Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: SINGLE-OPENING PUMPING NOZZLE AND
DIRECT-PRESSING DUAL-OPENING
AUTOMATIC-SWITCHING PUMPING NOZZLE
(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pumping nozzle of a single
use or dual uses, and more particularly to a technical field of enabling
direct
execution of air pumping by using one hand to control a valve stem to be
inflated to insert into a joint opening so that the operation smooth and
convenience of the dual-use pumping nozzle in pumping air.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional dual-use pumping nozzle is known from prior art patent
documents, such as those disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos.
095107665 and 097203517. Such known patent documents have the
following disadvantages:
(1) Before air is pumped, those patent documents require a main body to
be held with one to control a valve stem to be inflated to inserted into any
one
of the joint opening and then another hand needs to push a switch bar to cause
an internal pressing cylinder to move downward for forcing the joint opening
to clam against the valve stem to be inflated. Finally, air pumping can be
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carried out. Such a mode of operation that relies on two hands is
inconvenient and causes a sense of time-consuming and labor-consuming.
(2) Those known patent documents make use of the downward
movement of the pressing cylinder to force the joint opening to defoim in the
axial direction thereby "indirectly" inducing defonnation of the joint opening
in a radial direction to clamp against the valve stern to be inflated. The
radial
defounation of the joint opening is very limited and thus the force that the
joint opening applies to clamp the valve stem to be inflated is also limited,
whereby oftentimes, air leaking can be found in pumping air.
(3) Those known patent documents provide structures that are very
complicated and drawbacks of being not able to reduce the costs of
manufacture and assembly may result.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to allow a pumping nozzle to
enable air pumping to be carried out with a one-hand operation.
A secondary object of the present invention is to provide a pumping
nozzle having two types ofjoint openings so as to allow the pumping nozzle
to carry out air pumping with one-hand operation and also allow for free
selection and use according to the type of valve stein to be inflated.
The disclosure of the present invention provides a direct-pressing
dual-opening automatic-switching pumping nozzle, which at least comprises:
a main body, which comprises a bore extending therethrough and an air
supply hole extending from a portion between two ends of the bore;
an annular first joint mouth, which comprises a first joint opening for
receiving a first valve stem to be inflated to insert therein;
an annular second joint mouth, which comprises a second joint opening
for receiving a second valve stem to be inflated to insert therein; and
a plug, which is movable in the bore in a limited manner in an axil
direction between first and second positions, the plug comprising a plurality
of
first and second pawls, the first pawls being arranged in a spaced manner to
show an annular form to define a first contraction hole that is coaxial with
the
bore and is contractible in a radial direction, the first contraction hole
receiving
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the first joint mouth to coaxially insert therein and couple thereto, the
second
pawls being arranged in a spaced manner to show an annular form to define a
second contraction hole that is coaxial with the bore and is contractible in a
radial direction, the second contraction hole receiving the second joint mouth
to coaxially insert therein and couple thereto, wherein the first valve stem
to be
inflated, when being inserted into the first joint mouth, simultaneously
drives
the plug to move to the first position, making the bore release the second
pawls and compress the first pawls to cause the first contraction hole to
automatically and tightly clamp the first joint mouth in the radial direction
with the air supply hole in communication with the first joint opening so that
filling air into the first valve stem to be inflated can be performed; and the
second valve stem to be inflated, when being inserted into the second joint
mouth, simultaneously drives the plug to move to the second position, making
the bore release the first pawls and compress the second pawls to cause the
second contraction hole to automatically and tightly clamp the second joint
mouth in the radial direction with the air supply hole in communication with
the second joint opening so that filling air into the second valve stem to be
inflated can be perfoinied.
