Patent Grant
7344116
The invention generally relates to mounting brackets, and more particularly, to a quick-release mounting bracket between a main air tank and a spare tank.
Scuba diving has been continually gaining in popularity and the increased number of divers are always trying to find safer procedures and safer equipment for the sport. One of the common pieces of safety equipment is the spare air tank, often known as a pony bottle tank. A pony bottle tank is typically a separate, self-contained air supply tank system that is completely independent from the main air tank supply unit or system. The pony bottle is often carried for an added measure of protection as a redundant device (e.g., spare) and is usually utilized for emergency situations (e.g., failure of the main tank, low oxygen supply in the main tank, used by a diving partner, etc.). The pony bottle tank is typically attached to the main tank by an inefficient mounting bracket system.
Scuba diving usually requires the diver to focus attention on the surroundings, with little time or freedom to be concerned about the scuba equipment. Moreover, the scuba diver typically carries other objects in his hands (e.g., flashlight, net, spear, etc), so the scuba diver often is not able to efficiently manipulate his equipment. In that regard, the existing pony bottle mounting brackets have the disadvantages of being difficult to use. The existing brackets also often include small, complicated components. Furthermore, the existing brackets usually include excessive components such as, for example, a clevis, hitch, cotter or quick release pin. These components may be difficult to handle and may be easily lost, particularly when scuba diving in dark, rugged terrain where items can fall into the crevices of the rocks. Additionally, scuba diving equipment should not include items that can entangle the diver, plants, rocks, sea life, a partner diver, the diver's hands, or the diver's equipment. Items such as, for example, string, cord, chain or lanyards may get caught or snagged on the diver or the diver's equipment and restrict the diver's movement which may be extremely dangerous while the diver is under the water.
Accordingly, a need exists for a pony bottle having an improved quick-release mounting bracket, wherein the bracket does not include excessive components or items that may entangle a diver.
The invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by including an improved pony bottle bracket that is light weight, compact, simple to use, and facilitates a quick and easy set-up. The invention includes a push button latch 62 such that the diver can quickly disconnect the pony bottle from the main bottle. In emergency situations, the invention is configured such that the pony tank is easily disconnected from the main tank. More specifically, the self-contained locking mechanism 50 is activated by the base unit bracket push button 52, supporting hardware and sliding lock latch 60 such that the top unit bracket 80 can be removed or separated with one or more tanks from the base unit bracket 10. The top unit bracket and base unit bracket 10 are mounted, in one embodiment, by use of a belt and adjustable band straps (e.g., hose clamp). The brackets may be attached to any surface, and in one embodiment, to a flat or round surface.
Locking mechanism 50 is self-contained, thereby eliminating or minimizing the use of separate components (e.g., no clevis, hitch, cotter or quick release pins) which may be lost. The bracket also eliminates or reduces the use of any items which may entangle the diver or entangle other objects in the diver's surroundings (e.g., no string, cord, chain or lanyards). The bracket is bidirectional (e.g., reversible) such that the top bracket mount may be rotated between about 0 and 180 degrees. With a proper tank setup, the bracket allows the tanks to be exchangeable or interchangeable from an empty tank to a fresh re-filled or new full tank. With a proper tank setup, the bracket also allows the tanks to be transferable from unit to unit or from person to person.
Only one ⅛ allen key or ⅛ allen wrench is needed to assemble or disassemble the locking mechanism 50 for easy cleaning. The components of the invention are configured in a simplified manner such that the diver may easily service the invention with limited mechanical abilities, along with rebuilding the invention with spare parts which may be re-ordered from the manufacturer. The same bracket may also be utilized for mounting other accessories (e.g., battery packs, lights, canisters, etc.).
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the Figures. In the Figures, like numerals refer to similar elements, throughout.
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. Moreover, the invention contemplates that any of the components discussed herein in singular form may also include one or more of such components. Similarly, the invention contemplates that any components discussed herein in plural form may also include a single component.
The invention includes any system or method for attaching, storing, mounting, securing and/or transporting items of similar or different sizes. The items may include, for example, canisters, cylinders, cylindrical objects, tubes, pipes, bars, rods, posts, bottles, and/or tanks. The tanks may include, for example, chemical tanks (e.g., fire extinguishers and related chemicals), gas tanks (e.g., Nitrogen, Helium, Nitrox, Argon, Inert And Oxygen). Such items are typically mounted, fastened, held, secured, safe-guarded, transported and/or located in a manner such that the items are easily accessible. The items may be permanently or removeably mounted by a bracket, wherein the bracket may be attached to any surface such as, for example, a flat surface, round surface, a curved surface, a wall, floor, ceiling, deck, room partition, round cylindrical object, tube, pipe, bar, rod, post, bottle, canister, tank and/or the like.
The items may be used by, found in, or required by law to be in such places such as, for example, industrial facilities, manufacturing facilities, institutional, schools and office buildings, large and small businesses, emergency vehicles (e.g., police, fire, rescue, ambulance, auxiliary), transportation vehicles (e.g., airplanes, helicopters, boats, ships, trains, cars, trucks and buses), and non-motorized vehicles (e.g., carts, bicycles, hospital beds or wheelchairs). In one embodiment, the invention includes a base unit bracket 10 (or latch device) to mount, attach, store, transport and/or secure a spare tank (e.g., pony bottle tanks) to a main tank used in scuba diving (e.g., recreational or professional). The components of the invention are configured in a simplified manner such that the diver may easily service the invention with limited mechanical abilities, along with rebuilding the invention with spare parts which may be re-ordered from the manufacturer.
