Patent Application
20190107225
The present invention relates generally to a pump chuck, and more particularly to a pump chuck for a pumping apparatus that is rotatable in order to select a valve stem hole compatible with a valve stem of a bicycle tire to be inflated and that is adapted to generate a whistling sound once the connected bicycle tire is inflated to an excessive pressure by the pumping apparatus.
A pump chuck is a type of tool that connects the valve stem of a bicycle tire with a pumping source in order to inflate the bicycle tire. During the pumping operation, the valve stem of the bicycle tire should establish a hermetically sealing effect with a valve stem hole of the pump chuck while the other end of the pump chuck is connected with a pumping apparatus or a manually operated flexible hose. To inflate the bicycle tire, the pump chuck must be connected hermetically with the valve stem so as to prevent leakage of pumping pressure from a connecting portion between the pump chunk and the valve stem of the bicycle tire.
However, it is noticed that the presently existing conventional pump chuck does not possess the reminding function indicating whether the bicycle tire being inflated is fully injected with pressure or not. Under this condition, the bicycle tire may not be sufficiently inflated or in case of over inflated, a puncture may occur and hence damaging the bicycle tire being inflated.
In addition, the conventional pump chuck includes a connecting body and a pivot flap that is required to be moved into a pivoted position with respect to the connecting body during the connecting process only then the connecting body will be disposed fully and sealedly connected with the valve stem of the bicycle tire such that the dimension of the conventional pump chuck is increased. Under this condition, the configuration of the conventional pump chuck at the pivoted position hinders smooth inflating of a bicycle tire if the bicycle tire is of a small size. In other words, it is inconvenient and difficult to dispose the conventional pump chuck between adjacent pair of spokes for connecting with the valve stem of the bicycle tire of small dimension.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a pump chuck for a pumping apparatus that is adapted to generate a whistling sound once the connected bicycle tire is fully inflated by the pumping apparatus.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pump chuck having valve stem holes of different specifications for a pumping apparatus that is adapted to be selected for connection with valve stems of different specifications for different bicycle tires.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a pump chuck for a pumping apparatus that is adapted to be connected easily with a valve stem of small size bicycle tire.
A pump chuck with whistling function for a pumping apparatus according to the present invention includes: a main body, a pivot clip and an end cap pivotally connected to the main body respectively, and a whistle assembly disposed in the main body. The end cap is rotatable relative to the main body for selecting one of valve stem holes in the end cap to connect with a valve stem of a tire and fixed therewith by the pivot clip. The whistle assembly generates no sound in a state when the whistle assembly receives a normal air pressure, and generates a whistling sound for alarming when the air pressure in the tire exceeds a preset value.
The main body has a top surface formed with a first bore and, a spring retention recess, a connecting part formed with a second bore at one end of the main body for connecting with a hose of a pumping apparatus, an inner passage extends from the second bore into the main body for communication with the first bore, and a whistle chamber formed with a plunger hole which is communication with the inner passage and is formed on the lower part of the main body.
The end cap is disposed rotatably on the top surface of the main body so as to be located above the first bore, has a second shaft hole and at least two valve stem holes located at two sides of the second bore, wherein one of the valve stem holes is aligned with the first bore for receiving the valve stem of a tire to be inflated. The end cap further has an opening on each of opposite sides in spatial communication with the valve stem hole respectively.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the top surface of the main body is further formed with a first shaft hole extending through thereof, a pivot axle passing through the first shaft hole and the second hole in the end cap so as to permit rotation of the end cap relative to the main body.
The pivot clip is connected pivotally to the main body and rotatable above the main body. The pivot clip has adjacent end provided with an engagement element and a retention recess formed on a bottom surface thereof such that two opposite ends of a spring may be retained in the retention recesses of the pivot clip and the main body. The whistle assembly is disposed within the whistle chamber of the main body and in spatial communication with the inner passage. The engagement member of the pivot clip can extend through one of the openings of the end cap and into one of the valve stem holes for fixing the valve stem of a tire, thereby preventing the valve stem from wobbling during the pumping operation.
