INFLATOR

Abstract

INFLATOR The invention relates to an inflator comprising a tubular housing (10), an adapter (20), a cover (30), and an inflation mechanism (40). The tubular housing (10) is made of plastic and has a first end and a second end opposite each other. The adapter (20) is made of metal and is located on the first end of the tubular housing (10). The cover (30) is made of plastic and welded to the first end of the tubular housing (10) to limit the position of the adapter (20). The inflation mechanism (40) is located in the internal space (11) and is designed to pump air. The cover (30) and the tubular housing (10), welded together, are made of the same material, which prevents air leakage due to rupture and stabilizes the quality of the inflator. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: INFLATOR

[0001] The present invention relates to an inflation device, and more particularly an inflator.

[0002] An inflator is a common device for pumping air into a space to be inflated by human force and is configured for inflating tires or various types of balloons. With reference to Figures 8 and 9, a conventional inflator 90 comprises a tubular housing 91 and an adapter 92. The tubular housing 91 forms a space within it through which air can flow, and the adapter 92 is disposed on one end of the tubular housing 91 and configured so that an inflation needle or a flexible hose can be connected to it for inflation.

[0003] In the conventional inflator 90, the tubular casing 91 is made of plastic and the adapter 92 is made of metal and is attached to the tubular casing 91 by welding. However, since the welded adapter 92 and tubular casing 91 are made of different materials, the point where the adapter 92 and tubular casing 91 are joined has lower structural strength and is fragile, which can lead to air leaks or other problems. The quality of the conventional inflator 90 is therefore inconsistent.

[0004] The main objective of the present invention is to provide an inflator that improves its structural strength, prevents rupture and stabilizes its quality.

[0005] The present invention therefore relates to an inflator comprising a tubular housing, an adapter, a cover, and an inflation mechanism. The tubular housing is made of plastic, has a first end and a second end opposite each other, and is hollow to form an internal space. The adapter is made of metal and is positioned on the tubular housing. The cover is made of plastic and welded to the tubular housing to secure the adapter at the first end of the tubular housing. The inflation mechanism is located within the internal space and is designed to pump air so that it flows from the internal space to the outside of the tubular housing through the adapter.

[0006] Advantageously, the adapter comprises a first cylindrical rod portion and a second cylindrical rod portion connected to each other; the first cylindrical rod portion has an outside diameter greater than an outside diameter of the second cylindrical rod portion; the cover has an opening having a diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the first cylindrical rod portion and larger than the outside diameter of the second cylindrical rod portion; the second cylindrical rod portion is inserted into the opening of the cover; and the first cylindrical rod portion is limited in the tubular housing by the cover.

[0007] Advantageously, the tubular housing comprises a tubular housing opening and an annular wall surrounding the tubular housing opening on the first end of the tubular housing; the first cylindrical rod portion of the adapter is disposed in the tubular housing and surrounded by the annular wall; and the second cylindrical rod portion of the adapter protrudes from the tubular housing opening to be inserted into the opening of the cover.

[0008] Advantageously, the cover is fitted onto the annular wall and welded to the annular wall.

[0009] Advantageously, the tubular housing has a groove formed on the first end of the tubular housing; the groove has an internal volume which communicates with the internal space of the tubular housing; the first cylindrical rod part of the adapter is disposed in the tubular housing; the second cylindrical rod part of the adapter is disposed in the groove; and the cover is connected in the groove, surrounds the second cylindrical rod part of the adapter and limits the first cylindrical rod part of the adapter in the tubular housing.

[0010] Advantageously, the inflation mechanism comprises an inner tube fixed in the tubular housing; an outer tube surrounding the inner tube; and a piston connected to the outer tube and dividing the inner space of the tubular housing into a first chamber and a second chamber; and the outer tube and the piston are configured to move back and forth in the tubular housing in order to pump air so that it flows from one of the first chambers and the second chamber into the outer tube, into the inner tube and to the adapter, successively.

[0011] Advantageously, the piston is hollow and has an internal volume which communicates with an internal volume of the outer tube; the inflator has two intervals formed between the piston and an inner wall of the tubular housing; each of the first chamber and the second chamber communicates with the internal volume of the piston through a respective interval among the two intervals; and the inflation mechanism includes at least one O-ring surrounding the piston, abutting against the inner wall of the tubular housing, and which is capable of being driven by the piston to hermetically seal one of the two intervals.

[0012] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be better understood from reading the detailed description that follows, in association with the accompanying drawings.

