Patent Publication Number: US-2016243596-A1

Title: Bag apparatus for delivering fluid

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bag apparatus, and more particularly to a bag apparatus for delivering fluid. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The bag apparatus for delivering fluid generally includes two pipes. Wherein one pipe penetrates through the bag apparatus to deliver fluid into a tube, and another pipe can deliver fluid into bag apparatus to expand it. Each pipe is provided with one valve so that the fluid supply can be selectively communicable or incommunicable with each said pipe. The prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,515. 
     However, when a user wants to change the direction of the fluid, the user needs to adjust two valves. It is inconvenient for a user to use. Besides, the apparatus having two pipes occupies too much space. These disadvantages need to be solved. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a bag apparatus for delivering fluid, having an adjuster and a pipe penetrating an inflatable bag structure. The adjuster can be adjusted to make fluid flows into inflated space or a tube. The present invention is more convenient and smaller than the prior art. 
     To achieve the above object, a bag apparatus for delivering fluid is provided, which is provided for delivering a fluid to a tube, comprising an inflatable bag structure, a pipe and an adjuster. The inflatable bag structure includes a first channel and a second channel. The pipe penetrates through the inflatable bag structure and includes a first conduit. The first conduit communicates with an outside of the inflatable bag structure. An inflated space is formed between the pipe and the inflatable bag structure and communicates with the first channel. The first conduit communicates with the second channel. The adjuster is movably inserted into an end of the inflatable bag structure. A through hole is disposed on the radial side of the adjuster. Wherein when the adjuster moves to an inflating position, the through hole communicates with the first channel and the fluid supply, the second channel is incommunicable with the fluid supply; when the adjuster moves to a delivering position, the through hole communicates with the second channel and a fluid supply. The first channel is incommunicable with the fluid supply. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional drawing of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a breakdown drawing of the preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional drawing taken along the line B-B in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3A  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional drawing taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective drawing of the preferable embodiment of the present invention in operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 4A and 5 , a bag apparatus for delivering fluid  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided. The bag apparatus for delivering fluid  1  is provided for delivering a fluid to a tube  2  and comprises an inflatable bag structure  10 , a pipe  20  and an adjuster  30 . 
     The inflatable bag structure  10  includes a first channel  11  and a second channel  12 . 
     The pipe  20  penetrates through the inflatable bag structure  10  and includes a first conduit  22 . The first conduit  22  communicates with an outside of the inflatable bag structure  10 . An inflated space  13  is formed between the pipe  20  and the inflatable bag structure  10  and communicates with the first channel  11  ( FIG. 3A ). The first conduit  22  communicates with the second channel  12  ( FIG. 4A ). 
     The adjuster  30  is movably inserted into an end of the inflatable bag structure  10 . A through hole  31  is disposed on the radial side of the adjuster  30 . Wherein when the adjuster  30  moves to an inflating position, the through hole  31  communicates with the first channel  11  and the fluid supply  3 , and the second channel  12  is incommunicable with the fluid supply  3 ; when the adjuster  30  moves to a delivering position, the through hole  31  communicates with the second channel  12  and a fluid supply  3 , the first channel  11  is incommunicable with the fluid supply  3 . 
     In this embodiment, the pipe  20  further includes a second conduit  21  provided for being connected with the fluid supply  3 . The second conduit  21  is separated from the first conduit  22 . When the adjuster  30  moves to the inflating position, the through hole  31  communicates with the first channel  11  and the second conduit  21 ; when the adjuster  30  moves to the delivering position, the through hole  31  communicates with the second channel  12  and the second conduit  21 . Moreover, the first conduit  22  and the second conduit  21 , which are separated, are integrally formed within the pipe  20 . In other embodiment, the pipe can be further provided with a barrier to separate the first conduit and the second conduit. 
     To locate the adjuster  30  precisely, the adjuster  30  is provided with a clamping assembly  32  to be selectively clamped with a first clamping portion  141  or a second clamping portion  142  disposed on the inflatable bag structure  10  so that the adjuster  30  is selectively located at the inflating position or the delivering position. 
     When the adjuster  30  moves to the delivering position, the fluid flows through the second conduit  21 , the through hole  31  and the first channel  11  to the inflated space  13  so that the inflated space  13  expands. When pressure of the fluid supply is removed, the fluid in the inflated space  13  flows reversely through the second conduit  21  to outside, and the inflated space  13  shrinks. In other embodiments, the inflatable bag structure can be further provided with a relief valve to discharge the fluid directly. When the adjuster  30  moves to the delivering position, the fluid flows through the second conduit  21 , the through hole  31 , the second channel  12  and the first conduit  22  to the tube  2 . 
