Modular gas extraction system for pressurized gas bottles

Abstract

Pressurized gas bottles with integrated valves, in which a plurality of functional supports are integrated in an extraction unit, are equipped with complex fall protection means. Moreover, in such a valve, a new approval procedure is carried out for the entire valve in the event of multiple modifications, for example when supplementing it with an additional function. In order to reduce the effort associated with this, an extraction fitting for a pressurized gas bottle is provided with a modular design, wherein a base module comprising the shut-off member and a fall protection device securing the shut-off member complies with legal requirements regarding fall protection and the shut-off device of the pressurized gas bottle. All further functionalities of the extraction fitting are integrated in at least one additional module, which is connected to the base module in a fixed but removable manner and without impairing the fall safety.

Claims

1. A pressurized gas bottle with an extraction fitting comprising: a shut-off member mounted on the pressurized gas bottle; a functional component attached to the shut-off member; and a fall protection device securing the shut-off member against inadmissible damage, characterized in that: the extraction fitting has a modular design and comprises a base module having the shut-off member and the fall protection device, and an additional module having the functional component, wherein the base module is configured to be secured to the pressurized gas bottle, and the additional module is releasably connected to the base module such that when forcible impact is made to the extraction fitting, the additional module decouples from the base module to thereby prevent damage to the shut-off member and inadvertent release of gas from the pressurized gas bottle.

2. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the functional component is one of a pressure regulator, an extraction attachment, and a display unit.

3. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an operating element is integrated in the additional module and is operatively connected to the shut-off member via a connection part that extends through the additional module.

4. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the additional module is equipped with a safety device that secures the functional component against impact.

5. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the additional module is equipped with a carrying handle or a swivel knob.

6. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fall protection device is screwed onto a neck ring thread of the pressurized gas bottle.

7. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fall protection device has a collar portion that contacts and is supported on a shoulder of the pressurized gas bottle.

8. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the base module and the additional module are cylindrical and have the same outer circumference.

9. The pressurized gas bottle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the additional module can be exchanged with a second additional module without the pressurized gas bottle having to be emptied or the base module having to be decoupled from the pressurized gas bottle.

10. An extraction fitting for a pressurized gas bottle having an outlet, the extraction fitting comprising: a base module having a shut-off member configured to couple to the outlet and selectively close the outlet, and a fall protection device configured to couple to the pressurized gas bottle and surround the shut-off member to thereby prevent damage to the shut-off member; and an additional module having a housing releasably coupled to the fall protection device and an operating element operably and releasably coupled to the shut-off member; wherein when forcible impact is made to the extraction fitting, the housing decouples from the fall protection device and the operating element decouples from the shut-off member to thereby prevent damage to the shut-off member and inadvertent release of gas from the pressurized gas bottle.

11. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the fall protection device extends in a direction away from the pressurized gas bottle and past the shut-off member.

12. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the fall protection device and the housing define a zone of weakness along which the housing decouples from the fall protection device when forcible impact is made to the extraction fitting.

13. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the additional module can be decoupled from the base module and replaced with a second additional module without decoupling the base module from the pressurized gas bottle.

14. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the shut-off member has a gas outlet through which the gas is selectively released, and wherein the additional module has a functional component coupled to the housing and releasably coupled to the gas outlet with a flexible attachment line such that when forcible impact is made to the extraction fitting, the functional component decouples from the flexible attachment line or the flexible attachment line decouples from the gas outlet to thereby prevent damage to the shut-off member.

15. The extraction fitting according to claim 14, wherein the functional component is a pressure regulator with an extraction attachment through which the gas is dispensed.

16. The extraction fitting according to claim 14, wherein the functional component is one of a plurality of functional components that are coupled to the housing.

17. The extraction fitting according to claim 14, wherein the additional module has a safety device that secures the functional component to the housing and prevents damage to the functional component when forcible impact is made to the extraction fitting.

18. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the fall protection device is configured to couple to a neck ring thread of the pressurized gas bottle.

19. The extraction fitting according to claim 10, wherein the fall protection device has a collar portion that is configured to contact a shoulder of the pressurized gas bottle such that the base module is supported on the pressurized gas bottle.

