INFLATION BULB

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an inflation bulb, and more particularly relates to an inflation blub that is suitable to be disposed in a wearable device.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional inflation bulb is used to inflate objects such as inflatable cushions placed in air cushion shoes or body braces, or other inflatable devices. The conventional inflation bulb has a bulb body, an adapter, and an inflation nozzle connected to and selectively communicating with the bulb and the adapter. The bulb body is made of an elastic material such as rubber to store air. The adapter is connected to and communicates with an inflatable object. The inflation nozzle is disposed between the bulb body and the adapter and selectively communicates with the bulb body and the adapter. To inflate the inflatable object with the conventional inflation bulb, the bulb body is squeezed to push air that is stored in the bulb body to flow into the adapter via the inflation nozzle.

For ease of use, the conventional inflation bulb may be connected to an inflatable object and placed in a wearable device. Whereby, it is convenient that a user can directly press the conventional inflation bulb in the wearable device to inflate the inflatable cushion inside the wearable device. However, the wearable device, e.g. a leg brace, is curved or flexible to fit the human body. When the wearable device is worn on the user's body, only a side of the bulb body facing away from the leg can be pressed by the user. The conventional inflation bulb disposed in the wearable device is prone to deformation and the inflation nozzle is easily blocked when the wearable device is worn on the user's body. Consequently, when the wearable device is worn on the user's body, the inflation nozzle may not be opened while the bulb body is being pressed, so air stored inside the bulb body is easily blocked and cannot successfully flow into the adapter. The inflatable object disposed in the wearable device cannot be successfully inflated while the wearable device is worn by the user. The user may need to take off the wearable device and then squeezes the conventional inflation bulb for inflating the inflatable object.

Therefore, the present invention provides an inflation bulb to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an inflation bulb that is suitable to be disposed in a wearable device to inflate an inflatable object placed inside the wearable device while the wearable device is worn by a user.

The inflation bulb comprises a body, two gas nozzles, and a deflation valve. The body has an upper membrane, a lower membrane connected to the upper membrane, a bulb chamber formed between the upper membrane and the lower membrane, an outlet chamber formed between the upper membrane and the lower membrane and spaced apart from the bulb chamber, and two ventilating ducts. The two ventilating ducts are located between the bulb chamber and the outlet chamber, are arranged side by side, are separated from each other, and individually communicate with the bulb chamber and the outlet chamber.

The two gas nozzles are respectively disposed in the two ventilating ducts between the bulb chamber and the outlet chamber. Each gas nozzle includes two valve slices aligned with and overlapping with each other, and selectively separated from each other to form an air passage between the two valve slices and communicating with the bulb chamber and the outlet chamber. Each valve slice has a first end being triangular and extending into the bulb chamber. The deflation valve is connected to the body and selectively communicates with the outlet chamber.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflation bulb in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom side view of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view in partial section of the inflation bulb across line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view in partial section of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an end side view in partial section of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an inflatable-operational side view in partial section of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged deflating-operational side view in partial section of the inflation bulb in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, an inflation bulb in accordance with the present invention has a body 10, an intake valve 20, two gas nozzles 30, and a deflation valve 40.

With reference to FIGS. 1, and 3 to 6, the body 10 is compressible and comprises an upper membrane 11, a lower membrane 13, a bulb chamber 12, an outlet chamber 14, two ventilating ducts 16, and a vent 18. The upper membrane 11 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber. The lower membrane 13 may be made of plastic and is connected to the upper membrane 11. A periphery of the lower membrane 13 is securely connected to a periphery of the upper membrane 11 to form the bulb chamber 12 and the outlet chamber 14 between the upper membrane 11 and the lower membrane 13 and spaced apart from each other. The two ventilating ducts 16 are located between the bulb chamber 12 and the outlet chamber 14, are arranged side by side, are separated from each other by a separating wall 15, and individually communicate with the bulb chamber 12 and the outlet chamber 14. The vent 18 communicates with the outlet chamber 14, is located away from the bulb chamber 12, and is adapted for being connected to and communicating with an inflatable object via a tube.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, the intake valve 20 is securely mounted to the bottom of the lower membrane 13. The intake valve 20 selectively communicates with the bulb chamber 12 to allow outside air to flow into the bulb chamber 12 via the intake valve 20 and to prevent air stored inside the bulb chamber 12 from flowing out of the bulb chamber 12 through the intake valve 20. The intake valve 20 has multiple protrusions 213 spaced from each other, located out of the body 10, facing away from the lower membrane 13, and protruding from a bottom of the intake valve 20. Whereby, a space can be formed between the bottom of the intake valve 20 and a face on which the protrusions 213 abut to allow air to easily flow into the intake valve 20 via the space.