[0013] In the drawings:

[0014] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of an inflator according to the present invention;

[0015] [Fig.2] is a side view in section of the inflator of [Fig.1];

[0016] [Fig.3] is an enlarged operational cross-sectional side view of a connection of a cover with a tubular housing of the inflator of [Fig.1];

[0017] [Fig.4] is an operational cross-sectional side view of an inflation of the inflator of [Fig.1];

[0018] [Fig.5] is another operational cross-sectional side view of an inflation of the inflator of [Fig.1];

[0019] [Fig.6] is an enlarged operational cross-sectional side view of a connection of the cover with the tubular housing of a second preferred embodiment of the inflator according to the present invention;

[0020] [Fig.7] is an enlarged side view of the inflator of the [Fig.6] in partial section;

[0021] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of a conventional inflator according to the previous state of the technical; and

[0022] [Fig.9] is a partial and enlarged cross-sectional lateral view of the conventional inflator of [Fig.8],

[0023] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a first preferred embodiment of an inflator according to the present invention comprises a tubular housing 10, an adapter 20, a cover 30, and an inflation mechanism 40. The adapter 20 is disposed within the tubular housing 10, and the cover 30 is connected to the tubular housing 10 to limit the position of the adapter 20. The inflation mechanism 40 is disposed within the tubular housing 10.

[0024] The tubular housing 10 is made of plastic. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the tubular housing 10 has a first end and a second end opposite each other, the first end and the second end being further defined as the output end and the control end, respectively. The tubular housing 10 is hollow and forms an internal space 11. The adapter 20 is made of metal and can be any other type of adapter depending on the object to which it is connected, which is not limited to the first preferred embodiment. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the adapter 20 is disposed on the output end of the tubular housing 10, and the adapter 20 has a through hole 200 defined axially through it.In the first preferred embodiment, the through hole 200 is a threaded hole into which a valve body on a tire or an inflation needle can be screwed for inflation, thus ensuring the effectiveness of the airtight seal during inflation.

[0025] The cover 30 is made of plastic and, preferably, the cover 30 and the tubular housing 10 can be made of the same material. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the cover 30 is connected to the outlet end of the tubular housing 10 to secure the adapter 20 to the outlet end of the tubular housing 10. Thus, the adapter 20 is prevented from moving away from the tubular housing 10. More specifically, The cover 30 and the tubular housing 10 are welded together. The assembly of the tubular housing 10, the adapter 20, and the cover 30 is described in more detail in the inflator production process.

[0026] With reference to [Fig. 2], the inflation mechanism 40 is disposed within the internal space 11 of the tubular housing 10, with a portion of the inflation mechanism 40 protruding from the control end of the tubular housing 10 so that it can be operated by a user. The user can change the pressure in the internal space 11 of the tubular housing 10 by operating the inflation mechanism 40 to pump air so that it flows from the internal space 11, through the adapter 20 and an inflation component such as a valve body or an inflation needle connected thereto, and into an object to be inflated such as a tire or a balloon.

[0027] The production processes of the inflator are briefly described below: by forming and processing a raw material, the tubular housing 10, the adapter 20, the cover 30, the inflation mechanism 40, and their components are respectively manufactured and must subsequently be assembled to obtain the inflator. During assembly, the inflation mechanism 40 and corresponding components can first be placed in the internal space 11 from the control end of the tubular housing 10, and the adapter 20 and the cover 30 are then successively placed on the outlet end of the tubular housing 10.

[0028] With reference to [Fig. 3], the adapter 20 is first placed on the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, and the cover 30 is placed in contact with the tubular housing 10 and positioned on one outer side of the adapter 20. The assembly is then completed for subsequent processes. In the first preferred embodiment, the adapter 20 is located between the cover 30 and a spacer element of the inflation mechanism 40 to limit its position.

[0029] Furthermore, with reference to [Fig. 3], in the first preferred embodiment, the tubular housing 10 has an inner edge 14 projecting from an inner wall of the tubular housing 10 and disposed near the outlet end of the tubular housing 10. If the adapter 20 and the cover 30 are placed at the outlet end of the tubular housing 10 before the inflation mechanism 40 is positioned, the adapter 20 can be located between the cover 30 and the inner edge 14 to further constrain its position. In other embodiments, the inflator can incorporate either the spacing element of the inflation mechanism 40 and the inner edge 14 or other structures inside the tubular housing 10 to jointly constrain the position of the adapter 20 with the cover 30.

