Patent Publication Number: US-2006005829-A1

Title: Heat sink for gas-fueled appliance

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      The present invention relates to a gas-fueled appliance.  
      2. Related Prior Art  
      Referring to  FIG. 9 , a conventional gas-fueled appliance includes a shell  110 , a handle  120 , a burner  200 , a can  300  and a transmitter  400 . The burner  200  is put in the shell  110 . The can  300  is put in the handle  120 . The burner  200  includes a nozzle  210  put at an end and an aperture  250  defined in the other end. A holder  220  is provided at the shell  110  opposite to the nozzle  210 . The holder  220  defines an aperture  240  through which thermoplastic glue can be fed. The aperture  250  is aligned with the aperture  240  so that the thermoplastic glue can be fed to the burner  200  from the holder  220 . A trigger  230  is connected with the holder  220  so that the holder  220  is operable via pulling the trigger  230 . The gas-fueled appliance includes an igniter  250  with an electrode (not shown) put in the burner  200 . The igniter  250  includes a button (not numbered) for actuation thereof. The transmitter  400  is put between the burner  200  and the can  300 . The transmitter  400  includes a valve  430  connected with the can  300 , a flow rate regulator  420  connected with the valve  430 , and a pipe  410  leading to the burner  200  from the valve  430 . The can  300  defines an aperture  310  for receiving a joint (not numbered) of the valve  430 . Gas is contained in the can  300  in the liquid state under high pressure. In use, the gas flows through the valve  430  and transforms to the gaseous state because of reduced pressure. The gas expands quickly so that it cools quickly. Some of the gas transforms to the solid state and blocks the valve  430 .  
      The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problem encountered in prior art.  
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
      According to the present invention, a gas-fueled appliance includes a shell, a can, a transmitter and a heat sink. The can is put in the shell. The burner is also put in the shell. The transmitter is used for transmitting gas to the burner from the can. The heat sink is used for absorbing heat from air in the shell and passing the heat to the transmitter.  
      The primary advantage of the present invention is the heat sink keeping the transmitter warm so that gas does not condense and block it.  
      Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of several embodiments referring to the drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a gas-fueled appliance according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the gas-fueled appliance of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the gas-fueled appliance of  FIG. 1  with a half of a shell removed.  
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross-sectional partial view of a heat sink of the gas-fueled appliance of  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a gas-fueled appliance according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the gas-fueled appliance of  FIG. 5  with a half of a shell removed.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a gas-fueled appliance according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 7 .  
       FIG. 9  is a side view of a conventional gas-fueled appliance with a half of a shell removed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
      FIGS.  1  to  4  show a gas-fueled appliance in the form of a gluing gun for providing thermoplastic glue according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the gas-fueled appliance includes a shell  10  consisting of two halves. The shell  10  includes a barrel  11  and a handle  12 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , each half of the shell  11  includes a crescent partition  15  formed on an internal side. As the halves of the shell  11  are assembled, the crescent partitions  15  make an annular partition for separating the barrel  11  from the handle  12 . A recess  16  is defined in the edge of each half of the shell  11 . As the halves of the shell  11  are assembled, the recesses  16  make an aperture through which a trigger  33  extends to the exterior from the interior of the shell  11 . Each half of the shell  11  defines a slot  17 . One half of the shell  11  defines an aperture  19 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , the gas-fueled appliance includes a can  20  put in the handle  12 , a burner  30  put in the barrel  11 , and a transmitter  40  for transmitting gas to the burner  30  from the can  20 . The can  20  includes an aperture  21  defined therein.  
      The burner  30  includes a nozzle  31  formed at an end and an aperture  36  defined in an opposite end. A holder  32  is formed on an internal side of one half of the shell  11  opposite to the nozzle  31 . The holder  32  defines an aperture  38  aligned with the aperture  36  so that thermoplastic glue (not shown) can be fed to the burner  30  from the holder  32 . A lever  39  includes an end pivotally connected with the holder  32  and an opposite end pivotally connected with the trigger  33 . Thus, the holder  32  is movable through pulling the trigger  33 .  
      The gas-fueled appliance includes an igniter  34  located near the burner  30 . An electrode (not shown) of the igniter  34  is put in the burner  30 . The gas-fueled appliance includes a button  35  for actuating the igniter  34  in order to ignite the gas in the burner  30 . The button  35  extends to the exterior from the interior of the shell  11  through the aperture  19 .  
      The transmitter  40  includes a valve  43  connected with the tank  20 , a flow rate regulator  42  connected with the valve  43 , and a pipe  41  leading to the burner  30  from the valve  43 . The valve  43  includes a first tube  47  inserted into the aperture  21  of the can  20  and an opposite second tube  45  inserted into the pipe  41  through the flow rate regulator  42 . The flow rate regulator  42  is used for controlling the flow rate of the gas to the burner  30 . The valve  43  is held by means of the annular partition made of the crescent partitions  15  (see  FIG. 3 ).  
      Referring to FIGS.  2  to  4 , a heat sink  50  is installed on the valve  43 . The heat sink  50  is in the form of a sleeve with annular fins  51  formed on the sleeve. The heat sink  50  absorbs heat from air in the shell  10  and transmits the heat to the valve  43 . Thus, the heat sink  50  keeps the valve  43  warm so that the gas remains in the gaseous state and does not block the valve  43 .  
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show a gas-fueled appliance according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment but including a heat sink  60  instead of the heat sink  50 . The heat sink  60  is in the form of a sleeve with longitudinal fins  61  formed on the sleeve.  
       FIGS. 7 and 8  show a gas-fueled appliance in the form of a welding gun according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The gas-fueled welding gun includes a shell  70  consisting of two halves. The shell  70  includes a barrel  71  and a handle  72 . The gas-fueled welding gun includes a can  20  put in the handle  72 , a burner  73  put in the barrel  71  and a transmitter  80  for transmitting gas to the burner  73  from the can  20 . The transmitter  80  includes a valve  83  connected with the can  20 , a flow rate regulator  82  connected with the valve  83  and a pipe  81  leading to the burner  73  from the valve  83 . The burner  73  includes an end connected with the pipe  81  and an opposite end connected with an iron  74 . A heat sink  50  is installed on the valve  83 .  
      Although not shown, the heat sink  60  shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  can be provided on the valve  83  shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 .  
      The present invention has been described through detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variation from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.