Specifically, the intake valve 20 has a holding mount 21 and a sealing slice 23. The holding mount 21 is securely connected to the lower membrane 13, extends into the bulb chamber 12, and has an inlet channel 22 and a mounting cavity 24. The inlet channel 22 is formed through a bottom of the holding mount 21. The mounting cavity 24 is formed in a top of the holding mount 21, and fluidly communicates with the bulb chamber 12 and the inlet channel 22. A diameter of the inlet channel 22 is smaller than a diameter of the mounting cavity 24. The multiple protrusions 213 protrude from the bottom of the holding mount 21 and are arranged around the inlet channel 22 to provide a space for air flowing into the inlet channel 22 from the bottom of the holding mount 21.

The sealing slice 23 is movably mounted in the mounting cavity 24 of the holding mount 21, and is held in the mounting cavity 24 without separating from the holding mount 21. A diameter of the sealing slice 23 is larger than the diameter of the inlet channel 22 of the holding mount 21 and is smaller than the diameter of the mounting cavity 24. When the upper membrane 11 is pressed by a user's hand, the bulb chamber 12 is squeezed, and the sealing slice 23 is pushed by air inside the bulb chamber 12. The sealing slice 23 blocks the inlet channel 22 of the holding mount 21 to prevent air inside the bulb chamber 12 from flowing out of the bulb chamber 12 via the inlet channel 22 of the holding mount 21. In addition, when the upper membrane 11 is released and restores, outside air flows into the bulb chamber 12 via the inlet channel 22 and the mounting cavity 24 to push the sealing slice 23 to move to open the inlet channel 22 to communicate with the mounting cavity 24.

With reference to FIGS. 2 to 6, the two gas nozzles 30 are respectively disposed in the two ventilating ducts 16 between the bulb chamber 12 and the outlet chamber 14. Each gas nozzle 30 includes two valve slices 31, 32 disposed within a corresponding ventilating duct 16, aligned with and overlapping with each other. The two valve slices 31, 32 of each gas nozzle 30 are selectively separated from each other to form an air passage therebetween and communicating with the bulb chamber 12 and the outlet chamber 14. Each valve slice 31/32 has a first end 311/321 being triangular and extending into the bulb chamber 12 and a second end 312/322 being rectangular and extending into the outlet chamber 14.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 8, the deflation valve 40 is connected to the body 10 and selectively communicates with the outlet chamber 14. The deflation valve 40 has a valve body 41, a spring 42, and a cover 43. The valve body 41 is made of metal, is movable relative to the body 10 and is slidable to close or open the deflation valve 40.

The spring 42 is mounted around the valve body 41 and provides a force to push the valve body 41 to move away from the outlet chamber 14 to close the deflation valve 40. The cover 43 is made of plastic and detachably covers the valve body 41 to close the deflation valve 40. When the valve body 41 is pressed downwardly, the deflation valve 40 is opened and communicates with the outlet chamber 14, so air inside the outlet chamber 14 can be deflated.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 7, the inflation bulb in accordance with the present invention is suitable to be disposed in a wearable device, e.g. a leg brace, for inflating an inflatable object disposed in the wearable device. The inflatable object disposed in the wearable device is connected to the vent 18 of the body 10 and fluidly communicates with the outlet chamber 14 of the body 10. To inflate the inflatable object, the upper membrane 11 is pressed to push air stored in the bulb chamber 12 to flow into the outlet chamber 14 via the two gas nozzles 30.

Because the first ends 311, 321 of the two valve slices 31, 32 of each gas nozzle 30 extend into the bulb chamber 12 and are triangular, the first ends 311, 321 of the two valve slices 31, 32 are easily flapped with flowing air to separate from each other and to open the air passage between the two valve slices 31, 32. Whereby, air inside the bulb chamber 12 can easily pass the air passage between the two valve slices 31, 32 of each gas nozzle 30 and flow into the outlet chamber 14 for inflating the inflatable object. Moreover, because the second ends 312, 322 of the two valve slices 31, 32 of each gas nozzle 30 extend into the outlet chamber 14, the second ends 312, 322 of the two valve slices 31, 32 are easily separated while air is passing therethrough.

In addition, since the two gas nozzles 30 are respectively disposed in the two ventilating ducts 16 that are separated apart from each other, air inside the bulb chamber 12 can flow to the outlet chamber 14 via any one of the two gas nozzles 30. When the wearable device is worn on a user's body, the body 10 may be deformed by the user's body to block one of the gas nozzles 30, and the other one of the gas nozzles 30 may still be opened to allow the air flowing therethrough to inflate the inflatable object. Whereby, air stored inside the bulb chamber 12 can successfully be pumped into the inflatable object while the wearable device is worn by a user.

Accordingly, when the wearable device is worn on a human's body and only the upper membrane 11 can be pressed to inflate the inflatable object, the two valve slices 31, 32 of each gas nozzles 30 are easily separated from each other to open the air passage for inflation. If one of the gas nozzles 30 is blocked because of deformation, the other one of the gas nozzles 30 may still be opened to allow air stored in the bulb chamber 12 to successfully flow into the outlet chamber 14 for inflating the inflatable object.

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.