Patent Publication Number: US-2022213971-A1

Title: Breather plug for installation on liquid storage tanks

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to an article providing an air flow channel, and more particularly to a breather plug which can be installed on a liquid storage tank. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98 
     The liquid storage tank is a container for storing liquid. Most liquid storage tanks are made of plastics for reducing the weight of the liquid storage tanks. When the liquid storage tank is tilted to discharge the liquid stored in the liquid storage tank, the liquid flows out of the opening of the liquid storage tank, and the outside air enters the liquid storage tank through the opening at the same time. The air flowing in opposite direction and the liquid are likely to push each other at the narrow opening, inducing unsmooth outward flow of the liquid. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional breather structure  10  which can be installed on a liquid storage tank comprises a breather pipe  12 , a discharge stop ring  13  and a packing ring  14 . Wherein the breather pipe  12  has a first end  122  and a second end  124 . The first end  122  is opposite to the second end  124 . The periphery of the breather pipe  12  is surrounded with a base  15 , the base  15  is adjacent to the first end  122 . The discharge stop ring  13  is fitted over the breather pipe  12 . The packing ring  14  is screwed on the breather pipe  12  from the second end  124  to the first end  122 , and the discharge stop ring  13  is located between the base  15  and the packing ring  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , a liquid storage tank  90  is molded from plastic material. The liquid storage tank  90  has a tank body  91 , a space is formed inside the tank body  91  (not shown in the figure), the tank body  91  is provided with an opening  93 , so that the liquid can enter or leave the space through the opening  93 . 
     When the breather structure  10  is installed on the liquid storage tank  90 , first of all, the tank body  91  is processed by using a drilling tool (not shown in the figure) to form a mounting hole  94 . The mounting hole  94  penetrates the tank body  91 . The inside diameter Φ 1  of the mounting hole  94  must be a little larger than the outside diameter  12  of the breather pipe  12 . A guide rope  16  is used as auxiliary means, the front section  162  of the guide rope  16  enters the space through the opening  93 , and leaves the space through the mounting hole  94 , so that the midsection  164  of the guide rope  16  is located in the space, the tail section  166  and the front section  162  of the guide rope  16  are located outside the tank body  91 . In the case the packing ring  14  is removed, the tail section  166  penetrates the breather pipe  12  through the second end  124 , and leaves the breather pipe  12  through the first end  122 . The guide rope  16  guides the breather pipe  12  to move, the breather pipe  12  enters the space along the guide rope  16  and slides to the mounting hole  94 . As the inside diameter Φ 1  is larger than the outside diameter Φ 2 , the breather pipe  12  can be arranged in the mounting hole  94  out of the space, and the base  15  and the discharge stop ring  13  are located in the space. Afterwards, the packing ring  14  is screwed on the breather pipe  12 , and the packing ring  14  is clamped and turned by using a spanner or other forms of hand tools, so that the packing ring  14  presses the outer surface  912  of the tank body  91 . The base  15  presses the discharge stop ring  13 , so that the discharge stop ring  13  abuts on the inner surface  914  of the tank body  91 , the installation of the breather structure  10  is completed. Finally, the guide rope  16  is extracted from the breather pipe  12  and the liquid storage tank  90 . 
     The breather structure  10  must be installed with the guide rope  16  and a hand tool. A person short of operating experience is likely to fail in the penetration of the guide rope  16 , sliding the breather pipe  12  along the guide rope  16  to the mounting hole  94  and arranging the breather pipe  12  in the mounting hole  94  from inside to outside. The installation of the breather structure  10  is complicated and difficult. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a breather plug which can be installed on a liquid storage tank, it is a novel breather plug which is easy to be installed on a liquid storage tank. 