The invention generally includes, in one embodiment, release brackets, clamps, and a locking mechanism 50. The release brackets may include, for example, a base unit bracket 10 and a top unit bracket 80 which may be interlocked, joined, attached, secured, mounted, or assembled together. One or more release brackets may be mounted on either the main tank and/or pony tank. Each of these brackets are permanently or temporarily secured to an item, such as, for example, a pony bottle or main tank via any securing device comprised of any material such as, for example, a cam belt, cam bands, and/or stainless steel straps (e.g., hose clamps). In one embodiment, the surface mount on the base unit bracket 10 includes slots used for screws (or some other type of fastener) to mount the bracket to a surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the bracket includes six or eight slots 12 with three or four slots, respectively, on each side, wherein each slot is 7/32 or 0.225 inches wide. In another embodiment, the bracket may be about 6.0 or 11.75 inches in length and include no slots or any number of slots 12 in any configuration or location.
The brackets or any other component discussed herein may be comprised of any suitable material or composite of materials such as, for example, aluminum, stainless steal or plastic materials. The aluminum materials may include, for example, 2024, series 6000 and 7000 in billet form, a casting aluminum material, a forged aluminum material.
The brackets also eliminate or reduce the use of any items which may entangle the diver or entangle other objects in the diver's surroundings (e.g., no string, cord, chain or lanyards). In one embodiment, the release brackets are bidirectional (e.g., reversible) such that the top bracket mount may be rotated between about 0 and 180 degrees. With a proper tank setup, the bracket allows the tanks to be exchangeable or interchangeable from an empty tank to a fresh re-filled or new full tank. With a proper tank setup, the bracket also allows the tanks to be transferable from unit to unit or from person to person. The same bracket may also be utilized for mounting other accessories (e.g., battery packs, lights, canisters and the like).
With respect to
The vertical axis of base unit bracket 10 includes two interfacing or interlocking hubs 14, 16 with dimensions of about 0.750×1.25×1.900 inches with a clearance gap 20 (or space) between the two hubs of about 2.2 inches. Hubs 14, 16 fit in between the mating part of the top unit bracket 80 (see
With respect to
With respect to
Top unit bracket 80, with respect to
With respect to
With respect to
Locking mechanism 50 includes, with respect to
Shoulder bolt 54 is configured with about 0.250 diameter and 1.5 inch in length with a 10-24 thread at the bottom of the bolts. Two about 0.375 inch counter bores 53 are included for the head of the shoulder bolts 54. The shoulder bolt holes are created using a ¼ drill 0.625 inches deep. The centers of shoulder bolts 54 are about 0.500 inches apart and terminate about 0.100 inches from the bottom of push button 52. The two ¼-20 tap holes are about 0.200 inches deep and are configured to receive the two set screws that lock against the shoulder bolts 54 to prevent the shoulder bolts 54 from loosening. Counter bores 56 are configured to receive compression springs. With respect to
In an exemplary embodiment, certain hardware components (e.g., shoulder bolts, compression springs, set screws and dowel pins) may comprise stainless steel type 18-8, 302, 304 and 316 grade. The locking mechanism 50, in one embodiment, is self-contained, thereby eliminating or minimizing the use of separate components (e.g., no clevis, hitch, cotter or quick release pins) which may be lost. In an exemplary embodiment, only one ⅛ allen key or ⅛ allen wrench is needed to assemble or disassemble the locking mechanism 50 for easy cleaning.
To construct push button 52, one of the two shoulder bolts 54 is placed through one of holes and seated against the counter bores 53. A set screw is screwed into each hole, but the set screw is not yet tightened against the shoulder bolt 54. The compression spring is then slid over each bolt (near 56) up to the bottom or seat of counter bore of push button 52. Sliding lock latch 60 is placed into the pocket 18 of base unit bracket 10 with threaded holes facing downward and parallel to holes 28, and with the groove 62 facing upwards to holes 28. The partially assembled locking mechanism 50 is placed through holes 28. Shoulder bolts 54 are then screwed (or threaded) and tightened into sliding lock latch 60 until it is fully seated. Set screws are then tightened against shoulder bolts 54. Upon pushing push button 52, locking mechanism 50 moves sliding lock latch 60 such that sliding lock latch 60 retracts with minimal or no binding.
To interlock the brackets, main tank is 90 degrees (or standing straight up) and pony tank is rotated, tilted, or set to about a 5 degree angle. The bottom dowel pin on top unit bracket is inserted into the 45 degree angled slot of the base unit bracket 10. The base unit bracket 10 Push Button is then pushed to engage the upper dowel pin into the catch of the base unit bracket 10 to form an interlocked unit or system.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims or the invention. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, indicating exemplary embodiments of the invention, are given for purposes of illustration only and not as limitations. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications. Corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing the functions in combination with other claim elements as specifically claimed. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given above.
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/576,523, filed on Jun. 2, 2004, and entitled “Bi-directional, Reversible, Exchangeable, Interchangeable, Transportable, Carrier, Support, Holster, Holding, Storage, Retention, Attachable, Apparatus, Article(s), Mounting, Quick Release Latch Device(s) or Bracket(s)”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20050269470 A1 | Dec 2005 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60576523 | Jun 2004 | US |