The present invention also provides a single-opening pumping nozzle,
which comprises:
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a main body, which comprises a bore extending therethrough and an air
supply hole extending from a portion between two ends of the bore;
an annular first joint mouth, which comprises a first joint opening for
receiving a valve stem to be inflated to insert therein and couple therewith,
the
5 first joint mouth being received in a plug;
a plug, which is received in the main body and is reciprocally movable in
the bore of the main body in a limited manner in an axil direction between
first
and second positions, the plug having an end that foi rns a plurality of
pawls
and an opposite end that forms a closed press-down section, the plug having
an interior in which a flow channel is formed and in communication with an
outer circumferential surface, the pawls being arranged to alternate with
contraction slots to show an annular form to define a contraction hole that is
coaxial with the bore and is contractible in a radial direction, wherein each
of
the pawls has an outer surface that foin IS a radially expanded arc
section, the
contraction hole receiving the first joint mouth to coaxially insert therein
and
couple thereto, wherein the first valve stem to be inflated, when inserted
into
the first joint mouth, simultaneously drives the plug to move to the first
position, making the press-down section project outside the bore and also
making the bore compress the pawls, whereby under the guidance of the arc
sections of the pawls, the contraction hole automatically and tightly clamp
the
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first joint mouth in the radial direction and the air supply hole is
simultaneously communicating with a flow channel from the interior of the
plug to an outer circumferential surface thereof and the first joint opening
so
that filling air into the valve stem to be inflated can be performed.
Thus, the present invention posses at least the following advantages:
(1) In pumping air, the present invention allows for easy operation
through one hand operating the main body. Such a single hand operation
mode is far easier than the conventional way of operating with two hands and
thus achieve improvement of operation perfomiance for time and effort
saving.
(2) The pawls of the present invention are arranged to directly compress
the diameter of the joint mouth to deform in the radial direction so as to
forcibly clamp and fix the valve stem to be inflated. Such a structural
relationship minimizes air leak during an air pumping operation.
(3) The present invention is achieved with only four components,
including a main body, a first joint mouth, a second joint mouth, and a plug,
and the overall structure is far simpler than the known devices.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction
to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the
present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become
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apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of
the
invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference
numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become
manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed
description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred
structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is
shown by way of illustrative example.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic views showing a combination where a first
valve stem to be inflated is inserted.
FIG 3 is a cross-sectional view of the combination of FIG 2.
FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a combination where a second
valve stern to be inflated is inserted.
FIG 5 is an exploded view showing a second embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG 6 is a perspective view of FIG 5 in an assembled form.
FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic views illustrating the condition of a use of
the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic views illustrating the condition of another
use of the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG 11 is an exploded view showing a third embodiment of the present
invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not
intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention
in
any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration
for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various
changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and
arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the instant embodiment provides a
direct-pressing dual-opening automatic-switching pumping nozzle, which at
least comprises:
a main body 10, which comprises a bore 11 extending through top and
bottom ends thereof and an air supply hole 12 extending from a portion
between the two ends of the bore 11 so that the air supply hole 12 supplies an
air pressure source to the bore 11, the bore 11 comprising a first lodging
section 13 formed by recessing a lower end portion of a wall thereof the bore
11 further comprising a second lodging section 14 formed by recessing an
upper end portion of the wall thereof;
an annular first joint mouth 20, which comprises a first joint opening 21
for receiving a first valve stem to be inflated 91 to insert therein;
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an annular second joint mouth 30, which comprises a second joint
opening 31 for receiving a second valve stem to be inflated 92 to insert
therein;
and
a plug 40, which is fit in the bore 11 in a coaxial and slidable manner and
