1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a nozzle device for a pump and, more particularly, to a nozzle device for an air pump that can be used with valves of various types.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,815 shows an inflating device which is provided with an air nozzle having two connectors of different specifications and engageable with inflation valves of different specifications. The air nozzle is composed of a shell, a distribution valve chamber located in the shell, an obstructing body located in the distribution valve chamber, and two connectors in communication with the distribution valve chamber. The conventional inflating device needs a large size shell for installation of the two connectors such that the shell might interfere with respect to a spoke while operation.
U.S. Publication No. 2008/0236675 shows a an air valve connecting device which includes a mouth attached to one end of a housing and having a compartment for engaging with a U.S. type valve, and having a bore for engaging with a French type valve, a barrel engaged onto the mouth, an actuator engaged in the housing and having a shank for engaging with the barrel for selectively receiving the French type valve, a tube engaged in the actuator for engaging with the French type valve, and the tube is extendible into the mouth for selectively engaging with the U.S. type valve, a handle includes a cam member for forcing the actuator to secure either the French type valve or the tube to the actuator, and for forcing the barrel and the mouth to engage with either the French type valve or the U.S. type valve. An cone-shaped segment of the actuator and the tube has a gap therebetween such that the cone-shaped segment is adapted to be engaged with or be disengaged from a peripheral recess of the tube, the actuator has a stem formed thereon for guiding the tube sliding along a longitudinal direction thereof. The structure thereof, however, is complicated, which inflicts high cost of manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,588,048 shows an air pump nozzle which includes a housing with an inflation hole. An inner space of the housing lodges a block assembly seat having a compartment at an end. The compartment lodges a block member having an insertion hole. A needle tube with an air outlet is inserted through the insertion hole and is retained to avoid being disaffiliated from the block member. The air pump nozzle is only adapted for coupling with an American type valve AV. However, in a case that the valve is of French type, a connector has to be installed to the nozzle for coupling with the French type valve FV. The troublesome detachment of the connector and the nozzle are required again if the next valve to be coupled is of American type.
According to the present invention, the main purpose is to provide a nozzle device which comprises a body, a controller and a core set. The body includes a guiding member. The guiding member has two opposing ends including a first end and a second end. The first end of the guiding member has a chamber formed thereon. The second end of the guiding member, which is adapted for coupling with an air pump, has an aperture formed thereon and in communication with the chamber. The controller is mounted on the body and is pivotable with respect to the guiding member between a first position and a second position. The core set is slideably received in the chamber and includes a needle. While the controller is in the first position, the needle is slideable in the chamber and is adapted for coupling with a French type valve. While the controller is in the second position, the needle is abutted against the first end of the guiding member and is adapted for coupling with an American type valve.
An advantage of the nozzle device according to the present invention is that a cross section of a limiting portion of the core set is substantially the same with that of a chamber of the body and users can easily change the operating mode by pivoting the controller.
Another advantage of the nozzle device according to the present invention is that the core set is moved along the chamber and there has no gap between the chamber and the core set such that the structure is simple and the cost is decreased, furthermore, the size of the nozzle device is decreased.
Another advantage of the nozzle device according to the present invention is that a positioning mechanism is installed between the body and the controller so as to retain the controller in one of the first and second positions.
Another advantage of the nozzle device according to the present invention is that the nozzle device comprises a cap with two threaded portions formed thereon so that the nozzle device is able to couple with the French type valve or the American type valve without a connector.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description referring to the drawings.
Referring to
The body 10 includes a guiding member 11, a retainer 12 and a fastener 13. The guiding member 11 and the retainer 12 may be separately formed or may be integrally formed as one piece. The guiding member 11 has two opposing ends including a first end 111 and a second end 112. The first end 111 of the guiding member 11 has a chamber 113 formed thereon for receiving the core set 30. The second end 112 of the guiding member 11, which is adapted for coupling with an air pump or the like, has an aperture 114 formed thereon and in communication with the chamber 113. Preferably, the aperture 114 has an inner diameter smaller than that of the chamber 113. The guiding member 11 further has an engagement face 119 provided between the chamber 113 and the aperture 114. The retainer 12 has a through hole 121 mounted to the guiding member 11 and is disposed between the first end 111 and the second end 112. The through hole 121 has at least one block portion 1211 formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof and corresponding to and installed to at least one groove 115 of the guiding member 11. Preferably, the guiding member 11 has two grooves 115 and the through hole 121 has two block portions 1211 corresponding to and installed to the grooves 115, respectively such that the retainer 12 is prevented from rotating with respect to the guiding member 11. The fastener 13 is disposed between the second end 112 and the groove 115 and is abutted the retainer 12 for preventing the retainer 12 from detaching from the guiding member 11.