     Based on said objective, the present invention is a breather plug for installation on liquid storage tanks, including a main body and a blocking structure, wherein the main body is made of metal material. The main body comprises a hand-operated structure and an assembly structure which are axially connected. A flow channel axially penetrates the main body. The main body has a first side and a second side. Said first side is formed on the hand-operated structure. Said second side is formed on the assembly structure, and said first side and second side are opposite to each other in the axial direction of the main body. Said flow channel extends to the first side and the second side. An annular pinching part is formed on the radial periphery of the hand-operated structure, wherein the fingers pinch the pinching part to rotate the main body, so as to enhance the operation reliability of installing the main body on the liquid storage tank. Said pinching part forms a rough microstructure, so as to increase the surface friction of the pinching part. Said assembly structure has a screwing section and a tapping section, wherein said screwing section is located between the hand-operated structure and the tapping section. Said screwing section is cylindrical. Said tapping section is a tapered column. The radial dimension of said tapping section decreases from the screwing section to the second side. A first screw thread is formed on the periphery of the screwing section, wherein said first screw thread is a connecting screw thread. A second screw thread is formed on the periphery of the tapping section, wherein said second screw thread is a tapping screw thread. Said first screw thread and said second screw thread have the same helix angle and thread pitch, and the first screw thread and the second screw thread are connected integrally, so that the main body is installed on the tank body of the liquid storage tank through the assembly structure, and the air enters or leaves the liquid storage tank through the flow channel. Said blocking structure is disposed on the main body, so as to interrupt the connection between the flow channel and external environment through the first side. 
     In terms of main effect and advantage of the present invention, the pinching part can be nipped by hand to rotate the main body, the assembly structure is assembled on the tank body under the cutting action of the tapping section, the operation is easy and unlikely to fail. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to form a pinching part without a flat surface around the radial periphery of the hand-operated structure, so that the tool cannot clamp and pull the hand-operated structure to rotate excessively, the operation reliability of assembling the main body on the liquid storage tank is enhanced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is the section view of the known breather structure installed on a liquid storage tank. 
         FIG. 2  is the three-dimensional diagram of the operating state of the known breather structure installed on a liquid storage tank. 
         FIG. 3  is the stereogram of the Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is the axial section view of the Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is the sectional view (I) of operating state of Embodiment 1 of the present invention installed on a liquid storage tank. 
         FIG. 6  is the sectional view (II) of operating state of Embodiment 1 of the present invention installed on a liquid storage tank. 
         FIG. 7  is the section view of Embodiment 1 of the present invention installed on a liquid storage tank. 
         FIG. 8  is the stereogram of the Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is the stereogram of the Embodiment 3 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is the radial section view of the hand-operated structure in the Embodiment 3 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is the drawing of partial enlargement of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is the sectional view of the Embodiment 4 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is the section view of operating state of the Embodiment 5 the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 , the Embodiment 1 of the aforementioned breather plug which can be installed on a liquid storage tank comprises a main body  20 , wherein the main body  20  is made of metal material. The main body  20  comprises a hand-operated structure  21  and an assembly structure  22  which are axially connected. The hand-operated structure  21  and the assembly structure  22  are formed integrally. A flow channel  23  axially penetrates the main body  20 . The flow channel  23  penetrates the hand-operated structure  21  and the assembly structure  22 . The main body  20  has a first side  24  and a second side  25 . The first side  24  is formed on the hand-operated structure  21 , the second side  25  is formed on the assembly structure  22 , and the first side  24  and the second side  25  are opposite to each other in axial direction of the main body  20 . The flow channel  23  extends to the first side  24  and the second side  25 . 
     The radial periphery of the hand-operated structure  21  forms an annular pinching part  211 , so that the fingers  80  pinch the pinching part  211  to rotate the main body  20 , to enhance the operation reliability of assembling the main body  20  on the liquid storage tank  90 . An annular pressing face  212  is formed at one end of the hand-operated structure  21  facing the assembly structure  22 . The annular inner edge of the pressing face  212  abuts on the assembly structure  22 . Furthermore, the pinching part  211  without a flat surface is formed around the radial periphery of the hand-operated structure  21 , so that the spanner or other forms of hand tools cannot effectively clamp and pull the hand-operated structure  21 , the hand-operated structure  21  cannot be rotated with a hand tool, the operation reliability of assembling the main body  20  on the liquid storage tank  90  is enhanced. 
