DRILL-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR HEAD

A portable drill-driven compressor head. A compressor assembly is configured with a drill attachment which harnesses the rotation of a main shaft to pressurize air and deliver such pressurized air through a hose.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

One key element to vehicle safety and performance is the maintenance of proper tire air pressure. To facilitate the maintenance of tire air pressure, consumer air pumps exist in various forms including portable pumps that may powered by a vehicle's auxiliary power outlet. These conventional approaches, however, have limited utility particularly in consideration of larger vehicles and trailers which may both at times require inflation of tires positioned beyond the length of the portable pump's hose.

The inadequacy of conventional portable air pumps is particularly felt by individuals in industries that require considerable travel or movement of materials that necessitates a trailer or other method of expanding the typical carrying capacity of the individual's vehicle. In certain of these industries, such as those relating to construction services, it is not uncommon for the individual to be carrying within the vehicle (or otherwise have access to) a portable drill.

The present disclosure describes a drill-driven compressor head that effectively provides an improved portable air pump utilizing a portable drill as a driving mechanism for the delivery of pressurized air into a vehicle tire. Such an improved portable air pump is not only easy to use but also accommodates circumstances or scenarios conventional pumps are ill-equipped to address.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This description, with references to the figures, presents non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present disclosure.

As depicted inFIG.1, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, drill-driven compressor head includes a compression assembly/pump110and a compression actuator/drive shaft116. A housing element/pump housing111may be incorporated into said drill-driven compressor head to substantially contain compression assembly/pump110. Additionally, housing element/pump housing111may be configured with an aperture to receive compression actuator/drive shaft116such that compression actuator/drive shaft116may engage with compression assembly/pump110.

In these embodiments, compression actuator/drive shaft116may be a shaft configured to connect to a portable automatic drill such as a conventional hand drill. To this end, compression actuator/drive shaft116may be configured with a quick connect apex bit, chucking drill head, or other conventional means for allowing a shaft to engage with a drill.

In some embodiments, compression assembly/pump110may utilize a mechanical piston to produce and deliver pressurized air. Such a compression assembly/pump110may include an assembly housing/pump housing111, a connecting housing/pump housing111, rotating member115, and a ring element/piston113. Ring element/piston113may be coupled to connecting rod/pump actuator112which is also coupled to rotating member115. Rotating member115may be a crankshaft including a flywheel. Rotating member115may be configured to receive one end of compression actuator/drive shaft116thereby allowing for rotation of rotating member115and actuation of the piston mechanism when rotating member115is coupled to compression actuator/drive shaft116, which itself may be coupled to a drill.

Assembly housing/pump housing111may define an interior volume114wherein ring element/piston113may be disposed. Assembly housing/pump housing111may be configured with an airflow element/valve member120that partially defines interior volume114and allows air to flow into or out of interior volume114when ring element/piston113is being actuated. In some embodiments, airflow element/valve member120may be a reed valve.

Although these embodiments have been described as using a mechanical piston, those of ordinary skill in the art would understand that other compressor structures (such as a rotary screw compressor) may also be used.

Compression assembly/pump110may also include a compression cap/cylinder head130. Compression cap/cylinder head130may be configured to couple with assembly housing/pump housing111to define a chamber/interior volume114. Compression cap/cylinder head130may be configured with an intake aperture/valve member120and an outlet aperture133. Intake aperture/valve member120may be configured to allow air to flow through compression cap/cylinder head130into interior volume114. Outlet aperture133may be configured to receive a hose220through which pressurized air created by the piston mechanism and contained within chamber/interior volume114may be delivered. Compression cap/cylinder head130may be further configured to couple with a pressure gauge210.

In various embodiments, housing element/pump housing111may be used to secure the various compression assembly components to one another. As shown inFIGS.1-3, housing element/pump housing111may be configured with at least one opening to receive a screw. Compression cap/cylinder head130may be similarly configured such that a screw may pass through compression cap/cylinder head130and into housing element/pump housing111to secure compression cap/cylinder head130to assembly housing/pump housing111. Housing element/pump housing111may also be configured with a front-facing surface that is configured to receive compression actuator/drive shaft116. One or more bearings may be used within housing element/pump housing111to facilitate the operable connection of compression actuator/drive shaft116and compression assembly/pump110.