[Title Of Invention]

A LOW PRESSURE LPG REGULATOR WITH SELF-CLOSING FUNCTION

[FIELD OF THE INVENTION]

The present invention relates to a low pressure regulator for LPG with a self-closing function to prevent an overflow of the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas); and more particularly, to a low pressure LPG regulator with a self-closing function capable of automatically closing a gas passage, by sensing an overflowing state of the gas through a mechanical working, when an amount of gas is overflowing from a gas container.

[DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART]

In general, an LPG fuel as a combustible gas is supplied to a gas appliance, such as a gas range, a gas boiler or the like used in small and medium restaurants or home, through a metallic pipe or hose for gas supply. In particular, as shown in Fig. 1, an LPG container 700 is provided with a gas valve 710, a nozzle member 500 and a gas pressure regulator 200 to keep a gas pressure constantly, supporting all kinds of gas ranges or gas burners, etc. Thus, if the gas valve operates toward opening side and opens the gas passage, a liquefied gas within the LPG container is exhausted and spontaneously

evaporated. The exhausted gas is regulated to a constant gas pressure (the standard pressure, over 230mmAq) by the gas pressure regulator 200 and is supplied to the gas appliance through the gas valve. Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing that the gas valve 710 and the gas pressure regulator 200 are connected to the LPG container 700 and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the working of the conventional gas pressure regulator 200.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the conventional gas pressure regulator 200 is consisted of a gas inlet 300 connecting to a gas supply, a gas outlet 400 connecting to a user, a body 201 having a working room 201a, and a diaphragm 210 installed in the working room 201a to constantly maintain a pressure of the exhausted gas. The gas inlet 300 is connected to an end of a nozzle body 500 having a nozzle 510 which is connected to the gas valve 710 of the LPG container 700. Also, a piston guide 520 is joined to the nozzle 510 of the nozzle body 500. The gas outlet 400 is connected to a pipe or a gas hose 600 of the gas appliance in the home or the restaurant. The diaphragm 210, which has a spring 220 and a connecting shaft 210a, is installed the working room 201a. The connecting shaft 210a is connected to a yoke 230 to make the cam motion and the yoke 203 is connected to a piston 240 by a pin. The piston 240 does a horizontally reciprocating motion in the gas inlet 300.

According to the above-mentioned structure of the conventional gas pressure regulator 200, if the gas

pressure in the working room 201a rises while the gas consumption is slowly decreased or the gas supply suddenly stops, the gas pressure pushes up the diaphragm 210 and compresses the spring 220. The piston 240, which is interlocked with the yoke 230, moves to a horizontal direction to shut the nozzle 510, thereby maintaining the constant gas pressure in compliance with the standard gas pressure. When the gas pressure in the working room 201a decrease below the standard gas pressure by supplying the gas into the working room 201a again, the diaphragm 210 is pushed down by restoring the spring 220 in situ from its compressed position. The piston 240 moves to a horizontal direction to open the nozzle 510 using the yoke 230 interlocked with the diaphragm 210, thereby keeping up the reasonable gas pressure capable of supplying the gas .

According to the structure of the conventional gas pressure regulator 200, the nozzle opens and the gas is supplied into the working room 201a, while the gas pressure in the working room 201a is low below the standard gas pressure. However, if the gas pressure in the working room 201a slowly increases, the gas pressure regulator 200 goes into an action to decrease the gas supply and prevent the gas pressure from being increased, thereby always keeping the gas pressure (230mmAq) constantly.

However, according to the above-mentioned structure of the conventional gas pressure regulator, it

is very difficult to appropriately deal with various gas accidents. For example, the conventional gas pressure regulator is not able to automatically stop, when the gas, over the regulated amount, leaks from the LPG container due to the intentional destruction or the cut of the gas hose. That is, if the gas hose 600 or the gas pipe in the housing is cut or destroyed, the gas pressure in the working room 201a of the gas pressure regulator 200 rapidly drops and the spring 220 is maximally extended to push down the diaphragm 210. Thus, there is a structural problem of the gas pressure regulator in that the piston 240 connected to the yoke moves to the maximally opening position and supplies a maximum gas amount into the working room 201a. As a result, a lot of gas is leaked through the destroyed or cut gas hose, thus it become higher danger of the gas accidents.

Meanwhile, various valve assembly techniques to stop the gas leakage from the LPG container, when the gas hose is intentionally cut, have been issued. As a typical case, there has been a valve assembly for LPG container which issued as Korea utility model No.0287202.

