BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an air pump nozzle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled air pump nozzle in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a needle tube and a block assembly seat in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly of the needle tube and the block assembly seat shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional air pump nozzle; and
FIG. 7 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the conventional air pump nozzle in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an air pump nozzle in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 1, a cap 2, a block assembly seat 3, a needle tube 4, and a block member 5. Each of the aforementioned components includes a first end and a second end. The first ends are defined with the same orientation, while the second ends are defined with the orientation opposite to the first ends.
The housing 1 is not limited to any material for manufacturing, but metal is preferred for strength and hardness considerations. The first end of the housing 1 is provided with an inflation hole. An inner periphery of the inflation hole is provided with a first inner thread 11 for engaging with an outer thread of the inflation valve of an inflatable object, as shown in FIG. 3. The housing 1 is provided at the second end thereof with an inner space 10, which is in communication with the inflation hole. The diameter of the inner space is greater than that of the inflation hole. The inner space 10 is provided at the end of the inner periphery thereof with a second inner thread 12.
The cap 2 is provided at the first end with an outer thread 21 which is in pair with the second inner thread 12, and a through hole 20 at a center thereof which extends from the first end through the second end.
The block assembly seat 3 may be manufactured with any material with proper strength and hardness, such as plastic or metal. At the first end of the block assembly seat 3 is formed with a seat head 31 with a larger diameter than the second end. The seat head 31 is provided at the end thereof with a concave compartment of a proper depth. The outer diameter of the seat head 31 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the inner space 10 of the housing 1, so that the seat head 31 may be lodged in the inner space 10. On the other hand, the outer diameter of the second end of the block assembly seat 3 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 20 of the cap 2, so that the second end may be inserted through the through hole 20.
The block member 5 is manufactured with material of excellent airtight performance, such as rubber. An insertion hole 51 is formed at a center of the block member 5. A concave edge 52 with an enlarged diameter is formed at an inner periphery of the second end of the block member 5. The outer diameter of the block member 5 is virtually equivalent to the inner diameter of the compartment 310 of the block assembly seat 3.
The needle tube 4 is provided with an air outlet 42 extending from the first end through the second end. The needle tube 4 is provided at the second end thereof with a protruded edge 41 corresponding to the concave edge 52 of the block member 5. The outer diameter of the needle tube 4 is virtually equivalent to the inner diameter of the insertion hole 51 of the block member 5.
FIGS. 4 and 5 depict another embodiment of the needle tube 4 of the present invention, in which a protruded central rod 43 is formed at the first end, with a number of small air slots 44 positioned around a periphery thereof extending through the second end. A protruded edge 41 is formed at the periphery of the second end of the needle tube 4. The outer diameter of the needle tube 4 is virtually equivalent to the inner diameter of the insertion hole 51 of the block member 5, so that after the needle tube 4 is inserted through the insertion hole 51 of the block member 5, the protruded edge 41 may rest against an end portion of the block member 5.
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 for the assembly of the present invention. Firstly, the needle tube 4 is inserted through the insertion hole 51 from the second end of the block member 5 and is retained in position by fitting the protruded edge 41 into the concave edge 52. Then the block member 5 is lodged in the compartment 310 of the block assembly seat 3. The seat head 31 of the block assembly seat 3 is in turn lodged in the inner space 10 of the housing 1, while the second end of the block assembly seat 3 is inserted through the through hole 20 of the cap 2. Lastly, the outer thread 21 of the cap 2 is engaged with the second inner thread 12 of the housing 1, which completes the assembly thereof.
With reference to FIG. 3, the sidewall of the seat head 31 of the block assembly seat 3 isolates the block member 5 from the inner periphery of the housing 1. The seat head 31 is fitted loosely with the inner periphery of the housing 1, so is the second end of the block assembly seat 3 fitted with the through hole 20 of the cap 2. Accordingly, with the block assembly seat 3 remaining static, the housing 1 and the cap 2 are capable of rotating freely in correspondence to the block assembly seat 3, which allows the first inner thread 11 of the housing 1 to be engaged with the outer thread of the inflation valve 6.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070272301
