Patent Publication Number: US-6334545-B1

Title: Flare dispensing and igniting system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to flare dispensing systems and more particularly pertains to a new flare dispensing and igniting system for providing a convenient system for storing flares prior to use, and for dispensing and igniting the flares during use. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of flare dispensing systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, flare dispensing systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Many of the known flare dispensing systems include means for igniting the flare when the flare is being dispensed from a housing holding a plurality of flares. However, many of these systems ignite the flare while the flare is located in the housing in which the plurality of flares are stored, which can be hazardous if some of the ignited material remains in the housing or is deflected back into the area of the housing where the plurality of flares are being held. This feature of the prior art can be especially hazardous if the ignited flare becomes lodged or jammed in the exit passageway of the housing. Thus, these systems can present a significant hazard to the user if the plurality of flares become ignited in the housing. 
     Further, many of the known flare dispensing systems are designed for a particular size of flare, and are not able to handle flares of different sizes. Thus, the use of different sized flares requires the user to have two or more of these known systems, one for each size of flares. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of flare dispensing systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new flare dispensing and igniting system construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a convenient system for storing flares prior to use, and for dispensing and igniting the flares during use. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the flare dispensing systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new flare dispensing and igniting system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art flare dispensing systems, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a flare dispensing and igniting system including a housing for holding a plurality of flares for dispensing. The housing has side walls, end walls and a bottom wall, and a dispensing opening in the bottom wall. A dispensing plate covers a portion of the dispensing opening, with a closed position adjacent to the dispensing opening for preventing flare movement through the dispensing opening. The dispensing plate is pivotable away from the dispensing opening to permit a flare to pass through the dispensing opening. An ejecting assembly is provided in the housing for ejecting flares from the housing and which includes a plunger assembly for pushing a flare through the dispensing opening and past the dispensing plate. The dispensing plate has an inner surface facing the dispensing opening, and the inner surface has an abrasive texture for abrading the end of a flare as the flare passes through the dispensing opening for igniting the flare as the flare is ejected from the interior of the housing. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a guide wall is provided in the housing that slopes downwardly toward the dispensing opening such that flares resting on the guide wall are directed toward the dispensing opening. The guide wall may define a flare dispensing space above the guide wall and a flare storage space between the guide wall and the bottom wall of the housing, with the guide wall being pivotally attached to the bottom wall to permit pivoting of the guide wall to access the flare storage space. 
     In one embodiment, a biasing assembly is provided for biasing flares in the interior of the housing toward a first one of the end walls of the housing. The biasing assembly may comprises a biasing wall oriented substantially parallel to the end walls, with the biasing wall being oriented above the guide wall for contacting flares resting on the guide wall. A biasing member may be located between one of the end walls of the housing and the biasing wall for pressing the biasing wall toward the other of the end walls. 
     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. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the flare dispensing systems mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new flare dispensing and igniting system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art flare dispensing systems, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such flare dispensing and igniting system economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system for providing a convenient system for storing flares prior to use, and for dispensing and igniting the flares during use. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system which includes a housing for holding a plurality of flares for dispensing. The housing has side walls, end walls and a bottom wall, and a dispensing opening in the bottom wall. A dispensing plate covers a portion of the dispensing opening, with a closed position adjacent to the dispensing opening for preventing flare movement through the dispensing opening. The dispensing plate is pivotable away from the dispensing opening to permit a flare to pass through the dispensing opening. An ejecting assembly is provided in the housing for ejecting flares from the housing and which includes a plunger assembly for pushing a flare through the dispensing opening and past the dispensing plate. The dispensing plate has an inner surface facing the dispensing opening, and the inner surface has an abrasive texture for abrading the end of a flare as the flare passes through the dispensing opening for igniting the flare as the flare is ejected from the interior of the housing. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system for storing flares in a housing from which the flares can also be dispensed so that there is no need to transfer the flares out of a storage container for use. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new flare dispensing and igniting system that is adjustable to hold flares of different sizes and dispense flares of different sizes. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the flare dispensing and igniting system of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the invention taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic partial sectional view of a broken away portion of the housing and ejecting assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the base portion of the housing of the invention with the lid portion removed to show the detail of the interior of the housing. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the invention as taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1 particularly showing the lid portion on the housing in a closed position and in an open position in phantom lines. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new flare dispensing and igniting system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the flare dispensing and igniting system  10  generally comprises a housing  12  with a base portion  14  and a lid portion  16 , and the base portion has a dispensing opening  34 . A biasing assembly  50  is provided, and an ejecting assembly is provided for ejecting flares  8  from the housing  12 . Significantly, the flare dispensing and igniting system  10  of the invention both stores flares prior to use of the flares, and then dispenses the flares in a one by one fashion while igniting the flares are dispensed. 