In the issued utility model, the LPG container valve which has opening and shutting portions to open or shut the gas supply and a fuse. It is possible to shut a gas flow from the LPG container, when the gas hose is intentionally damaged or cut. However, this structure needs a gas valve having opening and shutting portions and a fuse to shut the gas flow, thereby increasing a

manufacturing cost and decreasing facility in operation because of its complicated structures.

[SUMMARY OF THE INVNETION] Accordingly, to solve the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide low pressure regulator for LPG with a self- closing function which can automatically stop a gas flow by sensing an overflowing state of the gas through a mechanical working, when an amount of gas is overflowing from a gas container.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a low pressure regulator for LPG with a self-closing function comprising: a regulator body having a gas passage to exhaust gas from the LPG container, a gas outlet formed at a front side of the gas passage and a slopped step portion formed at boundary position between the gas passage and the gas outlet, wherein gas outlet has a narrower width than the gas passage; an overflowing gas stopping means for closing the slopped step portion based on a pressure of a gas flow when the gas flow is exhausted over a regulated amount from a gas container, wherein the overflowing gas stopping means is installed at a front side of the gas passage of the regulator body and is movable forward and backward; and a reset means for restoring a position of the moved overflowing gas stopping means which is moved to close the slopped step portion, wherein the a reset

means perpendicularly goes through the gas outlet of the regulator body.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Other objects and benefits of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following written description taken in conjunction with the following figures:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a connection a gas pressure regulator and a typical LPG container;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a working state of the conventional gas pressure regulator;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a low pressure regulator for LPG with a self-closing function according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating in detail an overflowing gas stopping apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is front, left and right cross-sectional views illustrating a supporting body shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is front and left cross-sectional views illustrating a stopping body shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a stopping state of the overflowing gas in the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state after a reset apparatus is worked in the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an assembly of the overflowing gas stopping apparatus and the reset apparatus and a combination of the assembly and the regulator body, as a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a low pressure for regulator LPG with a self-closing function according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figs. 11 and 12 are schematic view illustrating a gas flow controlling apparatus shown in Fig. 10; and Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an operation of the gas flow controlling apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. A low pressure regulator for LPG with a self- closing function according to the present invention is rapidly and reliably closable a gas passage through a mechanical working when a predetermined amount of an overflowing gas is exhausted from a gas container so that

a dangerous accident from the leakage of a combustible gas can be prevented.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a low pressure regulator for LPG with a self-closing function according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the low pressure regulator in a normal state of the gas flow.

As shown in Fig. 3, the low pressure regulator with the self-closing function according to the first embodiment of present invention includes a regulator body

102, an overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 and a reset apparatus 106.

The regulator body 102 comprises a gas passage

102a going through the regulator body 102 in a direction of shaft thereof to exhaust the gas from the LPG container, a gas outlet 102a' formed at a front side of the gas passage 102a. The diameter of the gas outlet

102a' is narrower than that of the gas passage 102a because a slopped step portion 102b is formed at a boundary between the gas passage 102a and the gas outlet

102a' .

The overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 is installed at a front side of the gas passage 102a of the regulator body 102, being movable forward and backward. That moves forward and closes up the slopped step portion

102b to block the exhausted gas from the gas passage 102a to the gas outlet 102a' when a predetermined amount of an overflowing gas is exhausted from the gas container. The

reset apparatus 106 perpendicularly goes through the gas outlet 102a' of the regulator body 102 and gives back the position of the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 from a closing position of the gas outlet 102a' . The overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 according to the present invention will be described in detail referring to Figs. 4 to 6.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating in detail an overflowing gas stopping apparatus shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is front, left and right cross-sectional views illustrating a supporting body shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is front and left cross-sectional views illustrating a stopping body shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 includes: a supporting member 112 installed in a space between the gas passage 102a of the regulator body 102 and the slopped step portion 102b; a blocking member 114 to open or shut the gas outlet 102a' with the forward or backward movement according to the gas flowing pressure; and a first spring 116 inserted into a bar 114b of the blocking member 114 and be extended when the gas excessively flows in an abnormal state and restored to make the blocking member 114 back when the gas flows in a normal state. The supporting member 112 is formed into a circular band 112a, a supporting cylinder 112b which has a penetration hole in a horizontal direction and is positioned in a horizontal direction in the middle of the circular band 112a,

several connecting bars 112c to connect the cylindrical surface of the circular band 112a to the supporting bar

112b, thereby forming gas passing holes 112d to pass through the gas between the several connecting bars 112c. The blocking member 114 has a sphere 114a, which has a large area more then the gas outlet 102a', at one side thereof and the bar 114b fixed to the penetration hole of the supporting cylinder 112b at the another side thereof.

