Abstract:
A hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device includes an elongate shank and a slidable backward ram fit to the shank. The shank has an end to which a suction cup is attached. The shank has an upper end to which a handgrip having a pressure relief seat is mounted. A ramp stop section is formed below the pressure relief seat. The handgrip can selectively and switchably couple with a hand-operating pump piston to form a hand-operating vacuum pulling device, or couple with a pneumatic operation seat to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device. For hand operation or pneumatics operation, the vacuum pulling device is allowed to easily switch between the two modes according to the availability of power supply and the site of use, thereby achieving an excellent device for one device having two ways of use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of vacuum pulling device, and in particular to a hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device, which can selectively operates as a pneumatic vacuum puller when pressurized air supply is available and can serve as a hand-operating vacuum puller when no pressurized air is available and still provide a strong suction and pulling force even operated by hands. 
     2. The Related Arts 
     A conventional dent puller for automobile metal sheet is commonly used to repair deformed metal sheet of a car. The conventional automobile metal sheet puller is generally classified as traditional hand-operating dent puller and later developed pneumatic dental puller. The traditional hand-operating automobile dent puller is rarely seen in the market due to a number of design defects. The pneumatic automobile dent puller is not easy to carry and use for it needs air compressor to generate a suction force and thus requires a constant supply of electrical power. The present inventor has proposed previously a “hand-operating vacuum pulling device” which is relatively advanced. Yet, a pneumatic puller is still of advantages in operation, even through it operation is limited by the supply of electrical power. 
     In view of the drawbacks of the “hand-operating vacuum pulling device” that was previously proposed by the present inventor and the known pneumatic dent pullers, it is desired to have a creative breakthrough in the technical field of dent puller or similar pulling devices in order to overcome those drawbacks. 
     Thus, the present invention aims to provide a novel pulling device with the purpose of eliminating the drawbacks of the known devices and providing a practical device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device, which has all the advantages of a hand-operating vacuum pulling device and a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device, is easy to carry and stow, has a low purchasing expenditure, and allows easy switching between the two modes according to the availability of power supply and the site of use, thereby achieving an excellent device for one device having two ways of use. 
     To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device, which comprises an elongate shank, a slidable backward ram, a suction cup, a handgrip comprising a pressure relief seat, a hand-operating pump piston, and a pneumatic pumping head, wherein the elongate shank receives the slidable backward ram to fit thereon. The elongate shank has an end to which the suction cup is attached. A ram stop section is arranged below the pressure relief seat. The hand-operating pump piston has a free end to which a ring-shaped cove is attached. The elongate shank has an upper end to which the handgrip having the pressure relief seat is mounted. The handgrip can selectively couple with a hand-operating pump piston to form a hand-operating vacuum pulling device, or the hand-operating pump piston can be removed to allow the handgrip to alternatively couple a pneumatic operation seat to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device. The pneumatic head forms first, second, and third passages that are joined to form a T-shaped configuration. The first passage is connected to a quick coupler and a switch. The second passage is connected to a one-way valve. The third passage is connected to a pneumatic sleeve to communicate the suction cup. The suction cup can be replaced by a hook, which has a front end forming a spherical body to prevent undesired hooking that causes damage to tube or hurt users. The hook may convert the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device or the hand-operating vacuum pulling device into a destruction tool, a dismantling tool, a hooking tool, or a pulling tool for deformed metal sheet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a dual operation vacuum pulling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is selectively switched to a hand-operating vacuum pulling device by combining with a hand-operating pump piston or a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device by combining with a pneumatic operation seat; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form a hand-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form the hand-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form the hand-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing an operation of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form the hand-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing an operation of a backward ram of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form the hand-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with a pneumatic operation seat to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the pneumatic operation seat to form the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the pneumatic operation seat to form the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view showing a vacuum forming operation of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the pneumatic operation seat to form the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view showing an operation of a backward ram of the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the pneumatic operation seat to form the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the pneumatic operation seat to form the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device with a hook being used to replace a suction cup; and 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing the dual operation vacuum pulling device of the present invention that is used with the hand-operating pump piston to form the hand-operating vacuum pulling device with a hook being used to replace a suction cup. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , which is a perspective view showing a vacuum pulling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum pulling device of the present invention is of dual uses, namely, the pulling device may be combined with a hand-operating pump piston to form a hand-operating vacuum pulling device or may alternatively be combined with a pneumatic operation seat to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device. 
