Abstract:
A fuel can adapter has a threaded section for threadly engaging with a fuel device. Particularly, the fuel device has a threaded joint for engagement with the thread section of the fuel can adapter. In addition, this threaded joint can be used to connect a fuel can with a thread head, such that fuel in the fuel can can flow to the fuel device. With the fuel can adapter, a fuel can with a head, which does not have a threaded head but has a flange extending circumferentially thereon, is adapted to connect to the fuel device, such that fuel in the fuel can can flow to the fuel device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fuel can adapter. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Fuel cans currently on the market have two kinds of heads. One kind is a head  301 ′ that has an outer peripheral edge having a threaded section formed thereon, as shown in  FIG. 9 . To connect the fuel can  3 ′ to a gas device  2 , this head  301 ′ is to be engaged with a threaded joint of the gas device  2 . Another kind is a head that does not have a threaded section but has a flange extending circumferentially thereon. Consequently, the fuel can with this kind of head can not engage with the threaded joint of the gas device  2 . 
     The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a fuel can adapter has a threaded section for threadly engaging with a fuel device. Particularly, the fuel device has a cavity with a threaded wall and a needle disposed in the cavity. The fuel can adapter is adapted to enable connection of a fuel can with the fuel device. Particularly the fuel can has a reservoir for storing fuel and a head that has a flange, a slot spacing the proximal end and the distal end of the flange, a protuberance and a valve disposed in the protuberance. 
     The fuel can adapter includes a coupling member including a threaded section engagable with the threaded wall of the cavity. A first connecting member is insertably mounted in the coupling member and is rotatable therein. Additionally, the first connecting member includes a passage extending therethrough. The fuel can adapter further includes a locking member rotatable with respect to the first connecting member. The locking member includes a locking block insertable in the slot and a slit provided on the locking block and adapted to allow the proximal end of the flange to engage therein. Also, the fuel can adapter includes a second connecting member connected to the first connecting member and rotatable with the first connecting member. The second connecting member includes a hole defining a first compartment and a second compartment and extending therethrough. The first compartment is adapted to receive the protuberance, and the second compartment is adapted to receive the valve. In addition, the locking member is rotatable between an unlocked position and a locked position with the slit receiving the proximal end of the flange, thereby locking the fuel can. 
     When in use, the coupling member is threadly engaged in the cavity, the needle includes an end received in one open end of the passage, the protuberance is received in the first compartment, the valve is received in the second compartment, and the locking member is rotated to the locked position. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the present disclosure to be easily understood and readily practiced, the present disclosure will now be described in conjunction with the following figures, wherein; 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a fuel can adapter in accordance with the present invention connecting a fuel can to a fuel device. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustrative view showing installation of the fuel can on the fuel device via the fuel can adapter. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the fuel can adapter shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the fuel can adapter shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing the fuel can adapter in an unlocked position with respect to the fuel can. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 1  and shows the fuel can adapter in a locked position with respect to the fuel can. 
         FIG. 9  is an illustrative view showing a conventional fuel can with a threaded head can installed on the fuel device shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings, a fuel can adapter  1  in accordance with the present invention includes a first end  101  and a second end  102  and is adapted to enable connection of a fuel device  2 , for example a barbecue stove as illustrated, and a fuel can  3  at the first and second ends  101  and  102 , respectively. Particularly, the fuel device  2  has a body  201  with a fuel can connecting section  202  having a cavity  203  with a threaded wall and a needle  204  disposed in the cavity  203 . The fuel can  3  has a reservoir  302  for storing fuel and a head  301  having a flange  303 , a slot  304  spacing the proximal end and the distal end of the flange  303 , a protuberance  305  and a valve  306  disposed in the protuberance  305 . The flange  303  extends circumferentially on the head  301  and in a plane transverse to a longitudinal length of the fuel can  3 . 
     The fuel can adapter  1  includes a coupling member  10  for threadly engaging it to the fuel device  2 . The coupling member  10  includes an outer peripheral edge having a threaded section  11  formed annularly thereon. The threaded section  11  is to be engaged with the threaded wall of the cavity  203  when the fuel can adapter  1  is connected to the fuel device  2 . Also, the coupling member  10  includes a gripping section  12 , which is adapted to facilitate the user to thread the fuel can adapter  1 , formed annularly on the outer peripheral edge. The gripping section  12  may be provided with a grid pattern, thereby preventing the user from slippage when threading the fuel can adapter  1 . In addition, the coupling member  10  includes a hole  13  extending therethrough, and the coupling member  10  includes an inner peripheral edge delimiting the hole  13 . 
