Aerosol candle snuffer using non-flammable gas

Abstract

An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames comprises an aerosol container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas therein, and a valve assembly on the container for controlling discharge of the pressurized non-flammable gas from the container, wherein a plurality of successively larger orifices are in the valve assembly for reducing the pressure of the pressurized gas as it is discharged through the valve assembly to a level sufficient to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from a candle. In a preferred embodiment the quantity of gas discharged is metered in each dispensing cycle, and a gas adsorbing material is in the container for adsorbing and storing a reserve supply of the gas and releasing it into the container as gas is depleted from the container.

1 . An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames, comprising:
 a container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas therein; and   an aerosol valve assembly on the container for controlling discharge of the non-flammable gas from the container, said valve assembly having a directional valve actuator for actuating the valve and directing flow of discharged gas against a candle flame, and means to reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas discharged to a level sufficient to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from the candle.   
   
   
       2 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said means to reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas reduces both the quantity and the pressure.   
   
   
       3 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said means to reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas comprises pressure reducing means comprising a plurality of progressively larger orifices through which the gas flows as it is being discharged, to reduce the pressure of the discharged gas.   
   
   
       4 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said means to reduce at least one of the quantity and the pressure of the gas comprises metering means to limit the quantity of gas discharged during a dispensing cycle.   
   
   
       5 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 gas adsorbing and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as the supply of gas is depleted.   
   
   
       6 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein:
 gas adsorbing and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as the supply of gas is depleted.   
   
   
       7 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein:
 gas adsorbing and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as the supply of gas is depleted.   
   
   
       8 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 gas adsorbing and storage means is in said container for adsorbing and storing a reserve supply of said gas and releasing it into the container as the supply of gas is depleted.   
   
   
       9 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said valve assembly comprises:
 a valve body having a tubular upper end and a tubular lower end, a valve stem reciprocable in the tubular upper end, and a valve actuator attached to said valve stem to move it downwardly during a dispensing cycle; and   said pressure reducing means comprises a body orifice in said valve body, a stem orifice in said valve stem, and a terminal orifice in said actuator, said stem orifice having a larger diameter than said body orifice, and said terminal orifice having a larger diameter than said stem orifice.   
   
   
       10 . An aerosol device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 said metering means comprises a dip tube connected to said lower end of said valve body, a ball reciprocable in said dip tube, a stop in a lower end of said dip tube to retain said ball in said dip tube, and said lower end of said valve body defining a seat against which said ball seats at its upper limit of travel in said dip tube, the volume of the dip tube between said stop and said seat determining the volume of gas discharged during a dispensing cycle.   
   
   
       11 . An aerosol device for extinguishing candle flames, comprising:
 an aerosol container with a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas therein;   a valve assembly on the container for controlling discharge of the pressurized non-flammable gas from the container; and   a plurality of successively larger orifices in the valve assembly for reducing the pressure of the pressurized gas as it is discharged through the valve assembly, said reduced pressure being sufficient to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from a candle.   
   
   
       12 . A method of extinguishing a candle flame, comprising the steps of:
 providing a supply of pressurized non-flammable gas in a container;   discharging a puff of said pressurized gas from the container and against a candle flame to extinguish it; and   using a plurality of sequentially larger orifices in the flow path of the discharged gas to reduce the pressure to a level sufficient to extinguish a candle flame but insufficient to blow molten wax from the candle.