Supports – Stand – Plural leg
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2001-01-16
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Stand
Plural leg
C248S122100, C248S125100, C248S519000, C248S176300, C417S234000, C417S545000, C417S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173928
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is generally related to a device for stabilizing an air pump relative to an inflatable member and is specifically directed to an apparatus for stabilizing the air pump relative to a ball or the like for assuring that the needle is not bent or broken-off in the ball orifice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hand held air pumps are well known for inflatable balls such as footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, volley balls and the like, generally referred to as inflatable sport balls herein. Typically, the air pump includes an outer hollow cylinder with opposite closed ends. One end is adapted for mounting an inflation needle which is a narrow, hollow tube with a hole at each end, one end of which is adapted to be mounted on the pump cylinder and the other end of which is adapted to be inserted into a receptive orifice in the inflatable sport ball. The opposite end of the pump handle also includes an opening for receiving an elongated plunger. A pump piston is mounted inside the cylinder on one end of the plunger. A handle is mounted on the other end of the plunger, whereby pumping the handle in and out of the cylinder causes the piston to pump air into the needle and through the needle into the inflatable sport ball.
One of the problems with this device is that it is generally required that the user place one hand on the cylinder and the other hand on the handle in order to pump air into the ball. This permits the ball to move relative to the needle, often bending the needle, or worse, breaking the needle off inside the ball. This problem has damaged many needles beyond use and at times has ruined an otherwise perfectly serviceable inflatable sport ball.
Even with other inflation devices available, such as power compressors and the like, the cylinder-type, hand-held sport ball inflation pump continues in wide spread use today. The cylinder pump is inexpensive, portable and because of its design, provides assurance that the ball will not be quickly overinflated and ruined, as is often the case with power compressors and the like. Therefore, even with the drawbacks of the current cylinder-type inflation pump, it continues to be the inflation pump of choice for inflating low-volume, low-pressure sporting equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention is directed to a sport ball inflation pump of the hand-held cylinder-type which has been improved to assure that the needle is neither bent nor broken-off during the pumping process. The pump stabilizer of the subject invention stabilizes the position of the needle relative to the pump and the sport ball assuring that the needle is not bent or broken-off during the inflation pumping action, while permitting the pump cylinder to be held in one hand and the pump piston handle to be held in the other in typical fashion.
Specifically, the outer cylinder of the pump is fitted with a sliding peripheral ring. The needle end of the pump cylinder includes a mounting ring having three mounting tabs or brackets equilaterally spaced about the ring. Three legs are pivotally mounted on the sliding ring and secured to the mounting ring by hinged extensions, permitting the sliding ring to move along the axis of the cylinder and the legs to “telescope” in and out relative to the cylinder.
When the needle is inserted in the orifice of the ball, the legs are telescoped down along the cylinder until they are in firm engagement with the ball. This assures that the orifice, needle and cylinder maintain axial alignment.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sliding ring includes a locking device such as a set screw for securing it in place once the needle is properly seated in the orifice and the legs are secured against the periphery of the ball. The preferred embodiment of the invention also includes a container mounted on one of the legs for holding the needle when not in use, further protecting the needle from damage. The container may be an integral feature of the leg such as within in a hollow leg, or may be mounted elsewhere on the system.
It is, therefore, an object and feature of the subject invention to provide for a means and apparatus for positionally securing a hand-held inflation pump relative to a device to be inflated.
It is also an object and feature of the subject invention to provide for a means and apparatus for securing a pump cylinder in axial alignment with a pump needle during the pumping action on a hand-held, cylinder-type sport ball pump.
It is a further object and feature of the subject invention to provide a tripod-type stabilizing device for stabilizing a pump and needle relative to a sport ball during an inflation pumping operation.
Other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4245666 (1981-01-01), Norris
patent: 5026261 (1991-06-01), Jou
patent: 5433136 (1995-07-01), Lung-Po
patent: 5947706 (1999-09-01), Gapinski
patent: 6017201 (2000-01-01), Yang
Bracewell & Patterson LLP
King Anita M.
Wujciak A. Joseph
LandOfFree
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