U.S. patent application number 13/552713 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-23 for air pump cylinder.
The applicant listed for this patent is Wei-Chi Wang. Invention is credited to Wei-Chi Wang.
Application Number | 20140023537 13/552713 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49946702 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140023537 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Wei-Chi |
January 23, 2014 |
Air Pump Cylinder
Abstract
An air pump cylinder has a housing, a cover and an O-ring. The
housing includes a connecting tube. The connecting tube has a
plurality of projections extending therefrom. The cover is
hermetically engaged with the connecting tube of the housing and
includes a cap. The cap has an annular sidewall and a plurality of
grooves. The grooves are formed in the annular sidewall and each
groove has an axial portion and a locking portion. The projections
of the connecting tube of the housing are disposed into the axial
portions of the grooves and the cover is then rotated to make the
projections engage the locking portions of grooves and to make the
O-ring tightly clamped between the connecting tube of the housing
and the cap of the cover. Therefore, the air pump cylinder can be
easily assembled and manufactured without the use of bolts.
Inventors: |
Wang; Wei-Chi; (Tainan City,
TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Wang; Wei-Chi |
Tainan City |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
49946702 |
Appl. No.: |
13/552713 |
Filed: |
July 19, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
417/437 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 33/02 20130101;
F04B 39/121 20130101; F04B 33/005 20130101; F04B 41/00 20130101;
F04B 39/123 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/437 |
International
Class: |
F04B 41/00 20060101
F04B041/00 |
Claims
1. An air pump cylinder comprising: a housing including: a base
tube having: a front end, and a piston chamber defined in the base
tube; and a connecting tube integrally formed on the front end of
the base tube and having: an outer surface; a valve chamber defined
in the connecting tube and communicating with the piston chamber of
the base tube; and a plurality of projections extending from the
outer surface of the connecting tube; an O-ring made of a resilient
material and mounted around the connecting tube of the housing; and
a cover hermetically engaged with the connecting tube of the
housing and including: a cap having: a closed front; an annular
sidewall having an inner surface; a receiving chamber defined
between the closed front and the annular sidewall of the cap for
receiving the connecting tube of the housing and the O-ring; and a
plurality of grooves formed in the inner surface of the annular
sidewall, corresponding to the projections of the connecting tube
of the housing and each groove having: an axial portion; and a
locking portion extending from and communicating with a front end
of the axial portion; and a joint integrally formed on the closed
front of the cap and having a passage defined therein and
communicating with the receiving chamber of the cap; and wherein
the projections of the connecting tube of the housing are disposed
into the axial portions of the grooves and the cover is then
rotated to make the projections engage the locking portions of
grooves and to make the O-ring tightly clamped between the
connecting tube of the housing and the cap of the cover.
2. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
connecting tube of the housing has a cylindrical rear portion
extending from the front end of the base tube and having: a front
surface; an outer surface from which the projections extend; and an
outer diameter; and a cylindrical front portion having: a
cylindrical first step extending from the front surface of the rear
portion and having: a front surface; and an outer diameter being
smaller than the outer diameter of the rear portion; a cylindrical
second step extending from the front surface of the first step and
having an outer diameter being smaller than the outer diameter of
the first step; and an annular step surface formed between the
first step and the second step; and the receiving chamber of the
cap of the cover has a first tank extending through the cap from an
open rear thereof and having an inner diameter corresponding to the
outer diameter of the first step of the front portion; a second
tank extending through the cap, communicating with the first tank
and having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of
the second step of the front portion; and an annular step surface
formed between the first tank and the second tank and corresponding
to the step surface of the front portion; and wherein the O-ring is
mounted around the second step of the front portion, is disposed in
the first tank of the receiving chamber and is tightly clamped
between the step surface of the front portion and the step surface
of the receiving chamber.
3. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing
includes an interface wall formed between the base tube and the
connecting tube and having: a center; a hole formed through the
center of the interface wall and communicating with the piston
chamber of the base tube and the valve chamber of the connecting
tube; and an abutting surface formed around the hole.
4. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing
includes an interface wall formed between the base tube and the
connecting tube and having: a center; a hole formed through the
center of the interface wall and communicating with the piston
chamber of the base tube and the valve chamber of the connecting
tube; and an abutting surface formed around the hole.
5. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 4 further having a
pressure gauge connector mounted on the annular sidewall of the cap
of the cover and having an interior communicating with the
receiving chamber of the cap.
6. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing
has a recess and the annular sidewall of the cap of the cover has a
boss engaging the recess.
7. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing
has a recess and the annular sidewall of the cap of the cover has a
boss engaging the recess.
8. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
interface wall of the housing has a recess and the annular sidewall
of the cap of the cover has a boss engaging the recess.
9. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
interface wall of the housing has a recess and the annular sidewall
of the cap of the cover has a boss engaging the recess.
10. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
interface wall of the housing has a recess and the annular sidewall
of the cap of the cover has a boss engaging the recess.
11. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the recess
is formed in a periphery of a front surface of an interface wall of
the housing; and the boss extends from a rear surface of the
annular sidewall of the cap of the cover.
12. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the recess
is formed in a periphery of a front surface of an interface wall of
the housing; and the boss extends from a rear surface of the
annular sidewall of the cap of the cover.
13. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the recess
is formed in a periphery of a front surface of the interface wall
of the housing; and the boss extends from a rear surface of the
annular sidewall of the cap of the cover.
14. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the recess
is formed in a periphery of a front surface of the interface wall
of the housing; and the boss extends from a rear surface of the
annular sidewall of the cap of the cover.
15. The air pump cylinder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the
recess is formed in a periphery of a front surface of the interface
wall of the housing; and the boss extends from a rear surface of
the annular sidewall of the cap of the cover.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to
an air pump, and more particularly to an air pump cylinder that can
be easily and quickly assembled and manufactured.
[0002] 2. Description of the Prior Arts
[0003] An air pump is used to pump air and is driven by electricity
or manual power. With reference to FIG. 7, a conventional air pump
driven by electricity comprises an air pump cylinder 80 and an
electric drive mechanism. The air pump cylinder 80 includes a
housing 81, a cover 82, a plurality of bolts 83 and an O-ring 84.
The housing 81 and the cover 82 are made of zinc alloy. The housing
81 has a plurality of threaded holes therethrough. The cover 82 has
a plurality of through holes therethrough. The bolts 83 pass
through the through holes of the cover 82 and are screwed into the
threaded holes of the housing 81 to hermetically secure the cover
82 to the housing 81. The O-ring 84 is clamped between the cover 82
and the housing 81. A pipe has one end connected to the cover 82
and the other end connected to an inflatable article such as a tire
tube. The electric drive mechanism includes a motor 91 and a
gearing 92. In operation, the motor 91 drives a piston rod 90 to
move in a reciprocating motion in the housing 81 of the air pump
cylinder 80 via the gearing 92. The reciprocation of the piston rod
90 compresses air in the housing 81 and then the compressed air is
ejected into the inflatable article for inflating the inflatable
article.
[0004] However, hermetically securing the cover 82 to the housing
81 by means of bolts 83 requires a long processing time and thus
reduces efficiency. In addition, forming the threaded holes through
the zinc alloy housing 81 is troublesome and time-consuming.
[0005] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides
an air pump cylinder to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The main object of the present invention is to provide an
air pump cylinder that can be easily and quickly assembled and
manufactured.
[0007] To achieve the foregoing objective, the air pump cylinder in
accordance with the present invention comprises a housing, an
O-ring and a cover. The housing includes a base tube and a
connecting tube. The base tube has a front end and a piston
chamber. The connecting tube is integrally formed on the front end
of the base tube and has an outer surface, a valve chamber and a
plurality of projections. The valve chamber communicates with the
piston chamber of the base tube. The projections extend from the
outer surface of the connecting tube. The O-ring is mounted around
the connecting tube of the housing. The cover is hermetically
engaged with the connecting tube of the housing and includes a cap.