The controller 20, which is pivotable with respect to the guiding member 11 between a first position and a second position, includes a housing 21 mounted to the guiding member 11 and a switch 22 coupled to the housing 21. The housing 21 has a first section 211 and a second section 212 both formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof, in which the second section 212 has an inner diameter smaller than that of the first section 211. The housing 21 further has a limiting face formed between the first 211 and second 212 sections and abutted a flange 116 of the first end 111 of the guiding member 11 so as to prevent the housing 21 from moving toward the first end 111 of the guiding member 11. The housing 21 has at least one groove 213 provided on one end thereof distal from the second section 212 and in communication with the first section 211. The switch 22 has at least one emboss 221 protruded from an outer periphery thereof and corresponding to the groove 213. The emboss 211 is coupled to the groove 213 such that the housing 21 and the switch 22 would rotate together with respect to the guiding member 11. The switch 22 has a recess 222 provided on one side thereof distal from the second end 112 of the guiding member 11, in which the recess 222 includes an opening 223 piercing from a bottom side thereof and adapted for insertion of the core set 30.
Referring to
The nozzle device 1 comprises a positioning mechanism 40 disposed between the housing 21 of the controller 20 and the retainer 12 of the body 10, in which the positioning mechanism 40 retains the controller 20 in one of the first and second positions. The positioning mechanism 40 includes a positioning unit 41, an elastic member 42 and a plate 43 disposed between the positioning unit 41 and the elastic member 42. Preferable, the retainer 12 has a slot 122 provided on one side thereof adjacent to the housing 21 of the controller 20, and the housing 21 of the controller 20 has a first cavity 214 and a second cavity 215 both provided on one side thereof adjacent to the retainer 12. The positioning mechanism 40 is installed to the slot 122 of the retainer 12 with one end of the elastic member 42 abutted against the slot 122 and the other end of the elastic member 42 abutted against the plate 43 so as to longitudinally press the plate 43 and the positioning unit 41. Therefore, the positioning unit 41 is selectively engaged with the first cavity 214 and the second cavity 215. The controller 20 is in the first position and the positioning unit 41 is engaged with the first cavity 214 to prevent the controller 20 from rotating with respect to the body while the first cavity 214 corresponds to the slot 122. The controller 20 is in the second position and the positioning unit 41 is engaged with the second cavity 215 while the second cavity 215 corresponds to the slot 122.
The nozzle device 1 further comprises a cover set 50 coupled to one end of the controller 20 adjacent to the switch 22. The cover set 50 includes a cap 51 mounted on the controller 20, a seal 52 and a fixing unit 53. The cap 51 has a compartment 511 provided on one side thereof adjacent to the controller 20, in which the compartment 511 has a groove 5111 formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof and a protrusion 512 formed on a bottom wall thereof. The cap 51 further has a mounting portion 513 formed on the other side thereof opposite to the controller 20, and a orifice 514 extending through the protrusion 512 and in communication with the compartment 511 and the mounting portion 513. The mounting portion 513 has a groove 5131 formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof for receiving the sear 52, and a threaded portion (not labeled) adapted for coupling with an American type valve AV. Additionally, the orifice 514 has a threaded portion (not labeled) adapted for coupling with a French type valve FV. The fixing unit 53 is installed between the housing 21 of the controller 20 and the cap 51 of the cover set 50, preferably, the fixing unit 53 is in form of a C-clip and is abutted against the groove 5111 of the cap 51 and a flange 216 of the housing 21 such that the cover set 50 is able to be rotated with respect to the controller 20 and is prevented from detaching from the controller 20.
Referring to
first width W1<second width W2<third width W3<fourth width W4
The abutment portion 311 of the needle 31 has a first diameter T1 and the orifice 514 of the cap 51 has a second diameter T2. Preferably, the first diameter T1 is smaller than the second diameter T2 so that the abutment portion 311 of the needle 31 is able to insert through the orifice 514 of the cap 51. Additionally, the second width W2 is larger than the second diameter T2 such that the limiting portion 312 of the needle 31 is abutted against the protrusion 512 to prevent the needle 31 from moving toward the mounting portion 513 of the cap 51.