     Thus, the present invention provides a hand/pneumatics dual operations vacuum pulling device. The dual operation vacuum pulling device comprises the following components, which will be described in more detail. 
     An elongate shank  10 , which is hollow, receives therein a tube  13 . The elongate shank  10  has a free end that forms a first internal threading  101  for mating a second external threading  171  formed on a coupling member  17 . The coupling member  17  also has a second internal threading  172  for mating a first external threading  22  of a suction cup  20 . The elongate shank  10  receives a backward ram  11  to fit thereto in a vertically slidable manner. The, the elongate shank  10  receives a ring  16  and a transverse handle  14  fit to a proximal end thereof. The transverse handle  14  has a third external threading  141  that engages and extends through a nut  16  and a third internal threading  161  that extends through the ring  16  to abut the elongate shank  10 . 
     The suction cup  20  is coupled to the end of the elongate shank  10 . Preferably, the suction cup  20  is made in various sizes so that suction cups that are of different sizes are available for user&#39;s selection. The suction cup  20  has a top end forming a through hole  21  and a first external threading  22 . 
     A handgrip  5  is mounted to an upper end of the elongate shank  10  and the handgrip  5  comprises a pressure relief seat  4 . The tube  13 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is received in the elongate shank  10  and communicates the handgrip  5  and the suction cup  20 . A ram stop section  12  is arranged below the pressure relief seat  4 . 
     A hand-operating pump piston  3  has an end  34  that is coupled in the handgrip  5  in order to form a hand-operating vacuum pulling device  9 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     A pneumatic operation seat  6  is coupled in the handgrip  5  with a pneumatic sleeve  61  to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device  8 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , the hand-operating pump piston  3  comprises a depression stem  321  that is combined with a spring  33  and a piston assembly  32 . After the piston assembly  32  has been driven to induce a vacuum condition, the backward ram  11  is instantaneously moved upward to induce a backward impacting force that helps realizing vacuum pulling effect through hand operation. 
     The pressure relief seat  4  has an end to which a pressure relief valve  40  is mounted. The pressure relief valve  40  comprises a relief button  41 , which when pressed down, as shown in  FIG. 4 , compresses an elastic element  42  to move away a plug  43  so as to release the vacuum by allowing air to flow from the relief button  41  through the tube  12  into the suction cup  20  to release the suction force of the suction cup  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-6 , an interior space of the piston assembly  32  that is used in drawing in air for inducing vacuum is in communication, through the tube  13 , with a suction space of the suction cup  20 , whereby when a depression stem  321  of the piston assembly  32  of the hand-operating pump piston  3  is pressed down, air contained in the suction cup  20  is forced to flow outward through the piston assembly to gradually induce vacuum inside the suction cup and the piston assembly  32  is caused to gradually descend toward the suction cup  20  until it no longer possible to pull up the depression stem  321 . 
     With the suction cup  20  reaching a predetermined level of suction force, the backward ram  11  is instantaneously and forcibly moved toward and thus impacting the ram stop section  12  located below the pressure relief seat  4  and a backward impact force is induced as shown in  FIG. 6 , which effectively pulls the elongate shank  10  and the suction cup  20  backward to thereby pull, through the suction cup  20 , a dent that is formed on a metal sheet up and level the dent. In this way, repairing of dent of metal sheet can be done without removing internal part of a car. The hand-operating vacuum pulling device  9  can also be used to move or remove a wooden plate, an automobile glass panel, or a tile. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-11 , the present invention provides a hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device of which the hand-operating pump piston  3  described above can be removed out of the handgrip  5  and replaced by the pneumatic operation seat  6  of which the pneumatic sleeve  61  is receivable in the handgrip  5  in order to form a pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device  8 . The pneumatic operation seat  6  comprises a grasp stem  62  that is integrally combined with a pneumatic head  63 . The pneumatic head  63  forms therein first, second, third passages  631 ,  632 ,  633  that are joined to each other in a T-shaped configuration. The first passage  631  is connected to a quick coupler  64  and a switch  65 . The second passage  632  is connected to a one-way valve  66 . The third passage  633  is connected to and in communication with the pneumatic sleeve  61  and is further set in communication with the suction cup  20  through a first fitting  18 , the tube  13 , a second fitting  19 , and the