[0030] After the above setup, a welding process is carried out to connect the cover 30 for position limitation with the outlet end of the tubular housing 10 by welding such that the cover 30 and the tubular housing The 10 parts are welded together as a single unit, as shown on the right side of [Fig. 3]. The inflator assembly can thus be completed. More specifically, the cover 30 and the tubular housing 10 can be joined by ultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding is efficient and inexpensive, and allows for high-quality products with high strength, a smooth finish, and precise airtightness. In other embodiments, the cover 30 and the tubular housing 10 can be joined by another plastic welding process.

[0031] Compared to the conventional inflator 90, which directly welds the metal adapter 92 to the plastic tubular housing 91, the present invention uses a plastic cover 30 welded to the plastic tubular housing 10 in such a way as to limit the adapter 20 to one end of the tubular housing 10. This prevents the welded parts of the cover 30 and the tubular housing 10 from experiencing structural weakness and air leakage due to fragility caused by welding two different materials together. Thus, the present invention provides an inflator with sufficient structural strength, reduced potential for air leakage, and stable product quality.

[0032] Furthermore, with reference to [Fig. 3], in the first preferred embodiment, the adapter 20 comprises a first cylindrical rod portion 21 and a second cylindrical rod portion 22. The first cylindrical rod portion 21 and the second cylindrical rod portion 22 are arranged along an axial direction of the adapter 20 and connected to each other. The first cylindrical rod portion 21 and the second cylindrical rod portion 22 are annular and surround the through hole 200. The first cylindrical rod portion 21 has a larger outside diameter than the second cylindrical rod portion 22, such that the adapter 20 forms a stepped structure 23 on its periphery.

[0033] The cover 30 has an opening 31 having a diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the first cylindrical rod part 21 and larger than the outside diameter of the second cylindrical rod part 22. The cover 30 is arranged on the stepped structure 23 such that the second cylindrical rod part 22 is inserted into the opening 31 of the cover 30 and the first cylindrical rod part 21 is limited in the tubular housing 10 by the cover 30.

[0034] The first cylindrical rod portion 21 and the second cylindrical rod portion 22 having different outside diameters, and the cover 30 having the opening 31 for the insertion of the second cylindrical rod portion 22 inside it, when the inflation component such as an inflation needle is connected to the adapter 20, the inflation component can be connected to the adapter 20 through The opening 31 is unobstructed. Thus, the design of the lid 30 does not cause any inflation difficulties.

[0035] Furthermore, with reference to [Fig. 3], the tubular housing 10 forms a tubular housing opening 12 and an annular wall 13 surrounding the tubular housing opening 12 on the outlet end of the tubular housing 10. The first cylindrical rod portion 21 is disposed in the tubular housing 10 and surrounded by the annular wall 13; that is, a diameter of the tubular housing opening 12 is larger than the outside diameter of the first cylindrical rod portion 21. The second cylindrical rod portion 22 protrudes from the tubular housing opening 12 to be inserted into the opening 31 of the cover 30, as described above.

[0036] With reference to the left side of [Fig.3], during the assembly of the inflator, the adapter 20 can first be placed in the tubular housing 10 from the opening of the tubular housing 12, such that the first part of the cylindrical rod 21 is surrounded by the annular wall 13 to be placed stably on the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, then the cover 30 is connected to the tubular housing 10 to limit the first part of the cylindrical rod 21 on the outlet end of the tubular housing 10. The assembly operation is simple and convenient, and production efficiency can thus be improved.

[0037] Preferably, with reference to the middle and right side of [Fig. 3], the cover 30 is fitted onto the annular wall 13 of the tubular housing 10 and welded to the annular wall 13. Compared to a small cover connected only to one edge of the opening of the tubular housing 12, the cover 30 in the first preferred embodiment has an elongated design to cover and be welded to the annular wall 13, which increases the stability and strength of the welded structure and allows the adapter 20 to be more stably secured to the outlet end of the tubular housing 10. Furthermore, the annular wall 13 of the tubular housing 10 may have a thinner design.

[0038] Furthermore, with reference to Figures 2, 4, and 5, the inflator adopts a double-action air pump structure for inflating objects when operated in two opposite directions. The inflation mechanism 40 comprises an actuating component 41 and an inner tube 42. The actuating component 41 includes a handle 411, an outer tube 412, and a piston 413. The handle 411 protrudes from the control end of the tubular housing 10 for operation by a user. The outer tube 412 is connected to the handle 411 and is located on one side of the tubular housing 10. The piston 413 is connected to one end of the outer tube 412 opposite the handle 411.

