Co-axial pressure relief device for air inflator

Abstract

A pressure relief device for an air inflator includes a pipe connector, a seal member, a check valve mounting ring, a check valve, an air cell connector, and a pressure relief control ring. Thus, the pressure relief control ring is tightened to perform the air inflating action and loosened to perform the pressure relief action, so that the air inflating action and the pressure relief action are performed along the same axis, and the pressure relief device has a co-axial operation function, thereby facilitating the user inflating and deflating the inflatable body. In addition, the air inlet hole is not mounted in the air cell to facilitate the user compressing the air cell.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air inflator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a pressure relief device for the air inflator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially plan cross-sectional view of the air inflator as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the pressure relief device for an air inflator as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic operational view of the pressure relief device for an air inflator as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional air inflator in accordance with the prior art.

FIG. 7 is a partially plan cross-sectional view of the conventional air inflator as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another conventional air inflator in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, an air inflator in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a pressure relief device 1, an air cell 31 connected to a first side of the pressure relief device 1, a guide pipe 32 having a first end connected to a second side of the pressure relief device 1, and an inflatable body 33 connected to a second end of the guide pipe 32.

The pressure relief device 1 includes a pipe connector 21 having a first end inserted into and connected to the guide pipe 32, a seal member 23 mounted on a second end of the pipe connector 21, a check valve mounting ring 24 mounted on the second end of the pipe connector 21 and rested on the seal member 23, a check valve 25 mounted in the check valve mounting ring 24, an air cell connector 26 having a first end mounted on the check valve mounting ring 24 and formed with at least one air inlet hole 27 for mounting a movable stop ball 28 and a second end inserted into the air cell 31, and a pressure relief control ring 22 rotatably mounted on the second end of the pipe connector 21 and screwed onto the first end of the air cell connector 26.

The pressure relief control ring 22 has an open end portion formed with an inwardly extending annular limit flange 220 to limit the second end of the pipe connector 21. The seal member 23 is made of an elastomeric material. The first end of the air cell connector 26 has an inner wall formed with an inner thread 262 and an outer wall formed with an outer thread 264. The air cell connector 26 has a mediate portion formed with an annular neck portion 266 having a reduced diameter for mounting the air cell 31. The air cell connector 26 is connected to the check valve 25, and the check valve 25 is connected to the pipe connector 21. The check valve mounting ring 24 has an outer wall formed with an outer thread 242 screwed into the inner thread 262 of the air cell connector 26. The pressure relief control ring 22 has an inner wall formed with an inner thread 224 (see FIG. 3) screwed onto the outer thread 264 of the air cell connector 26.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, when the pressure relief control ring 22 is tightly screwed onto the air cell connector 26 as shown in FIG. 3, the check valve mounting ring 24 is rested on the seal member 23 closely to form a sealed state between the check valve mounting ring 24 and the pipe connector 21. Thus, when the air cell 31 is compressed, the air contained in the air cell 31 is drained outwardly from the air cell 31 to flow through the air cell connector 26, the check valve 25, the pipe connector 21 and the guide pipe 32 into the inflatable body 33 as shown in FIG. 1 so as to inflate the inflatable body 33. At this time, the stop ball 28 is pressed by the air flowing through the air cell connector 26, so that the stop ball 28 is rested on the air inlet hole 27 of the air cell connector 26 to prevent the air from leaking outwardly from the air inlet hole 27 of the air cell connector 26.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the air contained in the air cell 31 is exhausted, the stop ball 28 is pressed by the ambient air and sucked by the suction force produced in the inside of the air cell 31, so that the stop ball 28 is detached from the air inlet hole 27 of the air cell connector 26 to allow the ambient air flowing through the air inlet hole 27 of the air cell connector 26 into the air cell 31 so as to fill the air into the air cell 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, when the pressure relief control ring 22 is unscrewed from the air cell connector 26 as shown in FIG. 5, the check valve mounting ring 24 is detached from the seal member 23 to separate the check valve mounting ring 24 from the pipe connector 21, so that the air contained in the inflatable body 33 flows through the pipe connector 21 and is drained outwardly from a gap between the check valve mounting ring 24 and the pipe connector 21 as shown in FIG. 5 so as to release the pressure in the inflatable body 33.

Accordingly, the pressure relief control ring 22 is tightened to perform the air inflating action and loosened to perform the pressure relief action, so that the air inflating action and the pressure relief action are performed along the same axis, and the pressure relief device has a co-axial operation function, thereby facilitating the user inflating and deflating (or releasing) the inflatable body 33. In addition, when the pressure relief control ring 22 is screwed onto the air cell connector 26, the check valve mounting ring 24 and the pipe connector 21 are sealed closely by the seal member 23 to prevent the air from leaking outwardly during the inflating process. Further, the air inlet hole 27 is mounted in the air cell connector 26, so that the air cell 31 is not provided with the air inlet hole 27 to facilitate the user compressing the air cell 31.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A co-axial pressure relief device for an air inflator, the co-axial pressure relief device at least comprising a pressure relief controller, a pipe connector, a seal member, a check valve mounting ring, a check valve, an air inlet hole, a stop ball and an air cell connector, wherein the pressure relief control ring is jammed with the pipe connector, a rear end of the pipe connector passes through the seal member, and a check valve is mounted into the check valve mounting ring and screwed to the air cell connector, a front section of the air cell connector is formed with an air inlet hole, in which the stop ball is disposed, the pressure relief device is formed by threads of an inner side of the pressure relief control ring and the front section of the air cell connector, which are rotated relative to and fit with each other, and the characteristic lies in that: controlling and rotating in the pressure relief control ring enables the check valve mounting ring and the pipe connector to combine together tightly to inflate the air inflator, and controlling and rotating out the pressure relief control ring enables gas in the air inflator to be deflated out of a gap between the check valve mounting ring and the pipe connector, such that a co-axial inflating and pressure relief mechanism is formed.

2. The pressure relief device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first end of the air cell connector has an outer wall formed with an outer thread, and the pressure relief control ring has an inner wall formed with an inner thread screwed onto the outer thread of the air cell connector.

3. The pressure relief device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pipe connector is connected to a guide pipe which is connected to the inflatable body.

4. The pressure relief device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air cell connector has a second end connected to an air cell.

5. The pressure relief device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air cell connector is co-axial with the pressure relief control ring, and the air inlet hole is located at a determined position of the air cell connector.