The whistle assembly includes a whistle element, a sound block, an air plug with a plunger, a whistle spring and a sealing washer. The whistle element defines an air channel along its longitudinal length and a sound channel in spatial communication with the air channel. The sound block is disposed within the air channel of the whistle element, has a planar side facing and defining a gap with the sound channel. The whistle spring is disposed between the air plug and the whistle element for pressing the plunger into the whistle chamber. The sealing washer is sleeved around the air plug, wherein, after assembly of the whistle assembly within the whistle chamber of the main body, extension of the plunger into the plunger hole results in blocking communication between the whistle chamber and the inner passage and in case of excessive air pressure within the inner passage causes withdrawal of the plunger from the plunger hole into the whistle chamber, thereby establishing spatial communication between the inner passage and the whistle chamber and permitting escape of the excessive pressure to an exterior of the main body via the sound channel of the whistle element, which, in turn generates a whistling sound.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the pivot clip is pivoted within pivot holes formed on the main body.
For connecting the valve stem of a bicycle tire to be inflated, the pivot clip is pivoted first of all toward the main body in order to align and permit extension of the valve stem into one of the valve stem holes of the end cap and the first bore, where the pivot clip is released to move back to its initial position by virtue of restoration force of the spring such that the engagement member passes through the opening for abutting against the valve stem of the bicycle tire to retain the same stably on the valve stem hole of the end cap.
During the inflating process, the compressed air from the pumping apparatus passes through the hose, the second bore, the inner passage and the first bore in the main body and enters into the valve stem of the bicycle tire. Once the bicycle tire is fully inflated, the excessive air pressure in the inner passage force the plunger moves axially toward the whistle chamber and causes the excessive air pressure from the bicycle tire escapes to an exterior of the main body via the inner passage, the whistle chamber and the gap defined between the sound block and the sound channel of the whistle element, thereby generating a whistling sound. In other words, explosion of the bicycle tire being inflated can be avoided due to escape of the excessive pressure from the main body generating a whistling sound for alarming.
In another embodiment of the present invention, one of the valve stem holes in the end cap is compatible with a Schrader valve and the remaining one of the valve stem holes in the end cap is compatible with a Presta valve. Users may rotate the end cap for selecting one of the stem holes to align with the first bore so as to receive the Schrader valve or the Presta valve.
It is noticed that since the valve stem holes in the end cap are of different sizes and therefore are compatible with the valve stems of different specifications, thereby facilitating in injection of pressure into different bicycle tires.
In this embodiment, there are only two valve stem holes having the profiles or configurations compatible with the Schrader valve and the Presta valve, the number of the valve stem holes and their profiles should not be limited only to the disclosed ones, many other variation, like English Valve, should also be included.
With the pump chuck of the present invention, the user can inflate bicycle tires of different specifications. Due to implementation of the whistling assembly, the user can stop the pumping operation once he or she hears the whistling sound indicating that the bicycle tire being inflated is full. In other words, explosion of the bicycle tire being inflated can be avoided. Moreover, in case of injecting air pressure into a bicycle tire of small size, pivotal action of the pivot clip toward the main body can result in small dimension such that the pump chuck of the present invention can be easily connected with the small size bicycle tire.
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:
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Referring to
Referring to
To be more specific, a second bore 1051 is formed at the free end of the connecting part 102 and extending into the main body 100 along the longitudinal direction thereof for forming the inner passage 103, wherein, the axes of the first bore 101 and the second bore 1051 may be perpendicular to each other within the inner passage 103.
The bottom surface of the main body 100 has a hollow cylinder 105 defining a whistle chamber 1054 along its axis and having a plunger hole 10541 extending upward from the whistle chamber 1054 for spatial communication with the inner passage 103, e.g. the axes of the whistle chamber 1054 and inner passage 103 may be perpendicular each other. Note that during the inflating process of a tire, the compressed air from the pumping apparatus (not shown) flows through the second bore 1051, the inner passage 103 and the first bore 101.
The rear section of the main body 100 is formed with two lateral sides 1001 inwardly indented with pivot holes 1071 and the front section of the main body 100 is also formed with two pivot holes 1072, the purpose of which will be given in the following paragraphs.