[0039] With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the piston 413 divides the internal space 11 into a first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112. The first chamber 111 is defined between the piston 413 and the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, and the second chamber 112 is defined between the piston 413 and the control end of the tubular housing 10. The inner tube 42 is fixed inside the tubular housing 10 and near the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, extending towards the control end of the tubular housing 10 to be surrounded by the outer tube 412. The spacer element for positioning the adapter 20 is disposed on one end of the inner tube 42.

[0040] Furthermore, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, the actuating component 41 of the inflation mechanism 40 includes two O-rings 416. The piston 413 is hollow and has an internal volume that communicates with an internal volume of the outer tube 412. The inflator has two gaps formed between the piston 413 and an inner wall of the tubular housing 10. Each of the first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112 communicates with the internal volume of the piston 413 through one of the two respective gaps. The two O-rings 416 surround the piston 413 and abut against the inner wall of the tubular housing 10.

[0041] More specifically, the two O-rings 416 are arranged in an annular groove 414 on the piston 413. An inner volume of the annular groove 414 communicates with the inner volume of the outer tube 412 via two internal openings 415 spaced apart. When the outer tube 412 and the piston 413 move, the two O-rings 416 are configured to hermetically seal one of the two gaps to ensure inflation efficiency in both opposite directions of operation. In other embodiments, the inflation mechanism 40 may include non-return valves between the first chamber 111 / second chamber 112 and the inner volume of the piston 413.

[0042] More specifically, with reference to [Fig. 4], when the outer tube 412 and the piston 413 move towards the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, given that the two O-rings 416 are abutting against the inner wall of the tubular housing 10, the two O-rings 416 are first abutting against a lateral wall of the annular groove 414 and are then driven by the piston 413 such that the gap between the second chamber 112 and the inner volume of the piston 413 is hermetically sealed by the two O-rings 416. At that moment, as a volume of the first chamber 111 decreases, the air inside the first chamber 111 is caused to flow through the corresponding gap, to enter sequentially the inside of the piston 413, the outer tube 412 and the inner tube 42, and then to flow to adapter 20 under the effect of pressure.

[0043] With reference to [Fig. 5], when the outer tube 412 and the piston 413 move towards the control end of the tubular housing 10, the two O-rings 416 also come into contact with the side wall of the annular groove 414 and are then driven by the piston 413. Thus, the gap between the first chamber 111 and the inner volume of the piston 413 is hermetically sealed by the two O-rings 416. At that moment, as a volume of the second chamber 112 decreases, the air inside the second chamber 112 is forced by pressure to flow through the corresponding gap, enters sequentially into the piston 413, the outer tube 412 and the inner tube 42, and then flows to the adapter 20.

[0044] Furthermore, with reference to Figures 2, 4 and 5, the tubular housing 10 has multiple first inlets 101 and multiple second inlets 102. The multiple first inlets 101 communicate with the first chamber 111 and the outside of the tubular housing 10, and the multiple second inlets 102 communicate with the second chamber 112 and the outside of the tubular housing 10. The inflation mechanism 40 has a first cover sheet 43 and a second cover sheet 44 arranged respectively near the multiple first inlets 101 and the multiple second inlets 102.

[0045] When the outer tube 412 and the piston 413 move towards the outlet end of the tubular housing 10, the volume of the first chamber 111 decreases such that the air inside the first chamber 111 pushes the first cover sheet 43 to cover the multiple first inlets 101, and the air outside the tubular housing 10 pushes back the second cover sheet 44 and enters the second chamber 112 from the multiple second inlets 102.

[0046] When the outer tube 412 and the piston 413 move towards the control end of the tubular housing 10, the volume of the second chamber 112 decreases such that the air inside the second chamber 112 pushes the second cover sheet 44 to cover the multiple second inlets 102, and the air outside the tubular housing 10 pushes back the first cover sheet 43 and enters the first chamber 111 from the multiple first inlets 101. Thus, the inflator can operate as a double-action air pump and maintain pressure balance at the same time.

[0047] Furthermore, with reference to Figures 4 and 5, in the preferred embodiment, the actuating component 41 comprises a sealing ring and a piston leaf 417. With reference to [Fig. 4], the sealing ring is an O-ring. The sealing ring is clamped onto the inner tube 42 and has a periphery abutting an inner wall of the piston 413 in order to prevent air from flowing through a gap between the inner tube 42 and the piston 413 and from flowing into the piston 413. The piston leaf 417 is connected to the piston 413 and limits the sealing ring sealing inside the piston 413. Thus, air can only flow through said intervals between the piston 413 and the inner wall of the tubular housing 10.

