Patent Publication Number: US-2012031929-A1

Title: Dual-use type grease gun

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a grease gun, and more particularly to a dual-use type grease gun operated by a single hand or both hands. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional grease gun could be divided into a both-hand operated grease gun and a single-hand operated grease gun. As shown in  FIG. 9 , a conventional single-hand operated grease gun is depicted. The foregoing grease gun is composed of a grease barrel  91 , an end lid  92  and a grease injection mechanism  93 . The grease barrel  91  is connected to the end lid  92 . A handle  94  is fastened to a side of the end lid  92 , and an outlet  921 , a channel  922  and a through hole  923  are disposed in the end lid  92 . The channel  922  respectively communicates with the outlet  921  and the through hole  923 . The grease injection mechanism  93  has a pumping rod  931  in the channel  922  of the end lid  92 . An end of the pumping rod  931 , which is exposed to the channel  922 , is pivotally connected to a handgrip  95 . The handgrip  95  then is pivotally connected to the handle  94  of the end lid  92  through a connecting lever  96 . Accordingly, a user can use a single hand to press the handgrip  95  and links the pumping rod  931  to generate the pushing effect in the channel  922  so that grease pumped from the grease barrel  91  can be discharged toward the outlet  921  of the end lid  92  to achieve the goal of supplying grease. 
     Although the foregoing grease gun structure operated by the single hand could supply grease through the single hand, the conventional grease gun may be restricted by the point of application and influenced while using the single hand for operation. Consequently, the conventional grease gun is unable to apply to the work environment that needs to supply grease at high pressure. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 10 , a conventional both-hand operated grease gun structure. While in use, one hand holds a handgrip  97 , and another hand holds a grease barrel body  98  of the grease gun. The grease gun can be easily operated to apply force and satisfy the demand of pumping grease at high pressure through the operation of both hands. The defect is that both hands must simultaneously apply force to perform the motion of pumping grease to cause the inconvenience by comparing with the grease gun operated by the single hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor(s) of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally developed a dual-use type grease gun. 
     Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcoming and deficiency of the prior art by providing a dual-use type grease gun that is operated by a single hand or both hands so that a user could select the most appropriate operating mode based upon different work environments and demands. 
     To achieve the foregoing objectives, a dual-use type grease gun provided by the invention comprises a grease barrel for filling grease; an end lid connected to the grease barrel, wherein a side of the end lid is connected to a handle, and a channel, an outlet and a through hole are disposed in the end lid; a press-grip pivoted on the end lid, wherein a pumping rod correspondingly passing through the channel of the end lid is further pivoted to the press-grip, and the pumping rod is linked by the press-grip to perform a horizontal straight line motion in the channel so that a pushing effect is generated to discharge grease from the outlet of the end lid; a movable handgrip slidably disposed to the press-grip and axially sliding along the press-grip, a positioning component disposed to the movable handgrip, the positioning component correspondingly pressing the press-grip to position the movable handgrip. 
     The cross-section of the movable handgrip is a  -shape to be correspondingly against an external periphery of the press-grip, and two correspondingly side walls of the movable handgrip, which are higher than the press-grip, are respectively provided with two piercing holes. The positioning component has a base, and the base has two connection holes corresponding to the two piercing holes. Two blocking components respectively pass through the piercing holes and the connection holes to position the base, and the two blocking components are located at side edges of the press-grip that are toward the handle. A screw hole is further disposed to an end surface of the base that is toward the press-grip, and the screw hole is located between the two connection holes. A screw rod passes through the base through the screw hole, and an end of the screw rod is connected to a pressing member that is relatively disposed to an inner edge of the press-grip through an E-shaped buckle, and the pressing member is driven to press the inner edge of the press-grip to position the movable handgrip by rotably locking the screw rod on the base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional decomposition chart according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional drawing of an assembled dual-use type grease gun according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of using a single hand to operate the dual-use type grease gun according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a buckle ring hooking an external periphery of a movable handgrip according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of releasing a screw rod of a positioning component according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram of a state of the movable handgrip after it slides and is positioned; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of using both hands to operate the dual-use type grease gun according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a structural drawing in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of using a single hand to operate a conventional grease gun; and 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic diagram of using both hands to operate the conventional grease gun. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The foregoing and other technical characteristics of the present invention will become apparent with the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the illustration of the related drawings. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 2  for a dual-use type grease gun in accordance with the present invention, the grease gun is composed of a grease barrel  11 , an end lid  21 , a press-grip  31  and a movable handgrip  41 . 
