WO2001026751A1

WO2001026751A1 - Device for inflating or deflating bodies

Info

Publication number: WO2001026751A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/003777
Authority: WO
Inventors: Susan Roberts
Original assignee: Susan Roberts
Priority date: 1999-10-08
Filing date: 2000-10-03
Publication date: 2001-04-19
Also published as: GB9923709D0; AU7540800A

Abstract

A pneumatic device (30) is provided for inflating and deflating leisure inflatables (31) in the form of an elongate tubular member (11) having one end (12) adapted to be sealingly inserted in a valve (36) of the inflatable (31) and having a mouthpiece (14) at the distal end. The mouthpiece (14) may be a second tubular member (14) attached to the elongate tubular member (11) at the distal end to form a T-shape. Alternatively the mouthpiece may be a cup-shaped member (21), of circular or oval form. The one end (12) is chamfered, and the chamfer angle may be between 30° and 60°, preferably 45°. The pneumatic device (30) may be of a plastics or of a rubber material, and the elongate tubular member (11) and the mouthpiece (14) may be moulded integrally.

Description

DEVICE FOR INFLATING OR DEFLATING BODIES

This invention relates to pneumatic devices, and in particular to devices for inflating and deflating leisure inflatables.

It is customary for people to use inflatables for leisure purposes, for example inflatable airbeds, beach balls, small boats, pillows, cushions, arm bands, swimming rings, swimming pool 'toys' and the like. There are many devices available for inflating such equipment, ranging from compressor devices, bicycle pumps and other hand operated pumps. However compressor devices are costly, and even in the case of inexpensive hand operated devices it is often inconvenient to transport such pumping devices to the beach or poolside together with all of the other equipment also considered to be desirable to have to hand. In addition such pumping devices are often difficult to connect to the inflatable and/or difficult or tedious to operate. In consequence, it is very often the case that a person will inflate the inflatable by mouth. It is difficult to inflate many inflatables by mouth without air escaping when one draws breath or has fully inflated the inflatable. Furthermore it is not hygienic for someone to inflate an inflatable by mouth after another person did so on a previous occasion, and there is always the disadvantage that sand or other substance may be present on the mouthpiece of the inflatable. In addition, since the valve of the inflatable usually has to be squeezed in order to deflate the inflatable after the period of its use has finished, it is often tedious to do this.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive pneumatic device that is readily transported and overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of inflating by mouth and deflating.

The invention provides a pneumatic device comprising an elongate tubular member having one end thereof adapted to be sealingly inserted in a valve of an inflatable and having a mouthpiece at the distal end.

The mouthpiece may be a second tubular member attached to the elongate tubular member at the distal end to form a T-shape therewith. Alternatively the mouthpiece may be a cup- shaped member, which may be of circular or oval form.

The one end may be chamfered, and the chamfer angle may be between 30° and 60°, preferably substantially 45°. The pneumatic device may be of a plastics or of a rubber material, and the elongate tubular member and the mouthpiece may be moulded integrally.

The pneumatic device may also comprise an attachment device whereby it may be attached to an inflatable or other article. The attachment device may comprise a key ring.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a second embodiment, and Fig.3 shows a third embodiment in situ in the valve of an inflatable.

Referring now to Fig. 1 , there is shown a pneumatic device 10 comprising an elongate tubular member 11. At one end 12 the tubular member 11 is chamfered for a reason explained below at an angle of between 30° and 60°, preferably substantially 45° as shown. At the distal end 13 of the tubular member 11 is a mouthpiece 14 in the form of a second tubular member. The second tubular member 14 has its ends sealed to prevent air escaping therefrom. The tubular member 11 extends through the mouthpiece 14 so that air can be directed through the open distal end 13 to the one end 12. The elongate and second tubular members 11 ,14 may be of a plastics or rubber material, which may conveniently be moulded integrally.