     The assembly structure  22  has a screwing section  222  and a tapping section  224 . The screwing section  222  axially contacts the tapping section  224 . The second side  25  is formed on the tapping section  224 . The screwing section  222  is located between the hand-operated structure  21  and the tapping section  224 . The screwing section  222  is cylindrical. The tapping section  224  is a tapered column, and the radial dimension of the tapping section  224  decreases from the screwing section  222  to the second side  25 . A first screw thread  223  is formed on the periphery of the screwing section  222 . The first screw thread  223  is a connecting screw thread. A second screw thread  225  is formed on the periphery of the tapping section  224 . The second screw thread  225  is a tapping screw thread. The second screw thread  225  is a continuous screw thread. The first screw thread  223  and the second screw thread  225  have the same helix angle and thread pitch, and the first screw thread  223  and the second screw thread  225  are connected integrally, so that the main body  20  is installed on the tank body  91  of the liquid storage tank  90  through the assembly structure  22 , and the air enters or leaves the liquid storage tank  90  through the flow channel  23 . 
       FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7  describe the operation of installing Embodiment 1 on the liquid storage tank  90 . A mounting hole  95  penetrates the tank body  91 . Let the minimum outside diameter of the second screw thread  225  be Φ 3 , the outside diameter of the first screw thread  223  be Φ 4 , the minor diameter of root of the first screw thread  223  be Φ 5 , the inside diameter of the mounting hole  95  be Φ 6 ,  06  is a little larger than Φ 3 , and Φ 6  smaller than Φ 4  is preferred. 
     The fingers  80  pinch the pinching part  211 , so that the tapping section  224  enters the mounting hole  95  and rotates the main body  20 , the second screw thread  225  cuts the hole wall  952  of the mounting hole  95 . As the tapping section  224  enters the space inside the liquid storage tank  90  gradually (not shown in the figure), the hole wall  952  is processed by the tapping section  224  to form an internal thread  954  and guide the main body  20 . Afterwards, the screwing section  222  enters the mounting hole  95 , and the first screw thread  223  engages with the internal thread  954 , the tapping section  224  enhances the handiness of installing the main body  20  on the tank body  91  through the screwing section  222 . 
     When the Embodiment 1 is installed on the tank body  91 , the tank body  91  is processed by using a tool to form the mounting hole  95 , the user can pinch the pinching part  211  to rotate the main body  20  without any other tools, and then the assembly structure  22  can be assembled on the tank body  91  under the cutting action of the tapping section  224  on the hole wall  952 , the operation is easy and unlikely to fail. 
     On the other hand, with the formation of the pinching part  211 , the spanner or other forms of hand tools cannot effectively clamp and pull the hand-operated structure  21 . When the main body  20  is installed on the tank body  91 , the resistance of the tank body  91  to the assembly structure  22  makes the assembly structure  22  penetrate into the space continuously, preventing the tapping section  224  from overcutting the hole wall  952 , the internal thread  954  will not be destroyed by the assembly structure  22 , the screwing reliability of the first screw thread  223  and the internal thread  954  is enhanced. 
     A washer  30  is fitted over the assembly structure  22 . The washer  30  is made of elastic material, and the washer  30  is adjacent to the pressing face  212 . When the main body  20  is installed on the tank body  91 , the pressing face  212  and the tank body  91  oppositely press the washer  30 , so as to form a better discharge stop effect, preventing the liquid in the liquid storage tank  90  from leaking out between the assembly structure  22  and the hole wall  952 . The assembly structure  22  is unlikely to get loose from the mounting hole  95  due to the elasticity of the washer  30 . 
