Abstract:
A fire extinguishing device comprises a pan with a handle extending therefrom. The pan has a top side and an under side; the under side having a concave portion extending from a perimeter portion. The pan has side perimeter portions extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The under side of the proximal end having a perimeter portion that lies substantially in a single plane and a raised portion of the under side of the distal end of the perimeter portion is raised from the single plane.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device that can be handheld to extinguish fires. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Extinguishing fires and/or controlling fires is always of importance to those in the firefighting field as well as the backyard barbecuer. Fires can get out of control before one realizes it. A device that is effective in extinguishing fires in a simple manner is desirable. 
     The instant invention, as disclosed within this application, fills this need. The art referred to and/or described within this application is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is “prior art” with respect to this invention. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. §1.56(a) exists. 
     All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below. 
     A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In at least one embodiment of the invention the fire extinguishing device comprises a body with a handle extending therefrom. The body can have a top side and an under side with a concave portion extending from a perimeter portion. The body can have side perimeter portions extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The under side of the proximal end can have a perimeter portion that lies substantially in a single plane and a raised portion of the under side of the distal end of the perimeter portion can be raised from the single plane. It should be noted that “a perimeter portion that lies substantially in a single plane” can include embodiments wherein the perimeter portion includes ridges that meet or rest on the single plane while spaces between the ridges do not. 
     In at least one embodiment the raised portion of the under side of the distal end of the perimeter portion forms an upside down v-shape opening or an arch-like opening. 
     In at least one embodiment the device includes a fire retardant material applicator. The applicator can include a nozzle, multi-hole nozzle, a gravity drip opening, and/or a brush. In at least one embodiment, the applicator is in fluid communication with a fire retardant material container. This container can contain water, foam, and/or gel fire retardant material. There are many fire retardant materials that can be used. Some include class A foams, and class B foams which include a) synthetic foams and aqueous film forming foams which are water-based and frequently contain hydrocarbon-based surfactant such as sodium alkyl sulfate, and fluorosurfactant—such as fluorotelomers, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). They have the ability to spread over the surface of hydrocarbon-based liquids. Also, alcohol-resistant aqueous film forming foams (AR-AFFF) are foams resistant to the action of alcohols, able to form a protective film when they are present. 
     Protein foams can also be used, these foams contain natural proteins as the foaming agents. Unlike other synthetic foams, protein foams are bio-degradable. They flow and spread more slowly, but provide a foam blanket that is more heat resistant and more durable. 
     Protein foams include regular protein foam, fluoroprotein foam, alcohol resistant fluoroprotein foam, film forming fluoroprotein, and alcohol-resistant film forming fluoroprotein. The materials listed above are not intended to be in any way comprehensive. One skilled in the art can choose from a wide array of materials. The listing above is merely to provide some of the possible foams that may be used in different applications. 
     In at least one embodiment, the container is pressurized and is connected to the applicator with tubing. The container can be disposed on the handle or the body portion. The container can also be partially or entirely disposed within the handle or comprise a portion of the handle. In some embodiments the container can be worn by or attached to by the operator of the device. The container can be in a back pack or fastened to the belt or the like in some embodiments. 
     In some embodiments the container is not immediately attached to the handle, the body, or the operator (though attached by the tubing so that the container and the applicator are in fluid communication). The container can be in a separate location or can be moved along as is needed. The container can be moved on wheels or the like. 
     In some embodiments, the handle is removably attached to the body. In some embodiments the handle can be folded to reduce its length. In some embodiments, the handle reduces in length within itself in a telescoping manner. 
     These and other embodiments which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for further understanding of the invention, its advantages and objectives obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof and the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawing. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of an embodied fire extinguishing device showing the top side of the device. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of an embodied fire extinguishing device showing the under side of the device. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the device. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of an embodied fire extinguishing device showing the applicator. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific preferred embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. 