In Fig. 2 there is shown an alternative embodiment of pneumatic device 20. The device 20 also comprises an elongate tubular member 11 having one end 12 chamfered as above described in relation to device 10. In this embodiment the mouthpiece 21 at the distal end 13 of the tubular member 11 is in the form of a cup which may be circular or oval in plan view.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown a pneumatic device 30 in place to inflate an inflatable 31. The pneumatic device 30 differs from device 10 only in that an attachment device 32 is incorporated with it. The attachment device 32 comprises a loop 33 moulded to the tubular member 11 , to which loop 33 is attached a chain 34 and a key ring 35. The inflatable 31 has a valve 36 comprising a tube 37 extending outwardly from and usually moulded into the wall 38 of the inflatable 31. At the inner end of the tube 37 is a flap 39 which, when the inflatable 31 is inflated, is kept by the air pressure within the inflatable 31 in sealing engagement with the end of the tube 37. At the outer end 40 of the tube 37 there is moulded a flexible retaining link 41 to which is attached a plug 42 to seal the outer end 40 whilst the inflatable 31 is inflated. During a normal inflation procedure, whether by means of known devices or by mouth, a greater air pressure is applied to the interior of the tube 37 to cause the flap 39 to deflect to the position shown in Fig. 3. However, in this case, the pneumatic device 30 is inserted into the tube 37 just sufficiently so that the chamfered end 12 causes a small deflection of the flap 39. The tubular member 11 is adapted to be in sealing engagement with the tube 37, there generally being a limited number of standard sizes of valve tubes 37 used with the inflatables described above. With the mouthpiece 14 in the mouth, air may be blown into the inflatable 31 via the tubular member 11 and the opening 43 caused by the deflected flap 39. Either one's finger or tongue may be used to seal the distal end 13 when taking breath before continuing inflation, with the mouthpiece 14 remaining in the mouth throughout. On completion of the inflation the pneumatic device 30 is removed and the plug 42 replaced in the tube 37. This results in the flexible retaining link 41 forming a closed loop, to which the pneumatic device 30 may be attached using the key ring 35. Alternatively the pneumatic device 30 may be put in one's pocket or handbag for safekeeping.

By means of the invention there is provided a pneumatic device which is readily transportable. It is of such low cost that each person may have one or differing sized ones to be used with differing sized valves. This enables one to avoid putting in the mouth something which has been in another person's mouth. In any event the pneumatic device of the invention may be readily cleaned if shared amongst several people. In addition it can be kept free from sand and other contaminants.

To deflate the inflatable 31 , the pneumatic device 10, 20 or 30 is simply inserted into the valve tube 37 without placing the mouthpiece 14, 21 in the mouth. This avoids the need to maintain the tube 37 squeezed in order to deflect the flap 39, thus rendering the deflation process quicker and therefore less tedious.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A pneumatic device comprising an elongate tubular member having one end thereof adapted to be sealingly inserted in a valve of an inflatable and having a mouthpiece at the distal end.

2. A pneumatic device according to claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece is a second tubular member attached to the elongate tubular member at the distal end to form a T-shape therewith.

3. A pneumatic device according to claim 1 , wherein the mouthpiece is a cup-shaped member.

4. A pneumatic device according to claim 3, wherein the cup-shaped member is of circular form.

5. A pneumatic device according to claim 3, wherein the cup-shaped member is of oval form.

6. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the one end is chamfered.

7. A pneumatic device according to claim 6, wherein the chamfer angle is between 30° and 60°.

8. A pneumatic device according to claim 7, wherein the chamfer angle is substantially 45°.

9. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, of a plastics material.

10. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, of a rubber material.

11. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, of metal.

12. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 9 to 11 , wherein the elongate tubular member and the mouthpiece are moulded integrally.

13. A pneumatic device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, also comprising an attachment device whereby it may be attached to an inflatable or other article.

14. A pneumatic device according to claim 13, wherein the attachment device comprises a key ring.

15. A pneumatic device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.