The reset apparatus 106 perpendicularly goes through the gas outlet 102a' of the regulator body 102. The reset apparatus 106 comprises: a reset body 122 screwed down to the hole of the regulator body 102 which passes through the gas outlet 102a' ; a reset bar 124 inserted into the reset body 122 with the straight movement so as to push the sphere 114a of the blocking member 114 by a down-movement ; and a second spring 126 inserted to the reset bar 124 to provide the reset apparatus 106 with a restore of the original position.

The first embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated based on a single assembly having the reset apparatus 106 and the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 which are joined to the regulator body 102. However, the first embodiment of the present invention is not restricted within the above mentioned structure. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, it is possible to combine the reset apparatus 106 to the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 as a single assembly and it can be separated from or combined with the regulator body 102.

That is, as shown in Fig. 9, the modified low pressure regulator for LPG with the self-closing function of the first embodiment of the present invention includes: a regulator body 302; a separated assembly 304 screwed to the first gas passage 302a of the regulator body 302; an overflowing gas stopping apparatus 306 moveably installed into the second gas passage 304a of the separated assembly 304, which is capable of moving forward and backward; and a reset apparatus 308. The regulator body 302 has a first gas passage 302a to pass through the regulator body 302 in a shaft direction thereof in order to exhaust the gas from the LPG container.

The separated assembly 304 includes: a second gas passage 304a passing through the first gas passage 302a; a gas outlet 304b, which has narrower width than the second gas passage 304a, formed along the shaft direction of the separated assembly 302 to exhaust the gas; and a slopped step portion 304c formed at a boundary between the second gas passage 304a and the gas outlet 304b. The overflowing gas stopping apparatus 306 includes: a cylindrical type supporting member 312 having a plurality of holes which allow the gas to flow from first gas passage 302a; a blocking member 314 in a type of sphere, of which area is larger then that of the gas outlet at one side thereof, with a bar fixed into a hole of the supporting member 312 at the another side thereof so that it opens or shuts the gas outlet 102a' by the forward or backward movement according to the gas flowing

pressure; and a third spring 316 inserted into the bar of the blocking member 314 and extended when the gas flow excessively in an abnormal state and restored to make the blocking member 314 disposed at an original position when the gas flow in a normal state. According to the above- mentioned structure, the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 306 moves forward and closes the slopped step portion 102b so that the gas outlet 302b is shut off the exhaustion of the gas from the gas passage 102a to the gas outlet 302b when the predetermined amount of an overflowing gas is exhausted from the gas container. The reset apparatus 308 includes: a reset body 322 perpendicularly passing through the gas outlet of the separated assembly 304; a reset bar 324, which is fixed into the reset body 322 with a straight movement, pushing the sphere of the blocking member 324 based on the downward movement thereof; a fourth spring 326 inserted into the reset bar 324 to restore the original position of the reset bar 324 when removing an external power applied to it after the reset bar 324 moves downward.

Hereinafter, the operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

Fig. 3 illustrates the gas flow in a normal state. The overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 is spaced apart from the slopped step portion 102b in the gas passage 102a of the regulator body 102.

Fig. 7 illustrates the operation to stop the overflowed gas in the low pressure regulator for LPG according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Generally, the pressure regulator in a type of the single stage low pressure having a capacity of 4kg/hr and a pressure of 2.8kPa can exhaust the gas of over 4kg/hr according to the container pressure. However, since the capacity of the gas burner can not exceed that of the pressure regulator, it can be regarded as an abnormal state when the predetermined amount of gas over a regulated flow of the pressure regulator is exhausted. As shown in Fig. 7, the gas is rapidly exhausted through the gas passing hole 112d of the supporting member 112 when an amount of the gas over the regulated flow is exhausted from the gas container in a abnormal state. Thus, the blocking member 114 in parallel to the gas passage 102a is subject to a resistant power against the gas flow through the first spring 116. If the pressure of the gas flow gets over the resistant power of both the tension of the first spring 116 and the weight of the blocking member 114, the sphere 114a of the blocking member 114 moves forward to the slopped step portion 102b so that the gas outlet 102a' is closed to prevent the gas from being exhausted. According to the above-mentioned operation, as marked in a ϋ-shaped arrow of Fig. 7, the gas flow is not supplied to the outside anymore.

