Extension for top of refrigerant can for dispensing without a valve

Abstract

The extension for top of refrigerant can for dispensing without a valve is used for supplying refrigerant to the air conditioning unit of a vehicle using a conventional refrigerant charging hose. The extension allows the contents of the refrigerant can to be delivered without having to attach a conventional shutoff valve to the canister. The extension includes a seal over the opening in the refrigerant can with a valve stem that extends through the center of the seal. The extension includes an actuator cap that fits over the seal on the top of the canister. The actuator cap houses an actuator for releasing the contents of the container. The actuator has a depression tab that is hingedly connected to the interior of the actuator cap for releasing the contents of the canister into the charging hose that is secured to a threaded projection on the front of the cap.

1 . An extension for releasing pressurized contents of a canister, comprising: 
 an actuator cap having an outer peripheral surface, a top end, a bottom end, and an aperture formed in said top end, said bottom end having an opening adapted for mounting onto the canister;    a depressible actuator tab disposed across the aperture and hingedly secured to said actuator cap, said actuator tab having a valve stem receiving orifice for receiving a valve stem disposed on the canister and a discharge channel in fluid communication with the valve stem for delivering the pressurized contents of the canister;    a threaded projection extending outward from the outer peripheral surface of said actuator cap, the projection having a discharge orifice disposed along the end of the projection, said threaded projection being adapted to receive a threaded connector from a conventional discharge hose; and    an actuator hinge for securing said actuator tab to said actuator cap, said actuator hinge allowing said actuator tab to move freely from an unactuated position to a depressed actuated positior    whereby said actuator tab, when depressed, is adapted for contacting the valve stem of the canister to release the pressurized contents of the canister, the contents being delivered through the discharge channel and out of the discharge orifice on said projection.    
   
   
       2 . The extension for releasing the pressurized contents of a canister according to  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator cap lid secured to said actuator cap.  
   
   
       3 . The extension for releasing the pressurized contents of a canister according to  claim 2 , further comprising a hinge attaching said actuator cap lid to said actuator cap.  
   
   
       4 . The extension for releasing the pressurized contents of a canister according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of finger grooves disposed on a top surface of said actuator tab for providing a frictional surface.  
   
   
       5 . The extension for releasing the pressurized contents of a canister according to  claim 1 , further comprising an integrated locking mechanism for securing said actuator tab in the depressed actuated position, said locking mechanism comprising a lock hook integrally formed in said actuator cap and an engaging hook disposed along a bottom surface of said actuator tab.  
   
   
       6 . A refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing pressurized contents of the canister, comprising: 
 a housing having a generally cylindrical main body with a top surface, an opening in said top surface and a upstanding rim surrounding said opening;    a housing cover sealably secured to said upstanding rim to seal said opening;    a valve stem disposed through the center of said housing cover having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion projecting upward from said housing cover; an actuator cap having an outer peripheral surface, a top end, a bottom end, and an aperture formed in said top end, said bottom end having an opening adapted for mounting onto the canister;    a depressible actuator tab disposed across said aperture and hingedly secured to said actuator cap, said actuator tab having a valve stem receiving orifice for receiving said valve stem and a discharge channel in fluid communication with said valve stem for delivering the pressurized contents of said canister;    a threaded projection extending outward from said outer peripheral surface of said actuator cap, said projection having a discharge orifice disposed along the end of the projection; and    an actuator hinge for securing said actuator tab to said actuator cap, said actuator hinge allowing said actuator tab to move freely from an unactuated position to a depressed actuated positior    whereby said actuator tab, when depressed, contacts the valve stem of the canister to release the pressurized contents of the canister, the contents being delivered through the discharge channel and out of the discharge orifice on said projection.    
   
   
       7 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 6 , further comprising a discharge member secured to said threaded projection, wherein said discharge member delivers the contents of said canister to a vehicle air conditioning unit  
   
   
       8 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 7 , wherein said discharge member is a refrigerant discharge hose comprising an elongate tubular body having a receiving end, a discharge end, a threaded fitting for engaging said threaded projection disposed on said receiving end, and a disconnect coupler fitting for engaging a vehicle air conditioning unit disposed on said discharge end.  
   
   
       9 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  8 , wherein said discharge member is integrally formed to said actuator cap.  
   
   
       10 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 8 , wherein said discharge member is adapted to be removed from said threaded projection.  
   
   
       11 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 6 , further comprising an actuator cap lid secured to the said actuator cap.  
   
   
       12 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 12 , wherein said actuator cap lid is hingedly secured to said actuator cap by a hinge.  
   
   
       13 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of finger grooves disposed on a top surface of said actuator tab for providing a frictional surface.  
   
   
       14 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 6 , further comprising an integrated locking mechanism for securing said actuator tab in the depressed actuated position, said locking mechanism comprising a lock hook integrally formed in said actuator cap and an engaging hook disposed along a bottom surface of said actuator tab.  
   
   
       15 . A vehicle refrigerant canister with an extension for delivering pressurized contents of the canister to an air conditioning unit of a vehicle, comprising: 
 a housing having a generally cylindrical main body with a top surface, an opening in said top surface and a upstanding rim surrounding said opening;    a housing cover sealably secured to said upstanding rim to seal said opening;    a valve stem disposed through the center of said housing cover having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion projecting upward from said housing cover;    an actuator cap having an outer peripheral surface, a top end, a bottom end, and an aperture formed in said top end, said bottom end having an opening adapted for mounting onto the canister;    a depressible actuator tab disposed across said aperture and hingedly secured to said actuator cap, said actuator tab having a valve stem receiving orifice for receiving said valve stem and a discharge channel in fluid communication with said valve stem for delivering the pressurized contents of said canister;    a threaded projection extending outward from said outer peripheral surface of said actuator cap, said projection having a discharge orifice disposed along the end of the projection;    an actuator hinge for securing said actuator tab to said actuator cap, said actuator hinge allowing said actuator tab to move freely from an unactuated position to a depressed actuated position; and    a refrigerant charging hose secured to said threaded projection for delivering the released contents of said canister to the air conditioning unit of the vehicle, said charging hose having an engaging end, a discharge end, a threaded fitting disposed on said engaging end for engaging said threaded projection and a disconnect fitting disposed on said discharge end for engaging the air conditioning unit of the vehicle;    whereby said actuator tab, when depressed, contacts the valve stem of the container to release the pressurized contents of the container, the contents being delivered through the discharge channel and out of the discharge orifice on said projection into said charging hose to be delivered to the vehicle air conditioning unit.    
   
   
       16 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  15 , wherein said charging hose is integrally formed to said actuator cap.  
   
   
       17 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 15 , wherein said charging hose is adapted to be removed from said threaded projection.  
   
   
       18 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 15 , further comprising an actuator cap lid secured to the said actuator cap.  
   
   
       19 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 18 , wherein said actuator cap lid is secured to said actuator cap by a hinge.  
   
   
       20 . The refrigerant canister with an extension for releasing the pressurized contents of the canister according to  claim 15 , further comprising an integrated locking mechanism for securing said actuator tab in the depressed actuated position, said locking mechanism comprising a lock hook integrally formed in said actuator cap and an engaging hook disposed along a bottom surface of said actuator tab.