Apparatus for sealing and/or inflating objects and self-closing screw coupling

Abstract

An apparatus for sealing and/or inflating objects, in particular vehicle tires, having a housing (1) in which a gas pressure source, in particular a compressed air source, is accommodated, and having a container with sealant which can be coupled to the housing via coupling means (18,20) provided at the container, on the one hand, and at the housing, on the other hand, to establish a state of use,wherein at least two different coupling means (9,10) are provided at the housing for reducing the manufacturing costs which are each configured in order to cooperate with corresponding coupling means (18, 20) of one of at least two types of containers which differ from one another with respect to the design of their coupling means.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sealing and/or inflating vehicle tires, having a housing (1) in which a gas pressure source is accommodated, and having a container with sealant which can be coupled to the housing (1) via a first coupling means (18) and a second coupling means (20) provided at the container for establishing a state of use, characterized in that at least two different coupling means, which are a third coupling means (9) and a fourth coupling means (10), are provided at the housing (1), the first coupling means (18) corresponds to one of at least two types of containers which differ from one another with respect to the design of their coupling means (18, 20), the second coupling means (20) corresponds to another one of the at least two types of containers, the third coupling means (9) is configured to cooperate with the second coupling means (20) and not with the first coupling means (18), and the fourth coupling means (10) is configured to cooperate with the first coupling means (18) and not with the second coupling means (20).

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the at least two different coupling means (9, 10) are provided in the same region (7) of the housing (1).

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the at least two different coupling means (9, 10) are provided in the region of a common connection section (7) of the housing (1) for the different containers, which connection section (7) also serves for the connection of the container to the gas pressure source.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the connection section (7) is configured as a cut-out in the housing (1).

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the cut-out is configured as an indentation (8) at a marginal side of the housing (1).

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the at least two different coupling means (9, 10, 21) comprise common parts (21).

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the first or second coupling means (18, 20) of at least one container type is formed in an extraction unit (13) of the container in which extraction unit the gas inlet (15) and/or the outlet (16) of the container is/are provided.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that only the extraction units (13) of the containers differ from one another.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the third coupling means (9, 10) comprise at least one type of latch hook (9).

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the third and fourth coupling means comprise two flexible latch hooks (9) which cooperate with a peripheral section (20) of the container or of an extraction unit (13) of the container.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the at least two different coupling means comprise at least one type of cut-out (10).

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the cut-outs (10) cooperate with latch hooks (18) which are provided at a peripheral section (20) of the container or of an extraction unit (13) of the container.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the container has a gas inlet (15) which is provided with a plug-in coupling which can be coupled to a corresponding connector stub (12) of the gas pressure source.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the container has a gas inlet (15) which can be coupled via a hose (17) to a gas outlet of the gas pressure source.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the housing (1) is formed as a flat parallelepiped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and will be described in the following. There are shown, schematically in each case

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of the housing of the gas pressure source of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 the housing of FIG. 1 with an inserted extraction unit of a container of a first type; and

(4) FIG. 3 the housing of FIG. 1 with an inserted extraction unit of a container of a second type.

(5) FIG. 4 a side view of a screw coupling in accordance with the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 a longitudinal section through the screw coupling of FIG. 4; and

(7) FIG. 6 an exploded representation of the screw coupling of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(8) The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a housing 1 in which a gas pressure source, in particular a compressor, is accommodated which can, however, not be seen in the drawings.

(9) The housing is configured as a flat parallelepiped with a substantially rectangular upper side 2, a lower side 3 of the same design and four narrow side walls 4.

(10) A display apparatus 5, in particular a pressure display, and an actuation button 6, in particular a depressurization button, are indicated at the upper side 2.

(11) In a corner region, the housing 1 is provided with a cut-out 7 which comprises a U-shaped indentation 8. The U-shaped indentation 8 serves for the introduction of a corresponding coupling section of the associated container types.

(12) It is provided with two types of coupling means for the coupling of containers of two different types, namely, on the one hand, to two mutually oppositely arranged latch hooks 9 and, on the other hand, to two likewise mutually oppositely disposed latch recesses 10.

(13) Both the latch hooks 9 and the latch recesses 10 are arranged in the region of the two limbs 8a, 8b of the U-shaped indentation 8, with the latch hooks 9 being located above the latch recesses 10.

(14) The cut-out 7 is not only configured as a common connection section for the coupling of containers of two different types, but also as a connection section for coupling the gas outlet of the gas pressure source located in the housing 1 to the gas inlet of an associated container.

(15) For this purpose, an opening 11 toward the interior of the housing 1 is provided in the rear end region of the indentation 8 and a connector stub 12 of the gas inlet of the gas pressure source extends into said opening. A correspondingly formed plug-in coupling which is provided at the gas inlet of an associated container can be coupled to the connector stub 12.