     The outside diameter Φ 7  of the pinching part  211  is 10 mm-16 mm, the user is easy to pinch the pinching part  211  with the fingers  80 , but difficult to grab the pinching part  211  with palm. The user will not apply excessive force to the pinching part  211 , avoiding excessive rotation of the main body  20 . In this case, the outside diameter Φ 7  of the pinching part  211  is 14 mm. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the main difference of Embodiment 2 from Embodiment 1 is that the pinching part  211  forms a rough microstructure  27 , so that the surface friction of the pinching part  211  is increased. The microstructure  27  is formed by sandblasting, peening or etching the pinching part  211 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11 , the main difference of Embodiment 3 from Embodiment 2 is that the microstructure  27  is formed by rolling or etching the pinching part  211 . The microstructure  27  comprises several dents  272  and several bulges  274 . A virtual boundary  276  is defined, the boundary  276  is circular, and the center of the boundary  276  is exactly in the radial center of the hand-operated structure  21 . The outer side of the bulges  274  far from the flow channel  23  is within the boundary  276 . Along the diameter of the hand-operated structure  21 , the distance D between the outer side of the bulge  274  and the inner side of the dent  272  smaller than 1 mm is a better implementation option. 
     Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 3 use the microstructure  27  to increase the relative friction between the fingers  80  and the pinching part  211 , the user is easier to pinch the pinching part  211  with the fingers  80  to rotate the main body  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the main difference of Embodiment 4 from Embodiment 1 is that the Embodiment 4 has a blocking structure  40 , the blocking structure  40  is disposed on the main body  20 , so as to interrupt the connection between the flow channel  23  and external environment through the first side  24 . 
     The flow channel  23  expands to form a storage chamber  232 , the storage chamber  232  extends to the first side  24 , an annular abutting surface  234  is formed inside the storage chamber  232 . 
     The blocking structure  40  comprises a limiting piece  41 , a stop block  42  and a spring  43 , wherein the limiting piece  41  is disposed in the storage chamber  232 , a chamber  412  and a channel  414  are formed inside the limiting piece  41 . The abutting surface  234  is located in the chamber  412 . The chamber  412  communicates with the channel  414 . The channel  414  extends to the first side  24 . An annular limiting surface  416  is formed between the chamber  412  and the channel  414 . The stop block  42  and the spring  43  are disposed in the chamber  412 . The outside diameter of the stop block  42  is smaller than the inside diameter of the chamber  412 . Both ends of the spring  43  prop the stop block  42  and the abutting surface  234  respectively, so that the stop block  42  props the limiting surface  416  to interrupt the connection between the chamber  412  and the channel  414 . 
     The general situation, the stop block  42  interrupts the connection between the chamber  412  and the channel  414 , the outside foreign materials cannot enter the liquid storage tank  90  through the flow channel  23 . When the liquid storage tank  90  is tilted to discharge the liquid in the liquid storage tank  90 , the pressure inside the space drops as the liquid flows out, forming a sucking action on the stop block  42 , the stop block  42  moves towards the space, the stop block  42  leaves the limiting surface  416 , the chamber  412  communicates with the channel  414 , the air can enter the liquid storage tank  90  through the channel  414 , the chamber  412  and the flow channel  23 , and the liquid flows out smoothly. 
     Furthermore, the inside diameter of the limiting surface  416  decreases from the chamber  412  to the channel  414 , so that the limiting surface  416  is conical. The stop block  42  has a conical end  422 , so that the end  422  props the limiting surface  416 , enhancing the reliability of the stop block  42  obstructing air. The end  422  and the limiting surface  416  have the same coning angle, so the end  422  adhering to the limiting surface  416  is a better implementation option. 
     The blocking structure  40  can be provided with a conical limiting surface  416  or a conical end  422 , so as to form a different embodiment based on Embodiment 4. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , the main difference of Embodiment 5 from Embodiment 1 is that the Embodiment 5 has a blocking structure  40 , the blocking structure  40  has a close over  45 , the close over  45  is removably installed on the first side  24 , so as to interrupt the connection between the flow channel  23  and external environment through the first side  24 .