5 has a length greater than the bore 11 so that opposite top and bottom
ends of
the plug 40 extending outside the bore 11, the plug 40 having a portion
located
within a range corresponding to the bore 11 comprising, through recessing, a
first channel 411 and a second channel 412 that are not in communication with
each other with the second channel 412 being located above the first channel
10 411, the plug 40 having an outer circumference that is provided with a
first
seal gasket ring 421 mounted thereto at a location below the first channel
411,
a second seal gasket ring 422 mounted thereto at a location above the second
channel 412, and a third seal gasket ring 423 mounted thereto at a location
between the first channel 411 and the second channel 412 in such a way that
the first seal gasket ring 421, the second seal gasket ring 422, and the third
seal
gasket ring 423 are in air-tight engagement with the bore 11 so as to provide
air-tight sealing of the first channel 411 and the second channel 412, the
plug
40 having an outer circumference, which is provided with a first buckling
section 431 engageable with the first lodging section 13 and a second buckling
section 432 engageable with the second lodging section 14, so that when the
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plug 40 is moved in an axial direction of the bore 11 to a first position, the
first
buckling section 431 mates the first lodging section 13 and the second
buckling section 432 is detached from the second lodging section 14 and the
first channel 411 is set in communication with the air supply hole 12 and the
top end of the plug 40 is set to project further outside the bore 11 to allow
a
user to forcibly press down to release the mating engagement of the first
buckling section 431 with the first lodging section 13; and when the plug 40
is
moved in the axial direction of the bore 11 to a second position, the second
buckling section 432 gets into mating engagement with the second lodging
section 14 and the first buckling section 431 is separate from the first
lodging
section 13 with the second channel 412 in communication with the air supply
hole 12 and the bottom end of the plug 40 projecting further outside the bore
11 to allow the user to forcibly press upward to release the mating engagement
of the second buckling section 432 with the second lodging section 14,
whereby the plug 40 is allowed to make limited movement between the first
and second positions, the plug 40 being provided, at the bottom end thereof,
with a plurality of first pawls 44 extending in an axial direction thereof and
being also provided, at the top end thereof, with a plurality of the second
pawls
45 extending in the axial direction, wherein the first pawls 44 are arranged
to
alternate with first contraction slots 46 to show an annular form so that
inner
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sides of the first pawls /PI collectively define a first contraction hole 47
that is
coaxial with the bore 11 and is contractible in a radial direction and,
oppositely,
outer sides of the first pawls 44 each fowl an arc section for being radially
pushed by the bore 11 with the first buckling section 431 being formed as
being raised on the arc section, the first contraction hole 47 being arranged
to
receive the first joint mouth 20 to coaxially insert therein and couple
thereto in
such a way that the first joint opening 21 is in communication with the first
channel 411; and wherein the second pawls 45 are arranged to alternate with
second contraction slots 48 to show an annular thim so that inner sides of the
second pawls 45 collectively define a second contraction hole 49 that is
coaxial with the bore 11 and is contractible in a radial direction and,
oppositely,
outer sides of the second pawls 45 each form an arc section for being radially
pushed by the bore 11 with the second buckling section 432 being foiined as
being raised on the conic section, the second contraction hole 49 being
arranged to receive the second joint mouth 30 to coaxially insert therein and
couple thereto in such a way that the second joint opening 31 is in
communication with the second channel 412.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a user, when using one hand to operate the
main body 10 to have a first valve stem to be inflated 91 insert into the
first
joint opening 21 of the first joint mouth 20, simultaneously drives the plug
40
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to move to the first position, where the first buckling section 431 is in
mating
engagement with the first lodging section 13 to thereby position the plug 40
in
the bore 11 and, under this condition, the bore 11 releases the outer
circumference of the second pawls 45 and forcibly compress the arc sections
formed in the outer circumference of the first pawls 44 to cause the first
contraction hole 47 to automatically and radially clamp an outer
circumference of the first joint mouth 20 so that the first joint opening 21
directly, radially, and securely clamps and fixes the first valve stem to be
inflated 91. Afterwards, air pressure source is introduced in through the air
supply hole 12 to fill air into the first valve stem to be inflated 91 for
inflation.
After the inflation is completed, the top end of the plug 40 is pressed down
to
force the first buckling section 431 to separate from the first lodging
section 13
to allow the bore 11 to release the arc sections 1-wined on the outer
circumference of the first pawls 44 to thereby release the clamped and fixed
condition between the first joint mouth 20 and the first valve stem to be
inflated 91.