(16) The arrangement is provided in this respect such that the coupling between the connector stub 12 and the associated plug-in coupling takes place simultaneously with the latching of latch hooks provided at a container into the latch recesses 10.

(17) It is thus ensured that the gas connection to the container is simultaneously also established with a latched container.

(18) In the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the gas inlet and the outlet of the container with sealant are each formed in an extraction unit 13.

(19) While the containers of both embodiment variants not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be of the same design as one another and can, for example, be screwed via a neck provided with an external thread into a cylindrical recess 24 of the extraction unit 13 formed with a corresponding internal thread, the two extraction units 13 of the two embodiments of FIG. 2 are different from one another.

(20) The extraction units 13 of the two embodiment variants of FIGS. 2 and 3 also have the coupling means for coupling the container to the housing 1 of the gas pressure source beside the gas inlet and the outlet for the containers.

(21) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the gas inlet 15 and the outlet 16 of the extraction unit 13 are provided at mutually remote sides of the extraction unit 13. They are therefore arranged at an angle of 180 degrees with respect to one another and face away from one another.

(22) The gas inlet 15 is configured in this embodiment as a plug-in coupling which can be coupled to the connector stub 12 of the gas pressure source. The outlet 16 is configured as a hose connection to which a commercial hose can be connected whose other end can be connected to a tire valve, in particular via a so-called VG8 coupling.

(23) In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the gas inlet 15 and the outlet 16 are provided at the extraction unit 13 at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to one another. The gas inlet 15 is here configured as a hose connection to which a compressed gas hose 17 can be connected whose other end is or can be connected to the gas pressure source in the housing 1.

(24) For this purpose, the gas pressure source has a suitable gas outlet which is not shown in the drawings and to which the compressed gas hose 17 can be or is connected.

(25) The outlet 16 of the extraction unit 13 is configured in this embodiment as a hose connection again to which a hose of a conventional kind leading to a tire can be connected.

(26) The coupling means provided at the extraction units 13 of the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 for the coupling of the container to the housing 1 are likewise configured differently from one another.

(27) The coupling means of the embodiment of FIG. 2 cooperate with the latch recesses 10 of the connection section 7 of the housing 1. For this purpose, the coupling means of the extraction unit 13 are configured as resilient latch hooks 18 which are attached to two sides of the extraction unit 13 which face away from one another and which are each disposed opposite the lambs 8a and 8b of the U-shaped indentation 8 with an extraction unit 13 introduced into the connection section 7.

(28) The resilient latch hooks 18 each have an extension 19 which respectively project outwardly beyond the housing 1 with an extraction unit 13 inserted into the connection section 7 of the housing 1 and are configured as gipping elements. The latch hooks 18 can be unlatched from the cut-outs 10 by moving the two extensions 19 toward one another to release the extraction unit 13, and with it the sealant container, from the housing 1. This can be done, for example, by pressing together the two extensions 19 between the thumb and index finger.

(29) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the latch hooks 9 cooperate with the extraction unit 13 in the limb region 8a, 8b of the U-shaped indentation 8.

(30) The extraction unit 13 has for this purpose a cylindrical section 20 which is comprised of and engaged behind by the two latch hooks 9 with an extraction unit 13 inserted into the connection section 7.

(31) The latch hooks 9 and/or the cylindrical section 20 of the extraction unit 13 have such an elasticity that a snap-in connection results between the extraction unit 13 and the latch hook 9. The extraction unit 13 can accordingly again be released from the housing 1 against the snap-in force.

(32) As can in particular be recognized in FIG. 1, the latch hooks 9 are extended inwardly away from the margin of the housing 1 in the manner of a rib 21 in each case. These ribs 21 with corresponding grooves 22 1 at the extraction unit 13 can serve for guiding the extraction unit 13 on the coupling with and decoupling from the housing.

(33) In addition, the ribs 21 together with the associated grooves 22 prevent a relative movement between the extraction unit 13 and the housing 1 differing from the coupling movement or decoupling movement.

(34) The extraction unit 13 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 can also be provided with corresponding grooves 22 which cooperate with the ribs 21 although the latch hooks 9 for the coupling of the extraction unit 13 of this embodiment do not have any meaning.

(35) The screw coupling shown in FIGS. 4-6 comprises a screw head 101, a hose connector piece 102 rotatably connected to the screw head 101 about a longitudinal axis I and a valve 104 arranged in a throughflow passage 103 of the screw coupling and having a spring 105 and a closure part 106 configured as a plunger.

(36) As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spring 105 is formed in one piece with the closure part 106, and indeed in particular from plastic. The closure part 106 has a disk-shaped section 106a and a cylindrical section 106b with a reduced diameter.