[0048] With reference to Figures 6 and 7, a second preferred embodiment of the inflator according to the present invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that: the outlet end of the tubular housing 10 has a concave design and includes a recess. The adapter 20 and the cover 30 are arranged inside the recess. More specifically, the tubular housing 10 has a groove 15 formed on the outlet end and inside the recess. An internal volume of the groove 15 communicates with the recess and the internal space 11 of the tubular housing 10.

[0049] During assembly, the adapter 20 is first placed in the tubular housing 10 through the recess such that the first cylindrical rod portion 21 is positioned within the tubular housing 10 and the second cylindrical rod portion 22 is positioned inside the groove 15. Next, the cover 30 is welded to the tubular housing 10 inside the groove to enclose one periphery of the second cylindrical rod portion 22 and to confine the first cylindrical rod portion 21 within the tubular housing 10. The adapter 20 can be confined between the cover 30 and the inflation mechanism 40, as in the first preferred embodiment. Thus, the second preferred embodiment of the inflator according to the present invention also provides effective positioning.

[0050] Although many features and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the preceding description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is for illustrative purposes only. Modifications may be made to the details, particularly with respect to the shape, size, and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Inflator, characterized in that it comprises: a tubular casing (10) made of plastic, having a first end and a second end opposite each other, and which is hollow to form an internal space (11); an adapter (20) made of metal and disposed on the tubular casing (10); a cover (30) made of plastic and welded to the tubular casing (10) to limit the adapter (20) on the first end of the tubular casing (10); and an inflation mechanism (40) disposed in the internal space (11) and designed to pump air so that it flows from the internal space (11) to the outside of the tubular casing (10) through the adapter (20).

2. Inflator according to claim 1, characterized in that: the adapter (20) comprises a first cylindrical rod portion (21) and a second cylindrical rod portion (22) connected to each other; the first cylindrical rod portion (21) has an outside diameter greater than an outside diameter of the second cylindrical rod portion (22); the cover (30) comprises an opening (31) having a diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the first cylindrical rod portion (21) and larger than the outside diameter of the second cylindrical rod portion (22); the second cylindrical rod portion (22) is inserted into the opening (31) of the cover (30); and the first cylindrical rod portion (21) is limited in the tubular housing (10) by the cover (30).

3. Inflator according to claim 2, characterized in that: the tubular housing (10) has a tubular housing opening (12) and an annular wall (13) surrounding the tubular housing opening (12) on the first end of the tubular housing (10); the first cylindrical rod portion (21) of the adapter (20) is disposed in the tubular housing (10) and surrounded by the annular wall (13); and the second part of the cylindrical rod (22) of the adapter (20) protrudes from the opening of the tubular housing (12) to be inserted into the opening (31) of the cover (30).

4. Inflator according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover (30) is fitted onto the annular wall (13) and welded to the annular wall (13).

5. Inflator according to claim 2, characterized in that: the tubular housing (10) has a groove formed on the first end of the tubular housing (10); the groove (15) has an internal volume which communicates with the internal space (11) of the tubular housing (10); the first cylindrical rod portion (21) of the adapter (20) is disposed in the tubular housing (10); the second cylindrical rod portion (22) of the adapter (20) is disposed in the groove (15); and the cover (30) is connected in the groove (15), surrounds the second cylindrical rod portion (22) of the adapter (20) and limits the first cylindrical rod portion (21) of the adapter (20) in the tubular housing (10).

6. Inflator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: the inflation mechanism (40) comprises - an inner tube (42) fixed in the tubular housing (10); - an outer tube (412) surrounding the inner tube (42); and - a piston (413) connected to the outer tube (412) and dividing the inner space (11) of the tubular housing (10) into a first chamber (111) and a second chamber (112); and the outer tube (412) and the piston (413) are configured to move back and forth in the tubular housing (10) in order to pump air so that it flows from one of the first chamber (111) and the second chamber (112) into the outer tube (412), into the inner tube (42) and to the adapter (20), successively.

7. Inflator according to claim 6, characterized in that: the piston (413) is hollow and has an internal volume which communicates with an internal volume of the outer tube (412); the inflator has two gaps formed between the piston (413) and an inner wall of the tubular housing (10); each of the first chamber (111) and of the second chamber (112) communicates with the internal volume of the piston (413) through a respective interval among the two intervals; and the inflation mechanism (40) includes at least one O-ring (416) surrounding the piston (413), abutting against the inner wall of the tubular housing (10), and which is capable of being driven by the piston (413) to hermetically seal one of the two intervals.

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