through hole  21  of the suction cup  20 . As such, the quick coupler  64  is connectable with a high pressure air supply tube  67  and the switch  65  can be opened to allow the pressurized air to flow through the first and second passages  631 ,  632  and discharge outward through the one-way valve  66 . The flow of the pressurized air causes evacuation of the air contained in the suction cup  20  to induce vacuum. By closing the switch  65 , the vacuum so induced drives the one-way valve  66  to a closed position, so that the vacuum inside the suction cup  20  can self-sustain. Under this condition, the high pressure air supply tube  67  can be removed and a metal sheet pulling operation can be carried out. The interference and inconvenience caused by entangling of tube may thus be eliminated during the pulling operation. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-11 , the interior space of the pneumatic head  63  that is used in drawing in air for inducing vacuum is in communication, through the tube  13 , with the suction space of the suction cup  20 , whereby when the high pressure air supply tube  67  continuously supplies through, the quick coupler  64  and the switch  65 , pressurized air that is then conducted through the second passage  632  to be discharged outward through the one-way valve  66 , the air contained in the suction cup  20  is drawn off by flowing through the tube  13  and the second passage  632  to gradually induce vacuum inside the suction cap. When the vacuum suction force reaches an optimum level or a desired level, the switch  65  is closed and the one-way valve  66  is caused by the vacuum to close, allowing the vacuum condition inside the suction cup  20  to self-sustain without any additional supply of pressurized air. Under this condition, the high pressure air supply tube  67  can be removed. 
     The one-way valve  66  comprises a rubber membrane  661  that is mounted to a guide block  662  that in a guide casing  663 . The guide casing has an inside surface forming a plurality of guide ribs  6631  for guiding movement of the guide block  662  and preventing the guide block  662  from rotation. An air inlet opening  6632  is formed at one side of the guide casing  663  and is blocked and sealed by the rubber membrane  661  of the guide block  662  when it is desired to sustain the vacuum suction force. On the other hand, when a desired vacuum level is not reached, the guide bock  662  is moved away off the air inlet opening so that air can be drained through a holed plate  664  arranged at an opposite opening of the guide casing  663  for discharging the air to the atmosphere. 
     With the suction cup  20  reaching a predetermined level of suction force, the backward ram  11  is instantaneously and forcibly moved toward and thus impacting the ram stop section  12  so as to generate a backward impact force as shown in  FIG. 11 , which pulls the elongate shank  10  and the suction cup  20  backward to induce a pulling action that pulls, through the suction cup  20 , and levels a dent formed in a metal sheet. In this way, repairing of dent of metal sheet can be done without removing internal part of a car. The pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device can also be used to move or remove a wooden plate, an automobile glass panel, or a tile. 
     After the metal sheet dent has been repaired, the switch  65  is opened, due to the high pressure air supply tube  67  being removed, direct communication is established between the internal vacuum condition and the atmosphere so that the vacuum condition will be released, or alternatively, the suction cup  20 , which is generally flexible, can be manually and slightly deformed to form a gap through which air may flow into the suction cup  20  to release the vacuum condition. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the present invention provides a hand/pneumatics dual operation vacuum pulling device, of which the suction cup  20  can be replaced by a hook  70  that has front tip forming a spherical body  71  for the purposes of protection against inadvertently damaging tubes or hurting users. The hook  70  converts the pneumatically-operating vacuum pulling device  8  or the hand-operating vacuum pulling device  9  into a destruction tool, a dismantling tool, a hooking too, or a pulling tool for deformed metal sheet. In other words, the pulling device with the hook  70  mounted thereof may be used as a destruction tool for destructing doors or windows of a damaged house that is ruined in for example an earthquake in order to clear a way for escape, or be used as a hooking and dismantling tool for removing glass panel having adhesive residues thereon, for the adhesive residues make it hard for dismantling, so that with the hook  70  hooking the glass panel, the vibration caused by the backward ram  11  can be applied to removing the glass panel. Or, for a deformed metal sheet having a deformation area exceeding the size of the suction cup  20 , a ring  72  may first be attached, through for example welding, to the deformed metal surface  73 , and then the hook  70  is put to hook the ring  72  for subsequently pulling up the deformed portion of the metal sheet. Or, the device can be used through hooking and different advantages can be achieved. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.