     In this embodiment, the inflatable bag structure  10  includes a first fixed portion  14 , a second fixed portion  15  and a bag  16 . 
     The first fixed portion  14  is disposed at an end of the inflatable bag structure  10  and surrounds the pipe  20 . The adjuster  30  is movably inserted into the first fixed portion  14 . The first fixed portion  14  includes the first channel  11  and the second channel  12 . By moving the adjuster  30 , the second conduit  21  selectively communicates with the first channel  11 , the second channel  12 , or neither. 
     The bag apparatus for delivering fluid  1  further includes a fastening member  17 . The fastening member  17  is inserted into and locating the first fixed portion  14  and the pipe  20 . A first annular blocking surface  210  facing the second fixed portion  15  is disposed around an outer surface of the pipe  20 . A second annular blocking surface  33  facing the first annular blocking surface  210  is disposed inside the adjuster  30 . The first and second annular blocking surfaces are blocked axially by each other. Therefore, the adjuster  30  is unable to move axially, relative to the first fixed portion  14 . 
     The second fixed portion  15  is disposed at the other end of the inflatable bag structure  10  and surrounds the pipe  20 . An end of the bag  16  is fixedly disposed around the first fixed portion  14 , the other end of the bag  16  is fixedly disposed around the second fixed portion  15 , and the inflated space  13  is formed between the bag  16  and the pipe  20 . At least one rid  160  is further disposed around an outer surface of the bag  16  to enhance the structural strength of the bag. The at least one rid  160  also makes the bag  16  contact the tube  2  more tightly. 
     Two C-rings  23  are disposed outside the pipe  20 , and the second fixed portion  15  is position-limited between two said C-rings. A distance of two said C-rings  23  is roughly equal to an axial length of the second fixed portion  15 , so that the second fixed portion can not move when the bag expands. Understandably, the distance of two said C-rings can be longer than an axial length of the second fixed portion. In other embodiment, only one C-ring may be disposed around outside the pipe, the inflatable bag structure is position-limited between the adjuster and the C-ring. The first fixed portion  14  is closer to the second portion  15  when the bag expands, a degree of radial deformation of the bag increases, so that the bag can seal the tube  2  having a longer diameter. 
     The pipe  20  is provided with at least one check valve between the fluid supply  3  and the inflatable bag structure  10  so that the fluid flows from the fluid supply to the inflatable bag structure. In this embodiment, the pipe is provided with two check valves, wherein one said check valve  5  has a gas receiving end, and another check valve  4  connects to an inflating pump (fluid supply  3 ). Moreover, the pipe  20  is provided with an escape valve  6  between the fluid supply  3  and the inflatable bag structure  10  to discharge the fluid. In all above embodiments, the check valves and the escape valve may not be provided, because the second conduit  21  can be selectively communicable or incommunicable with the different fluid supply to deliver or discharge the fluid in different stages. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 3A and 5 , at beginning of an inflating stage, the inflatable bag structure  10  is put into the tube  2  in advance, and the adjuster  30  is moved to the inflating position. Then, the inflating pump delivers a gas, the gas flows through the check valve  4 , the second conduit  21 , the through hole  31  and the first channel  11  to the inflated place  13  to expand the bag  16  until the bag seals the tube  2 . In an alternative embodiment, the gas can be delivered from the check valve  5  to expand the bag. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 4A , at beginning of a delivering stage, the adjuster  30  is moved to the delivering position, and the gas receiving end (check valve  5 ) is connected with a fluid supply. In this embodiment, the delivering fluid may be colored gas. The fluid supply delivers the colored gas, the colored gas flows through the gas receiving end (check valve  5 ), the second conduit  21 , the through hole  31 , the second channel  12  and the first conduit  22  to the tube  2 . If there is a leak on the tube, the colored gas may be discharged from the leak. In other embodiment, the delivering fluid may be delivered from the check valve  4 . 
     At end of the delivering stage, the adjuster  30  is moved to the inflating position, and the escape valve  6  is turned on. Then, the bag can shrink so that the inflatable bag structure  10  can be put out from the tube  2 . 
     As a conclusion, flow direction of the fluid can be adjusted more conveniently through the adjuster, so that the fluid can flow selectively into the inflated space or the first conduit. 
     Besides, the whole apparatus is smaller than the previous art. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.