Referring to FIG. 4, the user, when using one hand to operate the main
body 10 to have a second valve stem to be inflated 92 insert into the second
joint opening 31 of the second joint mouth 30, simultaneously drives the plug
40 to move to the second position, where the second buckling section 432 is in
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mating engagement with the second lodging section 14 to thereby position the
plug 40 in the bore 11 and, under this condition, the bore 11 releases the
outer
circumference of the first pawls 44 and forcibly compress the arc sections
formed in the outer circumference of the second pawls 45 to cause the second
pawls 45 to automatically and radially clamp an outer circumference of the
second joint mouth 30 so that the second joint opening 31 directly, radially,
and securely clamps and fixes the second valve stem to be inflated 92.
Afterwards, air pressure source is introduced in through the air supply hole
12
to fill air into the second valve stem to be inflated 92 for inflation. After
the
inflation is completed, the bottom end of the plug 40 is pressed upward to
force the second buckling section 432 to release the arc sections formed on
the
outer circumference of the second pawls 45 to thereby release the clamped
and fixed condition between the second joint mouth 30 and the second valve
stem to be inflated 92.
The present invention makes the overall structure more firm and stable
and provides an arrangement that the first pawls 44 are each provided, at a
bottom end thereof, with a first stop section 441 in such a way that an outer
edge of the first stop section ________________________________ is located
outside the bore 11 and defines a
diameter that is greater than that of the bore 11 with an inner edge of the
first
stop section 441 engaging a bottom end of the first joint mouth 20; and the
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second pawls 45 are each provided, at a top end thereof, with a second stop
section 451 in such a way that an outer edge of the second stop section 451 is
located outside the bore 11 and defines a diameter that is greater than that
of
the bore 11 with an inner edge of the second stop section 451 engaging a top
5 end of the second joint mouth 30 so that the plug 40 is prevented from
separating from the bore 11, the first joint mouth 20 is prevented from
separating from the first pawls 44, and the second joint mouth 30 is prevented
from separating from the second pawls 45, and the first stop sections d 11 and
the second stop sections 451 respectively clamp and hold the valve stems to be
10 inflated 91, 92 to prevent the valve stems to be inflated from detaching
during
the process of air filling.
From the above description, it is realized that the present invention
possesses at least the following advantages:
(1) The present invention allows for operation with one single hand to
15 operate and control the main body for receiving a valve stem to be
inflated to
insert therein and to conveniently and simultaneously push the plug to a
predetermined location with the bore driving the corresponding pawls and
joint mouth to automatically clamp and fix the valve stem to be inflated.
Such a single hand operation mode is far easier than the conventional way of
operating with two hands.
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(2) The present invention allows the joint mouth, through the coaxial
driving relationship between the bore and the pawls, to "directly and
sufficiently" deform in the radial direction to clamp and fix the valve stem
to
be inflated, so that the force that the joint mouth applies to clamp and fix
the
valve stem to be inflated is increased to help minimize air leak during the
process of pumping air and the pawls can hold and fix the valve stem to be
inflated to prevent the valve stem to be inflated from separating during the
process of pumping air.
Referring to FIGS. 5-8, a second embodiment of the present invention is
shown, which provides a single-opening pumping nozzle 50, which at least
comprises a main body 51, a plug 52, and a first joint mouth 55.
The main body 51 comprises a bore 511 formed to extend therethrough
and has an outer circumferential surface on which a tubular stem 515 is
formed in such a way that the tubular stern 515 is in communication with the
bore 511 through an air supply hole 514 connected therebetween. The main
body 515 has a top end in which a radially reduced annular rim 512 is foil
led
and a bottom end having an outer circumferential surface in which an external
thread 513 is formed to receive a retention ring 57 to screw therewith and fix
thereon. The retention ring 57 comprises a through hole 571 axially
extending therethrough. The through hole 571 has an inner circumferential
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surface in which an internal thread 572 is formed. The retention ring 57 has
a bottom end in which a radially reduced annular support rim 573 is fanned.