The cap has a closed front, an annular sidewall, a receiving
chamber and a plurality of grooves. The annular sidewall has an
inner surface. The receiving chamber receives the connecting tube
of the housing and the O-ring. The grooves are formed in the inner
surface of the annular sidewall, correspond to the projections of
the connecting tube of the housing, and each groove has an axial
portion and a locking portion. The locking portion extends from and
communicates with a front end of the axial portion. The projections
of the connecting tube of the housing are disposed into the axial
portions of the grooves of the cap of the cover and the cover is
then rotated to make the projections engage the locking portions of
the grooves and to make the O-ring tightly clamped between the
connecting tube of the housing and the cap of the cover. Therefore,
the air pump cylinder can be easily and quickly assembled without
the use of bolts. Besides, threaded holes through the housing are
not required, thereby saving manufacturing time and cost.
[0008] 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
[0009] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an air
pump with an air pump cylinder in accordance with the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air pump with the air
pump cylinder in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a top view in partial section of the air pump with
the air pump cylinder in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the air pump
cylinder in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial enlarged top views of the air pump
with the air pump cylinder in FIG. 1 showing that the air pump is
pumping air; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a top view in partial section of a conventional
air pump in accordance with the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, an air pump cylinder 1 in
accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 10, an
O-ring 20 and a cover 30.
[0016] The housing 10 is made of plastic or alloy, is integrally
formed as one piece and includes a base tube 11, a connecting tube
12 and an interface wall 13. The base tube 11 has a front end, a
rear end 112 and a piston chamber 111. The piston chamber 111 is
defined in the base tube 11. A piston rod 60 is inserted in the
piston chamber 111 from the rear end 112. The connecting tube 12 is
formed on the front end of the base tube 11 and has an outer
surface, a valve chamber 121, and a plurality of projections 124.
The valve chamber 121 is defined in the connecting tube 12 for
receiving a valve 40 that includes a body 41 and a spring 42. The
projections 124 extend from the outer surface of the connecting
tube 12. The interface wall 13 is formed between the base tube 11
and the connecting tube 12 and has a center, a hole 131 and an
abutting surface 132. The hole 131 is formed through the center of
the interface wall 13 and communicates with the piston chamber 111
of the base tube 11 and the valve chamber 121 of the connecting
tube 12. The abutting surface 132 is formed around the hole 131.
The body 41 of the valve 40 abuts the abutting surface 132.
[0017] The O-ring 20 is made of a resilient material such as rubber
and is mounted around the connecting tube 12 of the housing 10.
[0018] The cover 30 is made of plastic or alloy, is integrally
formed as one piece, is hermetically engaged with the connecting
tube 12 of the housing 10 and includes a cap 31 and a joint 32. The
cap 31 has a closed front, an open rear, an annular sidewall, a
receiving chamber 311, a block 312 and a plurality of grooves 313.
The closed front has an inner surface and an outer surface. The
annular sidewall has an inner surface. The receiving chamber 311 is
defined between the closed front and the annular sidewall of the
cap 31 for receiving the connecting tube 12 of the housing 10 and
the O-ring 20. The block 312 extends from the inner surface of the
closed front. The spring 42 of the valve 40 is compressed between
the block 312 and the body 41 of the valve 40. The grooves 313 are
formed in the inner surface of the annular sidewall, correspond to
the projections 124 of the connecting tube 12 of the housing 10 and
each groove 313 has an axial portion and a locking portion 314. The
locking portion 314 extends from and communicates with a front end
of the axial portion. The projections 124 of the connecting tube 12
of the housing 10 are disposed into the axial portions of the
grooves 313 and the cover 30 is then rotated to make the
projections 124 engage the locking portions 314 of grooves 313 and
to make the O-ring 20 tightly clamped between the connecting tube
12 of the housing 10 and the cap 31 of the cover 30. The O-ring 20
creates a seal between the housing 10 and the cover 30. The O-ring
20 provides a resilient force to the housing 10 and the cover 30 so
that the housing 10 and the cover 30 are firmly connected to each
other. Besides, the compressed spring 42 provides a restoring force
to the housing 10 and the cover 30 to connect the housing 10 and
the cover 30 as well.