(37) As can likewise be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spring 105 has a double helix and is accommodated in a radially expanded section 107 in a receiver 107a of the hose connector piece 102. It can likewise be recognized that the outer diameter of the spring 105 is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical section 106b of the closure part 106. It can in particular be recognized in FIG. 6 that the closure part 106 is provided with three axially extending ribs 108 at the jacket surface of its cylindrical section 106b.

(38) An end surface of the disk-shaped section 106a of the closure part 106 remote from the double helix of the spring 105 is configured as a sealing surface 109 of the valve 104. The counter-surface of the valve, the valve seat, is formed at the oppositely disposed inner surface 110 of the screw head 101.

(39) A sealing ring 111 by which the sealing effect is increased is arranged between the end surface 109 and the counter-surface 110. The sealing effect is likewise increased in that the counter-surface 110 is inclined relative to the center longitudinal axis I of the screw coupling, as can in particular be recognized in FIG. 5.

(40) A linear contact thereby results along a circular line between the sealing surfaces 108, 110 or between the seal 111 and the counter-surface 110.

(41) It can above all in turn be recognized in FIG. 5 that the screw head 101 completely receives the expanded section 107 of the hose connector piece 102 in the assembled state of the screw coupling. For this purpose, the screw head 101 has a cup-shaped cut-out 112 at its side facing the hose connector piece 102, in which cut-out the expanded section 107 of the hose connector piece 102 is inserted with small clearance.

(42) The screw head 101 and the hose connector piece 102 are in this respect secured via a latch connection with respect to an unintentional release.

(43) For this purpose, the screw head 101 is provided in the region of its cut-out 112 with a plurality of, for example three, radially inwardly projecting latch hooks which are not shown in the drawing.

(44) The latch hooks engage into an oppositely disposed peripheral groove 113 which is provided in the outer surface 114 of the expanded section 107 of the hose connector piece 102. The latch hooks are in particular resilient so that the screw head 101 can easily be pushed onto the expanded section 107 and, if desired, can also be released from it again.

(45) At its side remote from the hose connector piece 102, the screw head 101 is in another respect provided with an internal thread 115, for example with a VG8 thread, to be able to screwed onto a typical tire valve.

(46) The screwing on is facilitated by an introduction chamfer 116 at the end face of the screw head 101 remote from the hose connector piece 102.

(47) Finally, the screw head 101 has, as can in particular be recognized in FIG. 6, longitudinal grooves 117 arranged distributed over the outer periphery on its outer peripheral surface 118 to facilitate a rotation of the screw head 101 with respect to the hose connector piece 102. A screw coupling is thus provided overall which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble and simple to handle.

(48) For assembly, the spring 105 with the closure part 106 is inserted into the receiver 107a and the seal 111 is inserted into the receiver 112. The screw head 101 is then pushed over the hose connector piece 102, with the three latch hooks latching into the groove 113.

(49) On connecting the screw coupling to a tire valve, the closure part 106 biased with respect to the valve seat 110 by the spring 105 is pushed through the valve body of the tire valve in the direction of the hose connector piece 102.

(50) The disk-shaped section 106a of the closure part 106 thereby raises from the valve seat 110 and releases a through-flow cross-section for the sealant or compressed air.

(51) On the removal of the screw coupling from the tire valve, the closure part 106 is again biased with respect to the valve seat 110 by the spring 105 and the screw coupling is sealed.

(52) An increased pressure action arises by the inclination of the valve seat toward the center longitudinal axis I of the screw coupling and thereby a good sealing even with a relatively small spring force. A small spring is thereby sufficient.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(53) 1 housing

(54) 2 upper side of 1

(55) 3 lower side of 1

(56) 4 narrow side of 1

(57) 5 display apparatus

(58) 6 actuating button

(59) 7 connection section

(60) 8 U-shaped cut-out

(61) 8a limb of 8

(62) 8a limb of 8

(63) 9 latch hook

(64) 10 latch recess

(65) 11 opening

(66) 12 connector stub

(67) 13 extraction unit

(68) 14 recess

(69) 15 gas inlet

(70) 16 outlet

(71) 17 compressed air hose

(72) 18 latch hook

(73) 19 extension of 18

(74) 20 cylindrical section

(75) 21 rib

(76) 22 groove

(77) 101 screw head

(78) 102 hose connector piece

(79) 103 throughflow passage

(80) 104 valve

(81) 105 spring

(82) 106 closure part

(83) 106a disk-shaped section of 6

(84) 106b cylindrical section of 6

(85) 107 expanded section of 2

(86) 107a receiver

(87) 108 rib

(88) 109 sealing surface of 6

(89) 110 sealing surface of 1/valve seat

(90) 111 seal

(91) 112 receiver

(92) 113 groove

(93) 114 outer peripheral surface of 7

(94) 115 internal thread

(95) 116 introduction chamfer

(96) 117 longitudinal groove

(97) 118 outer peripheral surface of 1

(98) I center longitudinal axis