     In  FIG. 1 , an inventive embodiment of the fire extinguishing device  10  is shown. The device as shown has a handle  20  and a body  30 . The body  30  has a proximal end  35  with proximal perimeter edge  38 , sides  40  with side perimeter edges  43 , and distal end  45 . Proximal perimeter edge  38  and sides  40  lie substantially in reference plane  50 . Distal end  45  includes portions that extend further from the reference plane  50  than does proximal end  35 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , the body  30  has an upper side  31   a  and an underside  31   b . The underside  31   b  and the reference plane  50  define a hollow region  57 . The distal perimeter edges  58  extend up from the reference plane  50  and border the opening  60 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the distal perimeter edges  58  and reference plane  50  define the edges of the designed opening  60 . As shown in these drawings the distal perimeter edges  58  are three straight lines, however the opening can have perimeter edges of many different perimeter edges  58  including as few as 2 lines to many more lines (combination of straight and/or not straight), an arched opening, a semi-circle, a partial oval, or a combination of all of these, geometrically regular or irregular. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3  the device  10  can also include winged baffles  55 . these baffles can form a right angle or an oblique angle with the side s  40 . In some embodiments the baffles  55  can direct or concentrate the flames into the opening  60 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  the proximal end  35  can also include end strip flange  39  that can extend up from perimeter edge  38 . In some embodiments the strip flange  39  is substantially longer than shown. In some uses the device  10  can be tilted back and pushed along on strip flange  39 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4  the device  10  can include a fire retardant applicator  65 . The fire retardant applicator  65  can be a brush or role that is dipped into a container of fire retardant material and then applied to the fire. As shown in  FIG. 4  the fire retardant applicator  65  is a hole or nozzle in which fire retardant material can be passed and applied to the flame or material in danger of being consumed. The nozzle/hole  65  can be in fluid communication with a pressurized reservoir/container  70  via tubing  75 . As shown, a valve  80  which is controlled by a trigger  85  can be used in regulating the amount of material that passes through the applicator  65 . 
     In some embodiments the reservoir/container  70  is in direct fluid communication with the applicator  65  in that no tubing or minimal tubing is used. In such an embodiment the container  70  can be located on the body  30  of the device  10 . In some embodiments, the container  70  is not pressurized and is gravity fed. In some embodiments the tubing is of multiple pieces and connected by a coupling  90 . The tubing can be made of fire and/or heat proof or resistant material. In some embodiments the tubing from the coupling  90  to the applicator  65  is composed of metal. In some embodiments the tubing between the container  70  and the coupling  90  is composed of a material different from that of the tubing between the coupling  90  and the applicator  65 . 
     In some embodiments the trigger  85  activates the valve  80  mechanically, electrically, and/or pneumatically. In some embodiments the trigger is battery powered. In some embodiments the valve is opened and closed by squeezing a trigger  85  that pulls a tension wire attached to the valve  80 . 
     In some embodiments the applicator  65  can be disposed in or proximal to a hole  100  in the body  30 . Thus, spent or varying sized applicator brushes and/or nozzles can be removed and a replacement can be inserted. In some embodiments the applicator is the hole  100  itself. 
     In some embodiments, the container  70  is contained within the handle  20 . The container  70  can be a part of the handle  20  as well; the hollow portion of the handle acting as a container. 
     In some embodiments the container  70  is not in direct contact with the device  10  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The container  70  can be located in a separate/remote area or on the operator via fasteners that attach to the operator&#39;s clothes and/or a backpack or harness. 
     In some embodiments the handle  20  can be removed from the body  30  and reattached. In some embodiments the handle can be shortened in length by folding or having at least length portions that slide within another length portion much like a sailor&#39;s telescope can be lengthened and shortened. 
     In some embodiments the device is at least composed in part of metal, heat resistant polymer/plastic, and/or ceramic. 
     The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. The various elements shown in the individual figures and described above may be combined or modified for combination as desired. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. 
     Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below. 
     This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.