AU2003204023B1 - An Adaptor for use with an Air Brush and Liquid Container - Google Patents

Description

AN ADAPTOR FOR USE WITH AN AIR BRUSH AND LIQUID CONTAINER TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to adaptors and has particular relevance to adaptors for use with air brushes and liquid containers of the type commonly used by hobbyists, signwriters, artists and the like.

BACKGROUND ART Air brushes of the type to which the present invention relates are handheld and directly connected to a source of compressed air and a liquid for application such as a paint varnish or the like and could be described as miniature spray guns. Once appropriate adjustments have been made a trigger actuates the spraying process.

There are a number of suppliers of air brushes including the Badger Airbrush Co. of 9128 W. Belmont Ave., Franklin Park, IL 60131 in the United States of America.

There are also a number of different suppliers of paints and other liquids specifically for use with air brushes and to an extent a degree of standardisation and harmonisation between products.

Paints and other liquids for use with air brushes are generally provided in three standard sizes of lidded containers with the problem arising that if the user is not able to achieve synergy between equipment and the materials supplied repotting is required resulting in materials wastage and inconvenience.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adaptor for use with air brushes which enables users to couple different sizes of liquid containers to an air brush.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided an adaptor for use with an airbrush, the adaptor comprising: an elongate siphon tube having at a first end an airbrush coupling, and an external thread extending from the coupling towards the other end of the tube, and a container lid having a top wall and a peripheral skirt with an internal thread and a centrally positioned threaded boss in the top wall thereof, enabling the cap to be secured to the syphon tube beneath the coupling.

The container lid can be provided in varying sizes to suit varying sizes of container.

The airbrush coupling can comprise a coupling chamber engaged with the tube and an airbrush connecting tube extending at an angle from the coupling chamber.

The adaptor can be fabricated or moulded in a metal or plastics.

The thread in the boss of all caps matches the thread on the siphon tube.

The cap can be a moulded plastics cap and the boss can be formed integrally with the top wall of the cap.

The cap can be a metal cap and the boss can be welded to the top wall of the cap.

The adaptor may include a nut secured between the coupling and the container lid which enables the lid to be secured at variable spacings with respect to the coupling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Aspects of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a side view of a typical airbrush on a container as is known in the art, and FIGURE 2 is a side view of an adaptor and jar according to the present invention, and FIGURE 2a is a sectional view of the adaptor of Figure 2, and FIGURE 3 shows the adaptor of the present invention fitted to varying sizes of container, and FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional drawing of the adaptor of the present invention.

With respect to Figure 1 of the drawings in the known art an airbrush generally indicated by arrow 1 as mounted on a jar 2 containing a paint or other liquid via a cap 3.

The cap 3 has an adaptor 4 connected to a flexible syphon tube which extends into the interiors of the jar 2.

The air brush 1 has a spraying nozzle 6, a trigger control and adjustment device 7 and connection means 7a for connection to a compressor (not shown).

Because the liquids used come in containers of varying sizes the arrangement illustrated by Figure 1 often involves repotting to apply different paints and other liquids as they are required.

Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings illustrate an adaptor according to the present invention which comprises an elongate syphon tube 8 having at one end an air brush coupling generally indicated by arrow 9, an external threaded portion 10 which extends from the coupling 9 towards the other end of the tube.

The air brush coupling 9 is combined with a container lid generally indicated by arrow 11 having a top wall 12, a peripheral internally threaded skirt 13 and a centrally positioned threaded boss 14.

The thread 10 of the tube 8 extends partially down the tube, through the boss and unites with the air brush coupling 9 in the manner illustrated.

The syphon tube 8, the coupling 9, the lid 11 and the nut may be fabricated or moulded in plastics or metals or a combination of these materials.

The container lid can be provided in varying widths A, B and C to suit different sizes of containers as indicated by Figure 3 to suit varying sized containers.

The air brush coupling 9 is provided with a dome shaped coupling chamber 9a and an air brush connecting tube 9b.

4 Depending on the chosen method of manufacture and material selections the boss 14 may comprise upper and lower sections 14a and 14b or the boss can be moulded into the top wall of the lid.

A knurled nut 15 can be positioned between the coupling 9 and the boss 14 or as indicated in figures 2 and 2a beneath the boss 14 and the underside of the lid 11. The nut enables the lid to be locked in a chosen position relative to the coupling to cater for various sizes of container.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that modification and additions thereto may be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. An adaptor for use with an airbrush, the adaptor comprising: an elongate siphon tube having at one end an airbrush coupling and an external thread extending from the coupling towards the other end of the tube, and a container lid having a top wall and a peripheral skirt with an internal thread and a centrally positioned threaded boss in the top wall thereof, enabling the cap to be secured to the syphon tube beneath the coupling.

2. An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container lid is provided in varying sizes to suit varying sizes of container.

3. An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the airbrush coupling comprises a coupling chamber engaged with the tube and an airbrush connecting tube extending at an angle from the coupling chamber.

4. An adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 fabricated or moulded in a metal or plastics.

An adaptor as claimed in any on of claims 2 to 4 wherein the thread in the boss of all caps matches the thread on the siphon tube.

6. An adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the cap is a moulded plastics cap and the boss if formed integrally with the top wall of the cap.

7. An adaptor as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5 wherein the cap is a metal cap and the boss is welded on the top wall of the cap.

8. An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 including a nut secured between the coupling and container lid which enables the lid to b secured at variable spacings with respect to the coupling.

9. An adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A container lid for an adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 and substantially as hereindescribed with reference to figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings. I 6 accompanying drawings. DATED this sixth day of May 2003 CHRISTOPHER HAIG MILLER and DAVID JOHN DOUBLEDAY By their Patent Attorneys Cullen Co.