the threaded boss  14 , the break-ring  16 R engages against tip of the reduced-diameter portion  32 R of the actuator  32  forcing it rearwardly. As the actuator  32  is forced rearwardly, the wall of its recess  40  slides over the indicator cap  39  thereby concealing the red color of the indicator cap  39 . With the actuator  32  now at the level of the indicator window  48 , the color green of the actuator  32  is now visible through the indicator window  48 , indicating a fully-armed and at-ready condition of the inflator  10 . 
     It is evident from  FIG. 5  that in the event a spent gas cylinder  20  is installed, the previously broken-off break-ring  16 R of its collar  16 , fails to move the actuator  32  rearwardly. The wall of its recess  40  therefore fails to slide rearwardly over and thereby telescope over or otherwise encompass the indicator cap  39 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the “red” color of the indicator cap  39  therefore remains visible through the indicator window  48 . 
     Conversely, when a gas cylinder  20  with a good break-ring  16 R is threaded into the boss  14  of the body  12  (see  FIG. 2 ), the break-ring  16 R forces the actuator  32  rearwardly whereupon its wall of its recess  32 R telescopes over the indicator cap  39 , thereby concealing the viewing of the red indicator cap  39  through the window  48  (see  FIG. 1 ). Consequently, in this condition the green color of the actuator  32  is visible through the window  48  instead of the red color of the indicator cap  39 , thereby indicating a fully charged and armed inflator  10 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the collar  16  that is intended to be adhered to the tip of the cylinder  20  by means of an adhesive  50 . Adhesive  50  may comprise any suitable industrial-strength adhesive that is sufficiently strong to adhere the annular base  16 B of the collar  16  to the annular periphery of the tip of the cylinder  20  about its frangible seal  20 S. As in the other embodiment, the “glue-on” collar  16  comprises an interior cavity  16 C having a break-ring  16 R bordered by a plurality of fracturable webs  16 W. Slots  16 S extend longitudinally along the axis of the collar  16  allowing injection molding of the webs  16 W through the use of retractable pins during injection molding. Preferably, in lieu of an equidistant angular arrangement (e.g., 120 degrees), the webs  16 W are formed at non-symmetric angles (e.g., 110 degrees, 120 degrees and 130 degrees) so as to make it more unlikely that the break-ring  16 R once broken off into the cavity  16 C, will not reorient relative to the slots  16 S to fall out of the cavity  16 C once entrained therein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the outer diameter of the base  16 B of the collar  16  is appreciably smaller than the diameter of the bottommost trough of the thread  20 T of the cylinder  20  so as to not interfere with the threaded engagement of the threads  20 T of the cylinder  20  into the threaded boss  14  of the inflator  10 . The outer cylindrical surface of the collar  16  need not be threaded as in the case of the first embodiment of the collar ( FIGS. 1-5 ) because of the fact that it is the threads  20 T of the cylinder  20  that engages into the threaded boss  14  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Indeed, the threaded boss  14  may be conventionally threaded to receive the standardized threads of conventional cylinders  20  (e.g. ½-20 or ¾-24 threaded cylinders.) 
     Finally, as shown in  FIG. 9 , once the gas cylinder  20  with the glue-on collar  16  is fully threaded into the threaded boss  14  of the inflator  12 , the collar  16  functions the same as that described in connection with the other embodiment of the collar  16  ( FIGS. 1-5 ) wherein the tip of the reduced-diameter portion  32 R of the actuator  32  is seated onto the break ring  16 R of the collar  16  and wherein the pierce pin  16 P is in close proximity to be aligned with the frangible seal  20 S of the gas cylinder  20 . Then, after pulling on the lanyard  22  as described above, the actuator  32  is forced forwardly in the bore  34  whereupon the break-ring  16 R is broken off by allowing the pierce pin  26 P to force through the frangible seal  20 S of the gas cylinder  20 . 
     The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims, as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Now that the invention has been described,