     The flare dispensing and igniting system  10  includes a housing  12  having an interior for holding a plurality of flares prior to the dispensing of the flares. The housing  12  has a base portion  14  and a lid portion  16  positioned above and resting on the base portion. The base portion has a pair of spaced side walls  18 ,  19  and a pair of spaced end walls  20 ,  21  that extend between the side walls. A bottom wall  24  extends between and joins the end walls  20 ,  21  and side walls  18 ,  19 . 
     A hinge assembly  26  pivotally couples the lid portion  16  to the base portion  14 . The hinge assembly is mounted on one of the end walls  20 ,  21  of the base portion of the housing and a first end  27  of the lid portion. A latch assembly  28  is provided for selectively securing the lid portion to the base portion in a closed position, such as for the purpose of retaining the flares in the interior of the housing. The latch assembly  28  is mounted on an end wall  20  of the housing opposite the end wall on which the hinge assembly  26  is mounted. The latch assembly  28  is mounted on a second end  29  of the lid portion  16  opposite the first end  27  on which the hinge assembly  26  is mounted. A carrying handle  30  is mounted on a top surface  32  of the lid portion  16  for permitting lifting of the housing when the lid portion is in a closed position and the latch assembly  28  is latched. 
     A significant feature of the housing  12  is a dispensing opening  34  for permitting flares stored in the interior of the housing  12  to exit through the bottom wall  24  of the housing while, for example, the housing is being carried by a user. The dispensing opening  34  may be preferably formed in the bottom wall  24  of the housing adjacent to a first one  18  of the side walls of the housing. The dispensing opening  34  may extend substantially the entire distance between the end walls  20 ,  21 , although it is not necessary that the dispensing opening extend the entire distance. Suitably, the dispensing opening  34  may extend only a distance sufficient for a flare  8  to pass through the opening  34 . 
     A guide wall  36  extends from the second side wall  19  of the housing toward the first side wall  18 . The guide wall  36  slopes downwardly toward the dispensing opening  34  such that flares  8  resting on the guide wall  36  in the interior of the housing are directed toward the dispensing opening such that as a flare is moved through the opening, another flare will take the position of the ejected flare above the dispensing opening. The guide wall  36  defines a flare dispensing space  38  above the guide wall for flares that are available for dispensing, and a flare storage  39  space between the guide wall  36  and the bottom wall  24  for flares which may be moved into the flare dispensing space  38  for dispensing. The guide wall  36  is pivotally attached to the bottom wall  24  to permit pivoting of the guide wall in an upward direction away from the bottom wall to permit access to the flare storage space. Preferably, the guide wall  36  is pivotally connected by a pivot assembly  40  to the bottom wall at a location adjacent to the dispensing opening  34 . 
     A dispensing plate  42  is provided for covering at least a portion of the dispensing opening  34 . The dispensing plate  42  is pivotally mounted to the housing adjacent to an end of the dispensing opening, and preferably the end of the dispensing opening adjacent the end wall  20 . The dispensing plate  42  has a closed position in which the plate  42  is positioned adjacent to the dispensing opening for supporting a portion of the flare  8  positioned above the dispensing opening  34 , and thereby preventing the flare from moving through the dispensing opening  34 . The dispensing plate is pivotable away from the dispensing opening to permit a flare to pass through the dispensing opening, and the plate is biased into the closed position. Preferably, the dispensing plate is mounted by a spring hinge  44  to the housing. 
     Optionally, a retaining plate  46  may be positioned at an end of the dispensing opening  34  opposite the end of the opening on which the dispensing plate  42  is mounted. The retaining plate  42  is thus adapted to support an end of a flare positioned above the dispensing opening, while the dispensing plate supports the opposite end of the flare. As a further option, the retaining plate may be pivotally mounted to the bottom wall  24  of the housing  12  adjacent to the end of the dispensing opening, although the retaining plate may be fixedly mounted so as not to permit movement of the dispensing plate. The pivoting retaining plate embodiment may have a spring hinge biasing the retaining plate into a position adjacent the dispensing opening. 