The plug 52 has a top end that is closed and has an outer circumferential
surface that forms a shoulder 522 at a location close to the top end with a
diameter-reduced press-down section 521 formed above the shoulder 522 and
a bottom end to which an annular pressing member 56 is coupled. The outer
circumferential surface of the plug comprises two circumferential groove 523,
526 formed therein and spaced from each other by a distance. The
circumferential grooves 523, 526 respectively receive and retain a first seal
ring 53 and z second seal ring 54 therein. A portion between the
circumferential grooves 523, 526 is recessed to form a channel 524. A
portion of the channel 524 is open to define an air passageway 525 that
extends in a radial direction into a hollow interior of the plug 52 that
extends
down to a bottom end to form a joint section 528 in such a way that the joint
section 528 is in the form of a flow channel extending to the bottom end and
in
communication with the air passageway 525 and has an outer circumferential
surface in which an external thread 527 is fanned for screwing to and
coupling with the annular pressing member 56. The annular pressing
member 56 comprises a contraction hole 561 axially extending therethrough.
The contraction hole 561 has an inner circumferential surface forming an
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internal thread 562 and a bottom end forming a plurality of pawls 563. The
pawls 563 are arranged to alternate with contraction slots 564 to show an
annular form so as to define a contraction hole 561 that is coaxial with the
bore 511 and is contractible in a radial direction. The pawls 563 are each
provided, at a bottom end thereof, with a radially extending barb 5631. The
pawls 563 each have an outer surface forming a radially expanded arc section
565, so that the pawls 563 is radially contractible as being acted upon by a
force and is allowed to automatically expand to resume the original
configuration when the force is removed.
The first joint mouth 55 comprises a first joint opening 551 formed to
axially extend therethrough. The first joint opening 551 has an inner
circumferential surface and comprises a radially and inwardly reduced annular
wedge rim 552. The first joint mouth 55 is coaxially received in the
contraction hole 561 and the first joint mouth 55 is collectively supported
and
retained by the barbs 5631 at the bottom end of the pawls 563.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in pumping air with the single-use pumping
nozzle 50 of the instant embodiment, the tubular stem 515 is first coupled to
an air pressure source (not shown). A first valve stem to be inflated 91, when
insert into and coupling with the first joint opening 551 of the first joint
mouth
55, conveniently and simultaneously drive the plug 52 to move upward,
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having the press-down section 521 projecting outside the bore 511 with the
annular shoulder 522 abutting the annular rim 512 (this being the first
position)
so as not to move upward further. During the upward movement, the arc
sections 565 of the pawls 563 are each pushed by the annular support rim 573
at the bottom end of the bore 511 so that under the guidance of the arc
sections
565 of the pawls 563, the contraction hole 561 automatically and tightly
clamps the first joint mouth 55 in the radial direction. The first joint mouth
55 is thus compressed and in turn tightly clamp and hold the first valve stem
to
be inflated 91, where the air supply hole 514 is set in communication with the
channel 524, the joint section 528, and the first joint opening 551 in order
to
fill air into the first valve stem to be inflated 91. The first valve stern to
be
inflated 91 can be an American valve.
Further referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a single-use pumping nozzle that is
applicable to the second valve stem to be inflated 92 is shown, where the
second valve stem to be inflated 92 is a French valve, and that is slightly
different in the configuration of which a joint section 528A of a plug 52A and
a second joint mouth 55A, while the remaining constituent components and
parts are identical to the pervious embodiment. The joint section 528A of the
plug 52A is formed with an expanded flow channel to receive the French
valve to insert therein. The second joint mouth 55A has an inner
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circumferential surface on which only an annular rim 552A is formed in order
to tightly engage and clamp a corresponding portion of the French valve.
The way of use and operation are similar to the previous embodiment so that
repeated description is omitted.
5 Referring to FIG 11, which shows another embodiment of the present
invention, rigid pawls 566 that are of the same number as the pawls 563 are
arranged outside the pawls 563. In using the embodiment, the pawls 563 are
compressed and pushed inward by the rigid pawls 566 to compress the
contraction hole 561 and the first joint mouth 55 thereby increasing the
10 clamping force applied to the first valve stem to be inflated 91 and the
second
valve stem to be inflated 92.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or
more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods
differing from the type described above.
15 The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred
embodiments set forth above, but should be given the broadest interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