     The fuel can adapter  1  further includes a first connecting member  20  insertable and rotatable in the hole  13 . The first connecting member  20  includes an outer peripheral edge disposed in hole  13  except for a ridge  21  and a supporting section  23 . The ridge  21  is formed annularly thereon and at one end thereof and is limited outside the hole  13 , since the ridge  21  has a diametrical size larger than a diametrical size of the hole  13 . The supporting section  23  is formed at the other end thereof and is utilized to support a locking member  30  of the fuel can adapter  1  (as will be described in detail thereafter). Moreover, the outer peripheral edge includes an abutting section  22  against which the locking member  30  abuts. The first connecting member  20  further includes two orifices  24  extending from its outer peripheral edge, particularly the abutting section  22 . Each orifice  24  is radially spaced with respect to the supporting section  23  with the same distance. In addition, the first connecting member  20  includes a passage  25  extending therethrough, and the first connecting member  20  includes an inner peripheral edge delimiting the passage  25 . In the embodiment, the passage  25  is with a stepped configuration. Thus, the passage  25  (or the inner peripheral edge of the first connecting member  20 ) has variable cross-sectional areas. Further, the passage  25  has one of its open ends in which an end of the needle  204  of the fuel device  2  is insertable until it is stopped by the inner peripheral edge of the first connecting member  20 . Moreover, the needle  204  would insert through a seal  26  via an aperture  261  and a clip ring  27  via an aperture  271 , which are disposed in the passage  25 . The seal  26  is provided for preventing a gas leak between the needle  204  and the passage  25 . The clip ring  27  is provided for retaining the needle  204  in the passage  25  securely. 
     The locking member  30  is rotatable with respect to the first connecting member  20 . Also, the locking member  30  includes two opposing sides and a hole  32  extending through the sides and inserted by the supporting section  23  of the first connecting member  20  to support the locking member  30  on the first connecting member  20 . Moreover, one of the sides abuts against the abutting section  22  of the first connecting member  20 . The locking member  30  further includes two channels  33  extending through the opposing sides. Each channel  33  is radially spaced with respect to the hole  32  with the same distance. In addition, the locking member  30  includes a circumferential edge, which encompasses two opposing sides, including a locking block  31  made from the same. The locking block  31  is insertable in the slot  304  of the fuel can  3 . Additionally, the locking block  31  includes a slit  311  adapted to allow the proximal end of the flange  303  of the fuel can  3  to engage therein, thereby locking the fuel can  3 . In addition, the locking member  30  includes a plurality of lugs  34  extending from the other of the opposing sides. Each lug  34  extends substantially transversely to the side and is radially spaced with respect to the hole  32  with the same distance. Further, each lug  34  includes a blunt proximal end  341  and a tapered distal end  342 . In addition, the locking member  30  includes a plurality of voids  35  extending through the opposing sides to save material. 
     The fuel can adapter  1  further includes a second connecting member  40  connected to the first connecting member  20  and rotatable with the first connecting member  20 . Likewise, the locking member  30  is rotatable with respect to the second connecting member  40 . The second connecting member  40  includes an outer peripheral edge having a plurality of protrusions  41  formed thereon and spaced from one another, and one lug  34  of the locking member  30  is adapted to be disposed between a space defined by a pair of protrusions  41 . Also, the second connecting member  40  includes a hole defining a first compartment  42  and a second compartment  43  and extending therethrough, and the second connecting member  40  includes an outer peripheral edge delimiting the first and second compartments  42  and  43 . Moreover, the second connecting member  40  includes an end forming an engaging section  46  that includes an inner periphery delimiting the second compartment  43 . The engaging section  46  is partially receivable in the other open end of the passage  25  and would abut against another seal  26  disposed in the passage  25 . In addition, the fuel can  3  is connectable to the fuel can adapter  1  by engaging the protuberance  305  in the first compartment  42  and the end of the valve  306  in the second compartment  43 . The end of the valve  306  would insert through the seal  26 , and the seal  26  prevents a gas leak between the valve  306  and the passage  25 . The second connecting member  40  further includes two orifices  44  extending therethrough and radially spaced with respect to the first compartment  42  with the same distance. Each orifice  44  is disposed corresponding to one channel  33  of the locking member  30  and one orifice  24  of the first connecting member  20 . Further, a fastener  45  is inserted through one orifice  44  and one channel  33  and engaged in one orifice  24  to secure the second connecting member  40  and the locking member  30  with the first connecting member  20  and prevent disengagement therefrom. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in order to prevent the fuel can  3  from dislodging from the fuel can adapter  1 , the locking member  30  is rotated with respect to the second connecting member  40  from an unlocked position ( FIG. 7 ) to a locked position with the slit  311  engaging therein the proximal end of the flange  303  of the fuel can  3 , thereby locking the fuel can  3 . When the locking member  30  is rotated, the tapered distal end  342  of each lug  34  is adapted to go atop of one protrusion  41 , and this tapered structure would facilitate climbing. 
     Further, fuel in the reservoir  302  of the fuel can  3  can flow through the valve  306 , the passage  25 , and the needle  204  of the fuel device  2 , thereby allowing the fuel device  2  to use fuel. 
     In addition, the fastener  45  is moveable in the channel between first and second positions when the locking member  30  is rotatable between the unlocked and locked positions. 
     While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of invention, and the scope of invention is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.