[0019] The joint 32 is formed on the outer surface of the closed
front of the cap 31 and has a passage 321. The passage 321 is
defined in the joint 32 and extends through the block 312 of the
cap 31 to communicate with the receiving chamber 311 of the cap 31.
The joint 32 is connected to one end of a pipe and the other end of
the pipe is connected to an inflatable article. Further, a pressure
gauge connector 33 is mounted on the annular sidewall of the cap
31, is connected to a pressure gauge and has an interior
communicating with the receiving chamber 311 of the cap 31.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting tube 12 of the
housing 10 has a cylindrical rear portion 123 and a cylindrical
front portion 122. The rear portion 123 extends from a front
surface of the interface wall 13 of the housing 10 and has a front
surface, an outer surface and an outer diameter. The projections
124 extend from the outer surface of the rear portion 123. The
front portion 122 has a cylindrical first step 126, a cylindrical
second step 125 and an annular step surface 127. The first step 126
extends from the front surface of the rear portion 123 and has a
front surface and an outer diameter. The outer diameter of the
first step 126 is smaller than the outer diameter of the rear
portion 123. The second step 125 extends from the front surface of
the first step 126 and has an outer diameter. The outer diameter of
the second step 125 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first
step 126. The step surface 127 is formed between the first step 126
and the second step 125.
[0021] The receiving chamber 311 of the cap 31 of the cover 30 has
a first tank 316, a second tank 315 and an annular step surface
317. The first tank 316 extends through the cap 31 from the open
rear and has an inner diameter. The inner diameter of the first
tank 316 corresponds to the outer diameter of the first step 126 of
the front portion 122. The second tank 315 extends through the cap
31, communicates with the first tank 316 and has an inner diameter.
The inner diameter of the second tank 315 corresponds to the outer
diameter of the second step 125 of the front portion 122. The step
surface 317 is formed between the first tank 316 and the second
tank 315 and corresponds to the step surface 127 of the front
portion 122. The O-ring 20 is mounted around the second step 125 of
the front portion 122, is disposed in the first tank 316 of the
receiving chamber 311 and is tightly clamped between the step
surface 127 of the front portion 122 and the step surface 317 of
the receiving chamber 311.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 4, the housing 10 has a recess 128
and the annular sidewall of the cap 31 of the cover 30 has a boss
318 engaging the recess 128 to ensure that the cover 30 does not
rotate relative to the housing 10. Preferably, the recess 128 is
formed in a periphery of the front surface of the interface wall 13
of the housing 10 and the boss 318 extends from a rear surface of
the annular sidewall of the cap 31 of the cover 30.
[0023] The air pump cylinder 1 in accordance with the present
invention can be easily and quickly assembled by rotating the cover
30 at a small angle relative to the housing 10 without the use of
bolts. Besides, threaded holes through the housing 10 are not
required, thereby saving manufacturing time and cost.
[0024] The air pump cylinder 1 in accordance with the present
invention is applied to an air pump that comprises a drive
mechanism. The drive mechanism may be manual or electric. The drive
mechanism as shown is electric and includes a motor 50 and a
gearing 51. In operation, the motor 50 drives the piston rod 60 to
move in a reciprocating motion in the piston chamber 111 of the
housing 10 via the gearing 51. With reference to FIG. 5, each time
a piston 61 of the piston rod 60 is moved toward the valve 40, air
is compressed by the piston 61. The compressed air pushes the body
41 against the restoring force of the spring 42 to open the hole
131 of the housing 10 and then ejects into the inflatable article
through the passage 321 of the cover 30 for inflating the
inflatable article. With reference to FIG. 6, each time the piston
61 of the piston rod 60 is moved away from the valve 40, a negative
pressure in the piston chamber 111 is generated so that ambient air
can flow into the piston chamber 111 through a gap between an outer
surface of the piston 61 and an inner surface of the base tube 11.
Thus, a pumping effect is achieved.
[0025] 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 features of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made
in the details, 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.
* * * * *