Next, after the overflowing flow of the gas, a restore process to return the blocking member 114 to an

original position in a normal flow state will be described referring to Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 shows the low pressure regulator after the reset apparatus 106 has been worked. First, as shown in Fig. 7, the blocking member 114 closes the gas outlet 102a' based on the operation of the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104. Thereafter, an accident part is replaced with new one (for example, cutting parts of the gas hose or other parts to cause the overflow due to the gas leakage are replaced with normal parts) . If the reset bar 124 goes down through a hand-operated tool and the blocking member 114 is returned to the original position, the low pressure regulator works in a normal state without the overflow of the gas. That is, the reset bar 124 is installed in support of be kept the second spring 126. If the reset bar 124 is pressed downward, an end portion of the reset bar 124, which is formed in a type of a round section, is directly in contact with and then pushes away the sphere 114a of the blocking member 114 so that the blocking member 114 is returned and the reset bar 124 also is returned by the force of restitution of the second spring 126.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail referring to Figs. 10 to 13. Fig. 10 is a section view illustrating a low pressure regulator for LPG with a self-closing function according to a second embodiment of the present invention

and Figs. 11 and 12 are schematic view illustrating a gas flow controlling apparatus shown in Fig. 10.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the gas flow control apparatus 400 is attached to the under portion of the regulator body 102 described in the first embodiment structure. The gas flow control apparatus 400 functions as a controller for factitiously controlling a space between the overflow gas stopping apparatus 104 and the step portion 102b based on the length of the gas hose and the loss of pressure which are determined by the capacity of the gas burner.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the supporting member 112 of the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 is provided with an extension bar 412. A fifth spring 424 is installed in the front side of the supporting member 112 to restore the position of the supporting member 112.

As shown in Fig. 10, the gas flow controlling apparatus 400 includes: the extension bar 412 extended at an end portion of the supporting member 112 in a horizontal direction; a cap 414 fixed into the penetration hole which is formed under the regulator body 102; an eccentric rod 416 rotatablely installed in the cap 414 in a state that the extension bar 412 hang over it, wherein the eccentric rod 416 applies the pushing force to the extension bar 412 as much as eccentricity caused by the rotation of the eccentric rod 416; a latch wheel 418 fixed on a bottom of the eccentric rod 416 for

supplying rotation force to the eccentric rod 416, wherein the latch wheel 418 has a sawlike circumference to control the eccentricity; a pole 420, one end of which is installed with a buffering function in the cap 414 and the other end of which is in contact with the latch wheel 418 to sense a controlling state of the gas flow according to the rotation of the latch wheel 418; and a sixth spring 422 inserted into the pole 420 to provide a buffing function. On the latch wheel 418, a scale is marked from

2.5 to 4 kg/hr at an interval of 0.5kg/hr to control the gas flow. That is, it increases and decreases the eccentricity of the eccentric rod 416 based on the rotation angle of the latch wheel 418. Also, it increases and decreases the space between the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 and the step portion 102b based on the increased and decreased eccentricity, thereby controlling the exhausting gas flow.

Fig. 13 shows a working state of the gas flow controlling apparatus after the gas flow is controlled in the second embodiment of the present invention. Generally, if the gas hose is connected to a rear side of the pressure regulator, the loss of pressure is generated by frictional resistance in the gas hose, thereby decreasing an amount of the exhausted gas. The longer the length of the gas hose to be connected to rear side of the regulator is, the less the amount of the gas flow is. Accordingly, the overflowing gas stopping apparatus can

not work. To solve this problem, the gas flow controlling apparatus which has the latch wheel 418 and the pole 420 is provided in order to control the gas flow in the present invention. As shown in Fig. 10, in a state that ^v the overflowing gas stopping apparatus 104 is spaced apart from the step portion 102b by a predetermined distance, if the latch wheel 418 is rotated, the pole 420 moves forward and backward on the sawlike circumference of the latch wheel 418 and controls the gas flow as much as the scale marked on the latch wheel 418 of Figs. 11 and 12. If the latch wheel 418 is rotating, the eccentric rod 416 rotates along the arrow shown in Fig. 13 and the extending bar 412 pushes the eccentric rod 416 in a direction of the gas flow based on the predetermined eccentricity. Then, the supporting member 112, which is integrated with the extending bar 412, overcomes elasticity of the fifth spring 424 and moves forward to narrow the space to the step portion 102b. When the position of the supporting member 112 is moved as much as the eccentricity, it can decrease the pressure loss which is caused by the extension of length of the gas hose and reliably prevents a working error of the blocking member 114 to be caused by the pressure loss.

[INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY]

Apart from the structure of the present invention mentioned above, when the gas exhausting from the LPG container excessively flow over the regulated

amount in a abnormal state, the blocking member closes the gas outlet through a mechanical working based on the fluctuation of the pressure so that it has an effect that leakage of the gas can be stopped reliably. In addition, it can decrease the pressure loss which is caused by the decrease of the gas flow, when the capacity of the gas burner or the length of the gas hose is changed. Accordingly, it has another effect that working error of the blocking member can be prevented reliably.