While the controller 20 is in the first position, the first surface 3121 of the limiting portion 312 corresponds to the first face 1132 of the chamber 113 and the second surface 3122 of the limiting portion 312 corresponds to the second face 1133 of the chamber 113, hence, the needle 31 is slideable in the chamber 113. While the nozzle device 1 is coupled with the French type valve FV (as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
The body 10a includes a guiding member 11a having two opposing ends including a first end 111a and a second end 112a. The first end 111a of the guiding member 11a has a chamber 113a formed thereon for receiving the core set 30a. The second end 112a of the guiding member 11a, which is adapted for coupling with an air pump or the like, has an aperture 114a formed thereon and in communication with the chamber 113a. Preferably, the aperture 114a has an inner diameter smaller than that of the chamber 113a. The guiding member 11 further has an engagement face 119 provided between the chamber 113 and the aperture 114.
The controller 20a, which is pivotable with respect to the guiding member 11a between a first position and a second position, includes a housing 21a mounted to the guiding member 11a and a switch 22a coupled to the housing 21a. The housing 21a has a first section 211a and a second section 212a both formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof, in which the second section 212a has an inner diameter smaller than that of the first section 211a. The housing 21a further has a limiting face formed between the first 211a and second 212a sections and abutted a flange 116a of the first end 111a of the guiding member 11a so as to prevent the housing 21a from moving toward the first end 111a of the guiding member 11a. The housing 21a has at least one groove 213a provided on the first section 211a thereof. The switch 22a has at least one emboss 221a protruded from an outer periphery thereof and corresponding to the groove 213a. The emboss 211a is coupled to the groove 213a such that the housing 21a and the switch 22a would rotate together with respect to the guiding member 11a. The switch 22a has a opening 223a piercing from one side thereof distal from the second end 112a of the guiding member 11a and adapted for insertion of the core set 30a.
The core set 30a includes a needle 31a and a resilient element 32a. The needle 31a has an abutment portion 311a and a limiting portion 312a. The resilient element 32a is received in the chamber 113a and has two opposing ends including a proximal end abutted against the needle 31a and a distal end engaged with the engagement face 119a to bias the needle away from the second end 112a of the guiding member 11a.
The nozzle device 1 in accordance with the second embodiment comprises a positioning mechanism 40a disposed between the switch 22a of the controller 20a and the guiding member 11a of the body 10a, in which the positioning mechanism 40a retains the controller 20a in one of the first and second positions. The positioning mechanism 40a includes a positioning unit 41a, an elastic member 42a and a plate 43a disposed between the positioning unit 41a and the elastic member 42a. Preferably, the switch 22a has a slot 224a provided on onside thereof adjacent to the guiding member 11a, and the guiding member 11a has a first cavity 117a and a second cavity 118a both provided on one side thereof adjacent to the switch 22a. The positioning mechanism 40a is installed to the slot 224a of the switch 11a with one end of the elastic member 42a abutted against the slot 224a and the other end of the elastic abutted against the plate 43a so as to longitudinally press the plate 43a and the positioning unit 41a. Therefore, the positioning unit 41a is selectively engaged with the first cavity 117a and the second cavity 118a. The controller 20a is in the first position and the positioning unit 41a is engaged with the first cavity 117a to prevent the controller 20a from rotating with respect to the body 10a while the first cavity 117a corresponds to the slot 224a. The controller 20a is in the second position and the positioning unit 41a is engaged with the second cavity 118a while the second cavity 118a corresponds to the slot 224a.
The nozzle device 1 in accordance with the second embodiment further comprises a cover set 50a coupled to one end of the controller 20a adjacent to the switch 22a. The cover set 50a includes a cap 51a mounted on the controller 20a, a seal 52a and a fixing unit 53a. The cap 51a has an outer threaded section 515a provided on an outer periphery thereof, and a compartment 511a provided on one side thereof adjacent to the controller 20a, in which the compartment 511a has a protrusion 512a formed on a bottom wall thereof. The cap 51a further has a mounting portion 513a formed on the other side thereof opposite to the controller 20a, and a orifice 514a extending through the protrusion 512a and in communication with the compartment 511a and the mounting portion 513a. The mounting portion 513a has a groove 5131a formed on an inner peripheral wall thereof for receiving the sear 52a. The fixing unit 53a has an inner threaded section 531a corresponding to and coupled to the outer threaded section 515a of the cap 51a. The fixing unit 53a is abutted against a flange 216a of the housing 21a such that the cover set 50a is able to be rotated with respect to the controller 20a and is prevented from detaching from the controller 20a.
The body 10, controller 20 and core set 30 have been described in relation to the first embodiment. While the controller 20a is in the first position, the nozzle device 1 is adapted for coupling with the French type valve FV. While the controller 20a is in the second position, the nozzle device 1 is adapted for coupling with the American type valve AV.
The nozzle device 1 is adapted for coupling with a mini pump (as shown in