Patent Application
20130270469
The present disclosure relates generally to compressible pressure braces that perform their function by exerting outward pressure to push two surfaces apart. The device may be used to maintain a gas pump handle in the squeezed, gas-flowing position by pressing outward in the space between the handle itself and the protective handle guard that exists on many gas pumps.
Most gas station pumps normally include a latching mechanism that allows the pump handle to remain in the squeezed position, and thus gas to continue to flow, without the customer staying to hold the handle. In many instances, those latches are damaged or removed, and the customer must stay to hold the handle.
In an effort to amend this inconvenience, a brace can be used to maintain the squeezed position of the gas pump handle.
A prior art implementation of a mechanism to hold a gas pump handle open involved the use of a solid, single piece wedged into the gap between the handle and the handle guard. Drawbacks to this design include the potential for slippage, and a generally fixed size that does not allow the device to accommodate variations in handle grip sizes. Not only can the design be too loose when installed on handles with more space between the handle and the handle guard, the design can also be cumbersome to remove or impossible to install when used with grips with smaller spaces between the handle and the handle guard. These are generally not difficult to store, though it is suggested they be added to a key ring, increasing the “clutter.”
Another prior art implementation involves clip-like devices that involve the placement of a C-shaped unit that encompasses both the handle lever and the grip in a manner similar to a person's hand. Drawbacks to this design include the potential for slippage, and a generally fixed size that does not allow the device to accommodate variations in handle grip sizes. Not only can the design be too loose when installed on smaller grips, the design can also be cumbersome to remove if installed on a larger grip. These can also be difficult to store depending on their shape, and it is suggested they be added to a key ring, increasing the “clutter.”
Therefore, the inventor provides an improved brace, with the ability to hold the pump handle in the open position while accommodating variations in the gap size between the handle and the handle guard.
Another object of the disclosure is to provide such a brace with improved ease of installation and removal.
Another object of the disclosure is to provide such a brace that includes ergonomic and non-slip features to keep the device in the proper position when in use.
A further object of the disclosure is to provide a brace that can be removably clipped to a key ring or other similarly-sized construct for storage when not in use. The brace is easily removed from a key ring to avoid placing the user's keys on the gas pump handle.
A further object of the disclosure is to provide a compact brace that allows storage for items, such as a SPEEDPASS, within itself, offering the ability to reduce key ring clutter.
In one embodiment, a pressure brace providing the benefits described above comprises a hollow, spring-loaded housing and a depressible plunger that when compressed, may be inserted into the gap between the squeezed handle of a gas pump and the handle guard. Compression is achieved by the user pressing a tab that extends from the outer end of the plunger, forcing the plunger into the housing. When the compression is released, the spring's outward force is sufficient to keep the gas pump handle in the squeezed position, allowing gas to flow without a person holding the handle. The pressure brace may include features such as a latch that allows for it to be clipped to a key ring or the like, or an end cap that may be removed or opened to allow things to be stored within the hollow housing.
Various embodiments of this mechanism may employ either additional inserts or features intrinsic to the parts to ensure alignment and positioning of moving parts. The end cap may employ screw-on or latching methods for removal and replacement.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various other modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The end cap 4 both provides access to the interior of the assembly, and presents a base to support a cylindrical prop (not shown) or SPEEDPASS 9. That is, pressure brace can be sold with the prop, or “dummy” piece, that can be replaced by an end user with a SPEEDPASS 9. This reduces key ring clutter by combining two space-using articles into one. The prop or SPEEDPASS 9 can rest against or within a stand 10. That is, the stand 10 can have a smooth bottom surface or a recess into which the prop or SPEEDPASS 9 can fit. A spring 3 can be mounted around an upper cylindrical portion of the stand 10 and the spring 3 can be retained between a circumferential base on the stand 10 and a bottom surface of the depressible plunger 2.
The interior end of the depressible plunger 2 comprises includes a distal projection 7. The projection 7 extends out from the bottom and parallel to the long axis of the plunger 2. In this position, the function of the projection 7 is to span across at least a portion the notch 8 in a manner of a closed latch, which may be used to secure the device to a key ring or other small-diameter object. The spring 3 exerts a sufficient outward force to maintain this position. In the event that the spring 3 is not strong enough to maintain the gas pump handle 21 in the squeezed condition, the pressure brace 20 can be rotated so that the extended tab 5 rests against the gas pump handle 21, as shown in
When the pressure brace device 20 is in use and installed in a gas pump handle, as shown in
Instead of extending perpendicular to the long axis of the gas pump handle 21, and as mentioned above, the pressure brace may be rotated so that the long axis of the extended tab 5 rests against the long axis of the gas pump handle 21.
In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various other modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
For instance, the interior of housing 1 and the exterior of plunger 2 may be of a hexagonal or other polygonal shape, rather than cylindrical, thereby maintaining relative alignment without tongue-and-groove features. The end caps 4, 14 may also be convex, or coated with a soft material to improve the contact between the pressure brace and the handle guard when in an installed position. The end cap's 4 function as a base for the spring 3 may be accomplished with indentations formed by compressing the housing 1 in appropriate locations, causing protrusions inside the housing 1 against which the spring 3 can press. As another example, the end cap 4 can be permanently affixed to the housing 1, or even integrally formed with the housing 1. And, in addition to or as an alternative to storing a SPEEDPASS, the pressure brace can be used to store items such as medications, and the end cap can be formed as a screw-in or press-in airtight container to facilitate the preservation of the medication.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
