Internal-combustion engines – Cooling – Indicators and safety devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-22
2001-01-30
Dolinar, Andrew M. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Cooling
Indicators and safety devices
C220SDIG003, C220S254800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178930
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to caps for containers of liquid under pressure or at high temperature, and more particularly for tanks or radiators of cooling liquid circuits of i.c. engines for motorvehicles.
These caps normally comprise a cover of a generally circular shape having an inner thread engageable onto an outerly threaded filler and bearing a body adapted to axially fit within said filler.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a cap of the above-referenced type designed to afford a safety function consisting of preventing opening by the user in case the liquid temperature of the circuit to which the cap is applied be above a predetermined threshold value, and then enabling again opening thereof as soon as the liquid temperature lowers below said predetermined value.
A further object of the invention is to provide a cap with the above safety function which is however capable to allow, following a procedure not immediately within the user's skillness, opening thereof even if the liquid temperature has raised above said predetermined value, for instance owing to emergency reasons.
According to the invention these objects are achieved by a safety cap of the above-referenced type the primary feature of which resides in that it includes a thermostatic actuator carried by said body and a second cover substantially completely surrounding said cover and movable, by means of said thermostatic actuator, from a torsionally coupled position to a torsionally uncoupled position relative to said cover, and further comprising releasable connecting means between said second cover and said stem of said thermostatic actuator.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention said body of the cap is hollow and the thermostatic actuator incorporated within the hollow body and includes a housing containing a heat expandable material having a high thermal expansion coefficient and a stem projecting from the housing and axially connected to said second cover, the stem being axially displaceable with respect to the housing, following expansion of said heat expandable material, from a retracted condition corresponding to said torsionally coupled position, to an extracted condition corresponding to said torsionally uncoupled position of said second cover relative to said cover; resilient means being provided to urge said stem towards said retracted position.
The releasable connecting means are not immediately disengageable and can be either of a destructive type or, more conveniently, may comprise an open resilient stop disk engaged over an annular groove of said stem and slidably fitted within an outer elongated seat of said second cover, reference means being provided to angularly position said second cover and said stop disk relative to each other so as to enable sliding and withdrawal of said stop disk along said elongated seat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4927049 (1990-05-01), Giordano
patent: 5195646 (1993-03-01), Robinson
patent: 5741069 (1998-04-01), Egel
patent: 1600373 (1968-01-01), None
patent: WO97 48616 (1997-12-01), None
patent: WO98 00347 (1998-01-01), None
Behr Thermot-Tronik Italia S.p.A.
Dolinar Andrew M.
Huynh Hai
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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