     The grease barrel  11  is a hollow barrel body having an opening end  12 , and the inside of the grease barrel  11  is filling with grease  61 . The end lid  21  is disposed on the opening end  12  of the grease barrel  11 , and a side of an external portion of the end lid  21  is connected to a handle  23  passed by several positioning members  22 . A snap ring  231  is pivotally disposed to an end of the handle  23 . A pivot portion  211  is protruded from a top portion of the end lid  21 . An end of a towing component  24  is pivotally connected to the pivot portion  211 . A channel  212 , an outlet  213 , and a through hole  214  are formed in the end lid  21 . The channel  212  respectively communicates with the outlet  213  and an end of the through hole  214 . Another end of the through hole  214  communicates with an inside of the grease barrel  11 . 
     A cross-section of the press-grip  31  is a  -shape having two side walls  311 ,  312  corresponding to each other. A containing space  313  is formed between the two side walls  311 ,  312 . A top portion of the press-grip  31  is pivotally connected to another end of the towing component  24  pivoted on the end lid  21  to relatively locate at a side of the handle  23 , and a pumping rod  32  correspondingly passing through the channel  212  is pivoted to a side of the press-grip  31  that is toward the channel  212  of the end lid  21 . The pumping rod  32  is linked by the press-grip  31  to perform the reciprocating motion in the channel  212  so as to control the communicating state of the through hole  213  and the channel  212  of the end lid  21 . In addition, a torsion spring  33  is disposed between the towing component  24  and the press-grip  31 . An end of the torsion spring  33  leans against a bottom of the towing component  24 , and another end of the torsion spring  33  leans against an inner edge wall of the press-grip  31  so that the press-grip  31  can be kept at a state of outward release without imposing external force. A limit portion  34  is protruded from an end of the press-grip  31  that is toward a side of the through hole  214  of the end lid  21 . 
     The movable handgrip  41  is fit with the press-grip  31  and axially slides on the press-grip  31 . A positioning component  51  is disposed to the movable handgrip  41 , and the positioning component  51  could correspondingly lean against the press-grip  31  to position the movable handgrip  41 . In the embodiment, a cross-section of the movable handgrip  41  is a  -shape and uses its inner peripheral surface leaning against an external periphery of the press-grip  31  to slide relative to the press-grip  31 . A stopping portion  411  is formed by inwardly bending an end of the movable handgrip  41 . The stopping portion  411  slides in accordance with the movable handgrip  41  to mutually connect the end of the press-grip  31 . The stopping portion  411  of the movable handgrip  41  is stopped by the end of the press-grip  31  to restrict the sliding stroke of the movable handgrip  41 . Two correspondingly side walls of the movable handgrip  41 , which are higher than the press-grip  31 , are respectively provided with two piercing holes  42  that are higher than two correspondingly side walls of the press-grip  31 . The positioning component  41  has a base  52 . The base  52  has two connection holes  521  corresponding to the two piercing holes  42 , and two blocking components  53  respectively pass through the correspondingly piercing holes  42  and the connection holes  521  to position the base  52  in the containing space  313  of the press-grip  31 . When the movable handgrip  41  slides relative to the press-grip  31 , the base  52  could synchronously slide in accordance with the movable handgrip  41  along the containing space  313  of the press-grip  31 , and the two blocking components  53  are located at side edges of the press-grip  31  that is toward the handle  23 . Accordingly, when a top portion of the movable handgrip  41  slides down the end of the press-grip  31 , the blocking components  53  at the movable handgrip  41  is further blocked by the limit portion  34  at the end of the press-grip  31  so that the movable handgrip  41  may not come off the end of the press-grip  31 . A screw hole  522  is further disposed to an end surface of the base  52  that is toward the press-grip  31 , and the screw hole  522  is located between the two connection holes  521 . A screw rod  54  passes through the base  52  through the screw hole  522 , and an end of the screw rod  54  is connected to a pressing member  56  that is relatively disposed to an inner edge of the press-grip  31  through an E-shaped buckle  55 , and the pressing member  56  is driven to shift toward the inner edge of the press-grip  31  by rotably locking the screw rod  54  on the base  52 . When the pressing member  56  correspondingly presses the correspondingly inner edge walls of the press-grip  31 , the movable handgrip  41  can be positioned. A handling member  43  composed of a soft material (e.g. plastic or rubber) is fit to an external periphery of the movable handgrip  41  so that a user can easily hold and operate the movable handgrip  41 . 
