Compressor for liquid fuel canister

Abstract

A compressor for a fuel canister. The compressor includes a handle or other device for rotating a shaft. Rotation of the shaft causes the operation of pistons, which drive air into the fuel canister, thus pressurizing the fuel canister. In an embodiment, the compressor is a rotary style compressor. In another embodiment, the compressor is a horizontally opposed compressor system. Other compressor configurations may be used.

1 . A burner appliance, comprising:
 a fuel canister comprising a rotary compressor for compressing the contents of the fuel canister.   
   
   
       2 . The burner appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel canister comprises an opening at a top end, and wherein the rotary compressor is positioned over and closes the opening. 
   
   
       3 . The burner appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the fuel canister comprises a dip tube. 
   
   
       4 . The burner appliance of  claim 3 , further comprising an outlet tube in fluid communication with the dip tube and configured to provide an air and fuel mixture from the dip tube to the burner appliance. 
   
   
       5 . The burner appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising a handle on an outer portion of the rotary compressor, rotation of which causes the rotary compressor to compress air inside the fuel canister. 
   
   
       6 . The burner appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the burner appliance comprises either a camping stove or a lantern. 
   
   
       7 . The burner appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary compressor comprises:
 a plurality of pistons positioned in radially aligned cylinders, each piston having a longitudinally aligned socket;   a central rocker plate; and   for each of the pistons, a rod connected at one end to the rocker plate, and including a ball joint end mounted for movement along the socket of the piston, the rod arranged to pull and push the piston in the corresponding cylinder as a result of rotation of the rocker plate.   
   
   
       8 . The burner appliance of  claim 7 , wherein for each piston, an opening is positioned at the distal end of the socket, the ball joint end of the rod closing the opening when the rod is pushing the piston, and moving away from the opening to allow the passage of gas into the cylinder when the rod is pulling the piston. 
   
   
       9 . The burner appliance of  claim 8 , wherein for each piston, the rod is seated within a gap defining inner side edges, and the rod defined outer side edges, and wherein the outer side edges of the rod engage the inner side edges just as a transition occurs for the rod going from pushing of the piston into the respective cylinder to pulling of the piston out of the cylinder. 
   
   
       10 . The burner appliance of  claim 7 , wherein for each piston, the rod is seated within a gap defining inner side edges, and the rod defined outer side edges, and wherein the outer side edges of the rod engage the inner side edges just as a transition occurs for the rod going from pushing of the piston into the respective cylinder to pulling of the piston  36  out of the cylinder. 
   
   
       11 . The fuel canister for the burner appliance of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       12 . A burner appliance, comprising:
 a fuel canister comprising a horizontally opposed compressor for compressing the contents of the fuel canister.   
   
   
       13 . The burner appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the fuel canister comprises a dip tube. 
   
   
       14 . The burner appliance of  claim 13 , further comprising an outlet tube in fluid communication with the dip tube and configured to provide an air and fuel mixture from the dip tube to the burner appliance. 
   
   
       15 . The burner appliance of  claim 12 , further comprising a handle on an outer portion of the compressor, rotation of which causes the rotary compressor to compress air inside the fuel canister. 
   
   
       16 . The burner appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the compressor comprises:
 a crankshaft attached to the handle; and   one and only one push rod attached to a pair of pistons, each of the pistons extending into a respective cylinder, the push rod including a slot into which the crankshaft extends, wherein rotation of the handle and the crankshaft causes a back and forth movement of the pistons in the cylinders, drawing air into the compressor, and forcing the air into the fuel canister so as to compress the contents of the fuel canister.   
   
   
       17 . The burner appliance of  claim 16 , wherein each of the pistons includes a central bore, and a one-way valve mounted in the central bore for drawing air into the cylinder as the piston withdraws. 
   
   
       18 . The burner appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the compressor comprises:
 a crankshaft attached to the handle;   a pair of pistons extending into a respective cylinder; and   for each piston, a push rod attached to the piston and the crankshaft, wherein rotation of the handle and the crankshaft causes a back and forth movement of the pistons in the cylinders, drawing air into the compressor, and forcing the air into the fuel canister so as to compress the contents of the fuel canister.   
   
   
       19 . The burner appliance of  claim 18 , wherein for each piston, the piston comprises a longitudinally aligned socket, and the rod includes a ball joint end mounted for movement along the socket of the piston, and wherein for each piston, an opening is positioned at the distal end of the socket, the ball joint end of the rod closing the opening when the rod is pushing the piston, and moving away from the opening to allow the passage of gas into the cylinder when the rod is pulling the piston. 
   
   
       20 . The burner appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the burner appliance comprises either a camping stove or a lantern. 
   
   
       21 . The fuel canister for the burner appliance of  claim 12 .