Description

(1) Illustrative embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a pressurized gas bottle according to the invention in a first embodiment, in partial cross section,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a pressurized gas bottle according to the invention in a second embodiment, again in partial cross section.

(4) The pressurized gas bottles 1, la shown in the drawings are containers with a filling volume of between 2 l and 50 l which are designed to receive a pressurized gas, for example nitrogen, oxygen, a noble gas or a medical gas or a gas mixture, and are designed for a filling pressure of, for example, between 50 bar and 300 bar. The embodiments according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 differ only in terms of the functionalities of the extraction fitting that is mounted on the respective pressurized gas bottle 1, la. Otherwise, elements having an identical action in both drawings are provided with the same reference signs.

(5) In the customary manner (not explained in any detail here), the pressurized gas containers 1, la shown in the drawings each have a bottle body 2 made, for example, of metal or of a composite material. In a likewise known manner, the pressurized gas bottles 1, la have a shoulder portion 4 and a neck ring thread 5, which is arranged about an outlet opening (not shown here).

(6) The pressurized gas bottles 1, la are each equipped with an extraction fitting 7, 7a composed of modules. The extraction fittings 7, 7a are each composed of a base module 8, which is of identical construction in both illustrative embodiments according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, and an additional module 9, 9a, which is in each case equipped with different functionalities.

(7) The base module 8 comprises a shut-off member 10, secured at the outlet opening of the pressurized gas bottle 1, and a fall protection device 11. The shut-off member 10 is in particular a standard bottle valve, as is often used in commercially available pressurized gas bottles and meets all the legal requirements. In a manner known per se, the shut-off member 10 has a valve spindle 12, the rotation of which causes a gas outlet 13 of the shut-off member to be opened or closed. The fall protection device 11 is, for example, a half shell, basket structure or cage structure made of metal or plastic and surrounding the shut-off member 10. In the illustrative embodiments shown here, the fall protection device 11 comprises a substantially cylindrical valve protection basket which is open at the top but otherwise closed and which extends with its side walls from the neck of the pressurized gas bottle 1, la to the height of the upper end of the valve spindle 12 and is screwed with a bottom plate 15 onto the neck ring thread 5 of the pressurized gas bottle 1, la. In the illustrative embodiments shown, the fall protection device 11 is equipped with a collar portion 14, with which the fall protection device 11 is supported by the collar portion 4 of the pressurized gas bottle 1, la and which in this way ensures increased stability of the fall protection device 11. The fall protection device 11 is designed such that it fully meets the legal requirements regarding fall protection of the respective pressurized gas bottle 1, la, specifically also when an additional module 9, 9a is mounted on the base module 8 of the extraction fitting 7, 7a.

(8) The additional module 9 of the pressurized gas bottle 1 in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 17 with cylindrical side walls which, in terms of their circumference, correspond to the circumference of the side walls of the fall protection device 11. The housing 17 of the additional module 9 is connected to the fall protection device 11 of the base module 8 in a fixed but releasable manner, for example by a screw connection 18. Several additional functional components 19, 20, 21 are received in the interior of the housing 17. In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1, these are in the form of a pressure regulator 19, an extraction attachment 20 and a pressure display 21. Further additional functional components, for example a filling attachment, further extraction attachments, actuating or reducing valves and the like can likewise be arranged inside the housing 17 but, for reasons of clarity, are not shown here. The pressure regulator is connected to the gas outlet 13 of the shut-off member 10 via a flexible attachment line 22. In the region of the additional functional components 19, 20, 21 (and optionally in the region of the further additional functional components not shown here), the housing 17 has access openings which permit access to the pressure regulator 19 and to the extraction attachment 20 and allow the display 21 to be read off even when the housing 17 is mounted in place. On its end face directed away from its neck, the housing 17 has a cover 23.