     When the invention is operated by a single hand, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the movable handgrip  41  is fit to the press-grip  31 , and the stopping portion  411  of the movable handgrip  41  mutually leans against the end of the press-grip  31 . At this time, an operator only uses fingers to hook the handle  23  and then uses a palm to impose force to repeatedly press the movable handgrip  41  fit on the external periphery of the press-grip  31  so that the pumping rod  32  is linked to perform the reciprocating motion in the channel  212  of the end lid  21 , and a pushing effect is generated in the channel  212 . Grease pumped from the through hole  214  of the end lid  21  is pushed by the pumping rod  32  and then is discharged from the outlet  213  of the end lid  21 . Therefore, the motion of supplying grease can be easily completed by using a single hand. Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 4 , when the invention is not in use, the snap ring  231  disposed to the handle  23  hooks the external periphery of the movable handgrip  41  so that the press-grip  31  and the movable handgrip  41  are retained at the pressing position to allow the pumping rod  32  to seal the through hole  214  to prevent grease from leaking, and the timber volume of the invention can be effectively reduced while in storing state. 
     In the work environment that needs to supply grease at high pressures, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the operator only needs to release the screw rod  54  of the positioning component  51  so that the pressing member  56  connected by the end of the screw rod  54  does not lean against the inner edge wall of the press-grip  31 , and the positioning state of the movable handgrip  41  can be relatively released to allow the movable handgrip  41  axially sliding along the external periphery of the press-grip  31  as shown in  FIG. 6 . When the top portion of the movable handgrip  41  slides down the end of the press-grip  31 , the screw rod  54  of the positioning component  51  is tightly rotated to position the movable handgrip  41  at the slid position. Accordingly, the moment arm length of the press-grip  31  can be increased so that the operator uses one hand to hold the grease barrel  11  and another hand to hold the handling member  43  of the movable handgrip  41  to perform the operation mode easily forced by both hands, thereby satisfying the demand of supplying grease at high pressure (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     With reference to  FIG. 8  for a second embodiment in accordance with the present invention, by comparing with the forgoing embodiment, the difference is that an elastic member  57  is further fit to the screw rod  54  of the positioning component  51 . An end of the elastic member  57  leans against the base  52 , and another end of the elastic member  57  leans against the pressing member  56 . Accordingly, an axial reactive force is additionally provided to the screw rod  54  so that the screw rod  54  may not easily come off. 
     The invention composed of the foregoing components has the following advantages:
         1. The structure of the invention is simple to have features of easy installation and low manufacturing cost.   2. The invention can be operated by a single hand or both hands to allow the operator to select the most appropriate operation manner based upon different work environments and demands.   3. By rotably locking the screw rod on the base, the invention could drive the pressing member, which is connected by the screw rod, to press the inner edge wall of the press-grip to achieve the efficacy of rapidly positioning the position of the movable handgrip so as to have features of easy and fast operation.   4. When the stopping portion at the end of the movable handgrip is stopped by the end of the press-grip and when the top portion of the movable handgrip slides down the end of the press-grip, the blocking components of the movable handgrip is blocked by the limit portion at the end of the press-grip to effectively restrict the sliding stroke of the movable handgrip, and the sliding motion performed by the movable handgrip of the invention can be more convenient and accurate.       

     5. The invention further has an elastic member fit to the screw rod of the positioning component. An end of the elastic member leans against the base, and another end of the elastic member leans against the pressing member to additionally provide an axial reactive force to the screw rod so that the screw rod may not easily come off. 
     The present invention improves over the prior art and complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by device of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those generally skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.