U.S. patent application number 12/545931 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-17 for automatic built-in air nozzle.
Invention is credited to Cheng-Chung Wang.
Application Number | 20090308491 12/545931 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37424850 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090308491 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Cheng-Chung |
December 17, 2009 |
Automatic Built-in Air Nozzle
Abstract
An automatic air nozzle includes a valve adapted to engage with
a peripheral side face defining an air path inside an inflatable
object. A cam has a radial edge connected to the valve and an axial
axis connected to a motor so as to drive the valve to move linearly
relative to the inflatable object to open/close the air path
automatically.
Inventors: |
Wang; Cheng-Chung; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KAMRATH & ASSOCIATES P.A.
4825 OLSON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY, SUITE 245
GOLDEN VALLEY
MN
55422
US
|
Family ID: |
37424850 |
Appl. No.: |
12/545931 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11432461 |
May 11, 2006 |
7597123 |
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12545931 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 31/04 20130101;
F16K 31/52408 20130101; F16K 31/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/114 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/16 20060101
B65B003/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2005 |
CN |
200510034640.5 |
Claims
1. An automatic air nozzle for an inflatable object having an air
path formed in the inflatable object, the automatic air nozzle
comprising: a valve adapted to engage with a peripheral side face
defining the air path; a cam having a radial edge adjacent to the
valve; and a motor adapted to be embedded inside the inflatable
object and connected to the cam so as to drive the valve to move
relative to the inflatable object to open/close the air path
automatically.
2. The automatic air nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cam
further has an axial rod connected to the motor; and a protrudent
head protruding from the radial edge of the cam; a connection seat
is formed on a top of the valve; a connection block formed on a top
of the connection seat and selectively abuts the radial edge and
the protrudent head of the cam; and a recoil spring mounted around
the connection seat to maintain the air path closed via the valve
such that activation of the motor and the engagement of the
protrudent head with the connection block is able to force the
valve away from the periphery defining the air path to allow air to
flow into/away from the inflatable object.
3. The automatic air nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
valve is moved linearly via the motor.
4. The automatic air nozzle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
inflatable object is integrated with a pump casing
5. An automatic air nozzle for an inflatable product having an
inflatable object integrated in the inflatable product; wherein the
inflatable object having an air path formed therein, the automatic
air nozzle comprising: a valve adapted to engage with a peripheral
side face defining the air path; a cam having a radial edge
adjacent to the valve; and a motor adapted to be embedded inside
the inflatable object and connected to the cam so as to drive the
valve to move relative to the inflatable object to open/close the
air path automatically.
Description
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No.
11/432,461, filed May 11, 2006 and claims priority to China Patent
Application No. 200510034640.5, filed May 18, 2005. The entire
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an automatic built-in air
nozzle and, more particularly, to an automatic built-in air nozzle
to automatically close an air path in an inflatable object once the
inflatable object is sufficiently inflated.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] A conventional air nozzle is provided for inflatable
products, such as an inflatable swimming pool, animal-figured toys,
inflatable mattress, inflatable furniture or the like. After an air
pump has been used to pump air into the inflatable product, in
order to prevent air leakage from the air nozzle, a cap is provided
to manually block an air path of the conventional air nozzle. Even
when the air nozzle is unidirectional, so having a self-sealing
function, the cap is still required since the unidirectional air
nozzle can not fully prevent escape of air from the inflatable
product. However, removing and replacing the cap for inflating and
deflating the inflatable product is tiresome.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to
provide an improved automatic air nozzle to mitigate the
aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an automatic air nozzle to automatically close an air path inside
an inflatable object. The automatic air nozzle is provided with a
valve operably connected to a motor such that the motor is able to
control movement of the valve to closed/open the air path in the
inflated/deflated object. The valve is connected to a cam directly
connected to the motor and the valve is provided with a recoil
spring to maintain the valve and close the air path inside the
inflatable object such that rotation of the cam controls the
open/closed of the air path in the object.
[0008] It is noted that the design of using the motor in-place of a
solenoid driven automatic valve system is better, because the motor
design is cheaper in cost; does not overheat due to continuous
operation; and requires less space.
[0009] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic air nozzle in
accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an operational perspective view of the automatic
air nozzle in FIG. 1, showing operation of an valve to open an air
path inside the object;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the automatic
air nozzle mounted inside an inflatable object;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the
inflatable object having a backrest bladder and a leg-rest bladder
inflated by the automatic air nozzle of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the backrest
bladder inflated to form an armchair;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the leg-rest
bladder inflated to form a bed;
[0016] FIGS. 7A to 7D are schematic top plan views showing that the
activation of the automatic air nozzle may be controlled via
cables; and
[0017] FIGS. 8A to 8D are schematic top plan views showing that the
activation of the automatic air nozzle may be controlled via
wireless methods.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] With reference to FIG. 1, an automatic built-in air nozzle
for an inflatable product in accordance with the present invention
is embedded in an inflatable object (5). The inflatable object (5)
may be integrated with a pump casing, is preferably made of a
plastic material and has an air path (51). The automatic built-in
air nozzle comprises a motor (3), a cam (27), a valve disk (12) and
a connection seat (11). The cam (27) is connected to and is driven
by the motor (3) via an axial rod (270) and has a protrudent head
(271) protruding from a radial edge of the cam (27). The valve disk
(12) is formed on a bottom end of the connection seat (11) which
has a connection block (14) formed on a top end thereof to be
selectively abutted by the radial edge and the protrudent head
(271) of the cam (27). Furthermore, a recoil spring (15) is mounted
around the connection seat (11) and sandwiched between a bottom
face of the connection block (14) and a side face adjacent to the
air path (51) of the inflatable object (5) to maintain the valve
disk (12) to close the air path (51) at all times when the motor
(3) is not activated.
[0019] When the motor (3) is activated and the cam (27) is rotated
via the motor (3), connection of the protrudent head (271) to the
connection block (14) forces the connection seat (11) as well as
the valve disk (12) to move away from the air path (51) so as to
allow air to move into/away from the inflatable object (5).
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, an inflatable mattress (5')
is shown and has a controller (4) and a casing (41) embedded inside
the inflatable mattress (5'). The automatic air nozzle as described
is installed inside the casing (41). The inflatable mattress (5')
further has a backrest bladder (51') located at an upper portion of
the inflatable mattress (5') and a leg-rest bladder (52) located at
a lower portion of the inflatable mattress (5'). In order to
inflate the backrest bladder (51') and the leg-rest bladder (52),
the inflatable mattress (5') may be provided with a single pump or
multiple pumps to inflate the bladders.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, an inflatable mattress (6)
has a backrest bladder (61) located at an upper portion of the
inflatable mattress (6) and a leg-rest bladder (62) located at a
lower portion of the inflatable mattress (6). When the backrest
bladder (61) is inflated, the inflatable mattress (6) becomes a
chair. When the leg-rest bladder (62) is inflated but not the
backrest bladder (61), the inflatable mattress (6) becomes a bed.
It is also known in the art that the backrest bladder (61) and the
leg-rest bladder (62) may be combined into one via a well known
method in the art.
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 7A to 7D and 8A to 8D, the
activation of the motor of the present invention may be controlled
via a cable controlled method or via a wireless control method.
[0023] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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