     A biasing assembly  50  is provided for biasing the flares located in the interior of the housing toward a first one  20  of the end walls of the housing, which permits the invention to securely accommodate flares of different lengths. The biasing assembly  50  comprises a biasing wall  52  that may be oriented substantially parallel to the end walls  20 ,  21  of the housing. The biasing wall  52  may be oriented above the guide wall  36  for contacting flares resting on the guide wall. The biasing wall  52  has opposite side edges  54 ,  55 , and each of the side edges have a guide tab  56 ,  57  extending from the respective side edge  54 ,  55 . The side walls  18 ,  19  of the housing each have a guide slot  58 ,  59  for accepting one of the guide tabs  56 ,  57  of the guide wall  36 . 
     A biasing member  60 ,  61  is located between the second end wall  19  and the biasing wall  52  for pressing the biasing wall toward the first end wall  20  to automatically adjust the size of the flare dispensing space  38  to the length of the flares positioned in the flare holding space. In one embodiment of the invention, a pair of biasing members  60 ,  61  extend between the second end wall and the biasing wall for providing a more evenly distributed pressure on the flares in the flare holding space. Optionally, the biasing member may comprise a compression spring. 
     An ejecting assembly may be provided in the housing for ejecting flares from the interior of the housing through the dispensing opening. The ejecting assembly includes a plunger assembly  62  for pushing a flare through the dispensing opening  34 . The plunger assembly  62 , in turn, includes a plunger actuator  64  for actuating the plunger assembly. The plunger actuator  64  has a portion that extends through the lid portion  16  of the housing  12 , and a first end  65  of the actuator  64  is located external to the housing. A button  68  is mounted on the first end  65  of the plunger actuator for being pressed by the user. The plunger actuator has a second end  66  which extends into and is positioned in interior of the housing. 
     A push member  70  is provided for pushing a flare  8  positioned adjacent to the dispensing opening  34  through the opening  34  and past the dispensing plate  42 . The push member  70  extends substantially parallel to the side wall  18  adjacent to the dispensing opening, and is thus oriented substantially vertically. The push member  70  has a first end  71  for pushing against a flare  8  positioned above the dispensing opening  34 . A push plate  74  is mounted on a second end  72  of the push member  70 , and the push plate  74  is positioned below the push member  70  such that the second end  66  of the plunger actuator is abuttable against the push plate  74 . The plunger actuator  64  pushes downwardly against the push plate  74  and the push member  70  when the user pushes down on the button  68  on the exterior of the housing. 
     A biasing element  76  is provided for biasing the push member in a direction away from the dispensing opening  34 , or toward an uppermost position of the range of travel of the push member. The uppermost position of the push member permits a flare to move into position below the push member and over the dispensing opening when the plunger assembly is not being actuated. Thus, a flare is always ready to be ejected from the housing, and if any flares are in the flare dispensing space, a flare will be visible through the dispensing opening. One embodiment of the biasing element comprises a compression spring encircled about the push member. 
     A support structure  78  is provided for supporting the plunger assembly in the interior of the housing. The support structure includes a first wall  79  and a second wall  80 , with the first  79  and second  80  walls forming a chamber with a side wall  18  and an end wall  20  of the housing. The support structure  78  includes a support wall  82  that extends in a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the push member  70 , and the push member extends through the support wall such that the support wall helps to guide the movement of the push member. The biasing element (such as, for example, a compression spring) is positioned between the support wall  82  and the push plate  74  for biasing the push plate upwardly away from the support wall  82 . 
     Significantly, the dispensing plate  42  has an inner surface  86  facing the dispensing opening  34 , and the inner surface  86  has an abrasive  88  texture for abrading the end of a flare  8  as the flare passes through the dispensing opening  34  and rubs against the inner surface of the dispensing plate  42 . The pivoting dispensing plate is thus ideally positioned for contacting the face of the end of the flare  8  after the flare has moved out of the dispensing opening and away from the flares remaining in the housing. Thus, the flare is ignited after at least the ignitable end of the flare has moved out of the housing, and cannot be jammed or remain in the housing. 
     In use, the lid portion of the housing is opening by releasing the latch assembly and pivoting the lid portion into an opening position, and one or more flares are placed in the flare dispensing space from an external source, or from the flare storage space internal to the housing accessed by pivoting the guide wall. When one or more flares are needed to be dispensed, the user pushes the button toward the lid portion of the housing, and the ejecting assembly pushes against the flare positioned in the housing above the dispensing opening and resting on the dispensing plate. This flare is pushed against the dispensing plate, and the dispensing plate pivots away from the dispensing opening. As the flare moves past the dispensing plate toward the ground surface, the end face of the flare slides across the abrasive surface of the dispensing plate and is ignited by the abrasive friction. As the push member is released, and the flare moves past the dispensing plate, the dispensing plate is biased back into a closed position. Another flare moves into position above the dispensing opening on the dispensing plate, until the ejecting assembly is again actuated. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.