(9) In order to permit actuation of the shut-off member 10 even when the additional module 9 is mounted in place, an operating element 24 extends through the housing 17 and has a connection part 25 that engages with a form fit around the valve spindle 12 of the shut-off member 10. On its end face directed away from the valve spindle 12, the operating element 24 is equipped with a handwheel 26 or a grip part. In the region of the handwheel 26, the cover 23 is provided with an access opening, which permits the actuation of the operating element 24 and therefore of the shut-off member 10 when the additional module 9 is mounted in place. The operating element 24 is designed such that it does not impair the fall safety ensured by the fall protection device 11. For example, the operating element comprises a hinge connection (not shown here) or is equipped with weakened zones which, in the event of a heavy impact on the operating element, prevent transmission of the impact to the shut-off member. Moreover, the extraction fitting 7, 7a is equipped with a carrying handle 27 that serves to facilitate the transport of the pressurized gas bottle 1. The carrying handle 27 is connected to the housing 17 in a fixed but releasable manner and can be regarded as an autonomous additional module.

(10) The extraction fitting 7a of the pressurized gas bottle 1a shown in FIG. 2 differs from the extraction fitting 7 of the pressurized gas bottle 1 from FIG. 1 in terms of having another additional module 9a which is equipped with in some cases different additional functional components 30, 31, 32, namely a pressure regulator 30, a dual extraction attachment 31 and an electronic display unit 32 which, for example, displays the filling level, the pressure in the pressurized gas bottle 1a and/or the quantity of gas extracted. Further additional functional components can likewise be present but are not shown here. The additional functional components 30, 31, 32 are received in a housing 33 of the additional module 9a which, like the housing 17, is connected in a fixed but releasable manner to the fall protection device 11 of the base module 8 and, in the region of the additional functional components 30, 32, 32, is equipped with corresponding access openings. Instead of having a flat cover, the housing 33 has an at least in part conically shaped head portion 34, which makes it easier to read the display unit 32. In the same way as in the additional module 9, an operating element 35 is also provided here for actuation of the shut-off fitting 10 when the additional module 9a is mounted in place. The operating element 35 extends through the housing 33 and has a handwheel 36 protruding from the head portion 34, and also a connection part 37 which is operatively connected to the handwheel 36 and to the valve spindle 12 of the shut-off member 10 and which, in the illustrative embodiment shown here, is made at least in part from a flexible material, for which reason, in the event of the handwheel 36 suffering a heavy impact, the shut-off member 10 is not acted upon by a force that puts safety at risk. An attachment line 38 serves to connect the pressure regulator 30 to the shut-off member 10.

(11) Like the housing 17, the housing 33 serves primarily to protect the additional functional components 19, 20, 21; 30, 31, 32 received inside the respective housing 17, 33. By contrast, the housings 17, 33 have no importance as regards the fall safety of the pressurized gas bottle 1, la.

(12) If necessary, the functionalities of the extraction fittings 7, 7a can be easily modified by removing the additional module 9, 9a from the base module 8 and replacing it with another additional module which has the desired functionalities, and which is then connected to the base module 8. In this case, the housing 17, 33 simply has to be released from the fall protection device 11, and the connection part 25, 37 from the valve spindle 12, and the attachment line 22, 38 has to be separated from the gas outlet 13 of the shut-off member 10. Similarly, the additional module 9, 9a can be replaced, for example if an additional functional component 19, 20, 21; 30, 31, 32 is damaged beyond repair. Similarly, the extraction fitting 7 from FIG. 1 can be supplied with or without the carrying handle 27 or with another carrying handle, depending on the wishes of the customer. Despite the changes that are thus made to the functionality of the pressurized gas bottle 1, la, renewed testing of fall safety is unnecessary since the base module 8 is unchanged.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(13) 1, 1a pressurized gas bottle 2 bottle body 3 - 4 shoulder portion 5 neck ring thread 6 - 7, 7a extraction fitting 8 base module 9, 9a additional module 10 shut-off member 11 fall protection device 12 valve spindle 13 gas outlet 14 collar portion 15 bottom plate 16 - 17 housing 18 screw connection 19 pressure regulator 20 extraction attachment 21 pressure display 22 attachment line 23 cover 24 operating element 25 connection part 26 handwheel 27 carrying handle 28 - 29 - 30 pressure regulator 31 extraction attachment 32 display unit 33 housing 34 head portion 35 operating element 36 handwheel 37 connection part 38 attachment line