Coupler of grease gun

Abstract

A coupler connected a hose of a grease gun includes a body having a path defined therethrough. A check valve unit and a sealing unit are located in the body. The check valve includes a spring which biases the sealing unit. A groove is defined in an outer surface of the body. A socket is mounted to the body and multiple pawls are received in the socket. The pawls each have a first end engaged with the groove, and a second end of each pawl is controlled to be connected to a fitting member. The socket has a flange extending from the inner periphery. The second ends of the pawls removably contact the flange. A trigger is pivotably connected to the body and drives the socket which is moved by pivoting the trigger so as to control the pawls to engaged with or release the fitting member.

Claims

1. A coupler for connection of a hose of a grease gun, comprising: a body having a first part and a second part, the first part having a path defined therethrough, the second part having an axial passage and mounted to a front end of the first part, a check valve unit and a sealing unit located in the body, the check valve unit having a spring which biases the sealing unit, a groove defined in an outer surface of the second part; a socket mounted to the second part and having a flange extending from an inner periphery, multiple pawls received in the socket, each pawl having a first end engaged with the groove, a second end of each pawl removably contacting the flange so as to be connected to a fitting member; a trigger pivotably connected to the body, two links connected between the trigger and the socket, each link having a first end thereof connected to one side of the trigger, each link having a second end thereof pivotably connected to one side of the socket, when the trigger is pivoted away from the body, the socket is adapted to move toward the fitting member, the pawls are opened and disengaged from the fitting member, when the trigger is pivoted toward the body, the socket is adapted to move away from the fitting member, the pawls are closed and engaged with the fitting member, when the coupler is adapted to be connected to the fitting member, the spring pushes the sealing unit which contacts against the fitting member, wherein the pawls remain within the socket in both the open and closed positions of the socket.

2. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the check valve unit includes a ball which is biased by the spring to seal a cone-shaped outlet of the path.

3. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second part includes a tapered portion defined in an outer surface thereof, the tapered portion is located corresponding to the pawls.

4. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part includes two flat faces, the trigger includes two flexible urging members which are located corresponding to the flat faces, the urging members position the trigger to the body when the pawls are adapted to be engaged with the fitting member.

5. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pawls each have a hooking end.

6. The coupler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing unit includes a metal housing and a rubber part which is received in the metal housing, the rubber part includes a passage which axially communicates with the path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows the grease gun with the coupler of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the coupler of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the coupler of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 shows that the fitting member is engaged with the pawls of the coupler of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 shows an end view of the coupler of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 6 shows that the trigger of the coupler of the present invention is operated;

(7) FIG. 7 shows that the pawls are released and the fitting member is to be connected to the coupler of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view to show a conventional coupler, and

(9) FIG. 9 shows another conventional coupler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(10) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the coupler A of the present invention is connected a hose 51 of a grease gun 5, and comprises a body 1 having a first part 100 and a second part 101, wherein the first part 100 has a path 10 defined therethrough, and the second part 101 has an axial passage and mounted to the front end of the first part 100. A check valve unit 11 and a sealing unit 12 are located in the body 1. The check valve unit 11 includes a spring 111 and a ball 112, wherein the spring 111 is biased between the sealing unit 12 and the ball 112. The ball 112 is biased by the spring 111 to seal a cone-shaped outlet 101 of the path 10. A groove 14 is defined in the outer surface of the second part 101, and the second part 101 includes a tapered portion 13 defined in the outer surface thereof. The sealing unit 12 includes a metal housing 121 and a rubber part 122 which is received in the metal housing 121. The rubber part 122 includes a passage which axially communicates with the path 10. When the coupler A is connected to the fitting member c, the spring 111 biases the rubber part 122 to seal the inlet of the fitting member c.

(11) A socket 3 is mounted to the second part 101 and has a flange 31 extending from the inner periphery. Multiple pawls 2 are received in the socket 3, and each pawl 2 has a first end formed as a hooking end 21 which is engaged with the groove 14, and a second end of each pawl 2 removably contacts the flange 31 so as to be connected to a fitting member. The tapered portion 13 is located corresponding to the pawls 2.

(12) A trigger 4 is pivotably connected to the body 1 at the pivotal position 40, at least one link 41 is connected between the trigger 4 and the socket 3. In this embodiment, there are two links 41 used. It is noted that the first part 100 includes two flat faces 15, and the trigger 4 includes two flexible urging members 42 which are made by elastic rubber and located corresponding to the fat faces 15. The urging members 42 extend through the holes of the links and the trigger as shown in FIG. 5 and position the trigger 4 to the body 1 when the pawls 2 are engaged with the fitting member.

(13) As shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, when connecting the coupler A to the fitting member c, the user pivots the trigger 4 forward, the trigger 4 pivots about the pivotal position 40 counter clockwise, and drives the socket forward by the connection of the links 41. The gap between the pawls 2 and the inside of the socket 3 becomes large enough to allow the fitting member to be fit into the coupler A. The fitting member drives the hooking ends 21 of the pawls 2 to move outward until the end face of the fitting member contacts the sealing unit 12.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the user then pivots the trigger backward, the trigger 4 pivots about the pivotal position 40 clockwise, and drives the socket 3 backward by the connection of the links 41, and the flange 31 contacts the second ends of the Thanks the tapered portion 13 of the second part 101, the pawls 2 gradually move inward. When the trigger 4 is pivoted to its extreme position, the urging members 42 clamp the two flat faces 15 to position the trigger 4. The pawls 2 are engaged with the fitting member c. Therefore, the user can operate the grease gun by both of his/her hands, the grease passes through the hose 51, the path 10 of the coupler A, the fitting member c and is introduced into the machine to be lubricated.

(15) As shown in FIG. 7, after the greasing operation is finished, the user pivots the trigger 4 forward again to move the hooking ends 21 outward so that the coupler A is able to be separated from the fitting member c, and the sealing unit 12 moves back to its initial position.

(16) While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.