In the above embodiment, the end cap 130 is disposed rotatably on the top surface of the main body 100 and is located above the first bore 101. In particular, a pivot axle 160 extends through the second shaft hole 131 of the end cap 130 and the first shaft hole 106 of the main body 100 in turn so as to permit rotation of the end cap 130 relative to the main body 100. Preferably, the pivot axle 160 has a radial through hole 161 permitting a pivot pin 171 to pass through, which in turn, is connected to two pivot holes 1072 of the main body 100, thereby preventing untimely disengagement of the end cap 130 from the main body 100. Also, the rotation of the end cap 130 relative to the main body 100 in 180 degrees can dispose one of the valve stem holes 132 in spatial communication with the first bore 101 in the main body 100 for receiving a valve stem 310. The free end of the valve stem 310 will abut against on the bottom of the valve stem hole 132 when the valve stem 310 is inserted into the valve stem hole 132 and the first bore 101. The surrounding between the stem hole 132 and first bore 101 will be sealed hermetically due to the sealing washer 140 disposed on the shoulder within the first bore and compressed by the top surface of the body 100 and the bottom surface of the lower end cap 130B for preventing the air leakage.
It is to note that since the valve stems 310 of bicycle tires are generally two types, one of the valve stem holes 132 is compatible with a Schrader valve and the remaining one of the valve stem holes 132 is compatible with a Presta valve. The number of valve stem holes 132 should not be limited only to the disclosed ones, any other configuration, like English Valve, should also be included.
The pivot clip 110 is connected pivotally to the main body 100 and is rotatable relative thereto. The pivot clip 110 has an adjacent end provided with an engagement member 114 protruding toward to the end cap 130. For example, one end of the engagement element 114 may be fixed into a slot of the pivot clip 110 and the other end protrudes out of the pivot clip 110 (see
The engagement element 114 extends into one of the valve stem holes 132 via one of the two openings 133 of the end cap 130 such that the spring 120 disposed between the pivot clip 110 and the main body 100 pushes the pivot clip 110 upward in such a manner to push the engagement member 114 toward an axis of the valve stem hole 132 such that once a valve stem 310 of a bicycle tire (see
Moreover, a retention recess 111 may be formed on the bottom surface of the extension portion 112 of the pivot clip 110 such that two opposite ends of the spring 120 are retained in the retention recesses 1052, 111 such that in the normal condition, the spring 120 presses the pivot clip 110 upward and pushing the engagement member 114 toward an axis of the valve stem hole 132 in the end cap 130.
Referring again to
Referring to
Upon release of the pressing, the pivot clip 110 will retrieve to its initial position by virtue of pressing action of the spring 120, where the notch with treads 1141 of the engagement member 114 abuts frictionally against the valve stem 310 of the bicycle tire, thereby retaining the valve stem 310 stably on the valve stem hole 132 in the main body 100. In this embodiment, the treads 1141 is of M6 X 1.0P American type, and hence provides a sealing effect between the valve stem 310 and the valve stem hole 132.
Note that to avoid untimely disengagement of the flexible hose 210 of the pumping apparatus from the connecting part 102 of the main body 100, a tubular sleeve 180 is mounted threadedly on the connecting part 102 of the main body 100 to facilitate connection of the flexible hose 210 with the connection part 102.
Upon activation of the pumping apparatus (not visible), the compressed air from the pumping apparatus enters into the valve stem 310 of the bicycle tire after passing through the flexible hose 210, the second bore 1051, the inner passage 103, the first bore 101 and the valve stem hole 132 in the end cap 130, as best shown in the arrow direction of
As shown in
Note that in order to provide leak-proof effects during the inflating process, a sealing washer 154 is sleeved around the plunger 1521 of the air plug 152 such that the outer periphery sealedly contacts the periphery confining the plunger hole 10541 of the whistle chamber 1054.
Also note that after the pump chunk of the present invention is connected with the valve stem of a bicycle tire to be inflated and/or during the inflating process of the bicycle tire, the lower part of the main body 100 containing the whistle assembly 150 is oriented toward an exterior of the tire being inflated so that no hindrance is caused to the inflating process.
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.
