Patent Publication Number: US-8967209-B2

Title: Adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an adapter structure, and more particularly to an adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many power tools like a nail driver, a hammer, and a stapler are operated by using a gas fuel, such as gas. To carry the power tool easily, a bottle full of gas is connected on the power tool and is disconnected from the power tool when the gas runs out. Accordingly, the bottle is connected on the power tool by using a gas sealing structure to prevent from gas leak and is disconnected by ways of a disconnection structure so as to facilitate a connection of the bottle on the power tool and a disconnection of the bottle from the power tool. 
     A gas cartridge adapter for fixing the same to a transmission and combustion chamber filling member of a gas fixing device and for disconnecting the same from the member disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20100294798 contains an adapter structure of a gas bottle to cooperate with a specific power tool. The adapter structure includes two disconnecting and ejecting wings and two fixing legs corresponding to the two disconnecting and ejecting wings, the two fixing legs are served to retain a spherical connecting portion of a power tool, and in a connecting operation, the spherical connecting portion is forced into a chamber between the two fixing legs so that the spherical connecting portion is retained by the two fixing legs further, and in a disconnecting operation, the two disconnecting and ejecting wings are pushed by a pusher so that the two fixing legs deform and then disconnect from the spherical connecting portion, hence the connection and disconnection are achieved. 
     Nevertheless, each fixing leg has to include a hooked structure formed on an inner surface thereof to match with the spherical connecting portion, but it is difficult to manufacture such a hooked structure in a die sinking process. Besides, the two fixing legs are made of a high resilient material to deform so as to obtain the disconnection of the bottle from the power tool. Also, the adapter structure is integrally formed to match with the two fixing legs made of the high resilient material, having high production cost and less material option. 
     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 an adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle that is capable of overcoming difficult die sinking of the conventional adapter structure with hooks. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle that is capable of overcoming inefficient production of the conventional adapter structure made of the same elastic material. 
     To obtain the above objective, an adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle of the present invention is disposed on a bottle and is connected with a spherical connecting portion of a power tool. 
     The adapter structure contains a body to connect with the bottle, a gas sealing assembly inside the body, a fixing member to cooperate with the spherical connecting portion, and a plurality of elastic retaining members secured on the fixing member. 
     The body includes a gas channel connecting with an output end of the bottle. 
     The gas sealing assembly is mounted in the gas channel and couples with the output end and the spherical connecting portion respectively. 
     The fixing member includes an opening communicating with the gas channel and is used to receive the spherical connecting portion, a diameter of the opening is larger than that of the spherical connecting portion, the fixing member also includes a plurality of engaging orifices arranged thereon correspondingly; 
     The plurality of elastic retaining members correspondingly arranged in the plurality of engaging orifices, each elastic retaining member includes an abutting portion and two resilient legs extending from the abutting portion, the two resilient legs is secured on one side of the fixing member away from the opening, and the abutting portions extends into the opening via the engaging orifices, the plurality of elastic retaining member form an elastic spreading mouth corresponding to the opening, and normally a diameter of the elastic spreading mouth is smaller than that of the spherical connecting portion, the elastic spreading mouth is pressed to expand so that the spherical connecting portion slides into or disengages from the opening. 
     Thereby, the adapter structure for the gas fuel bottle of the present invention has the following advantages: 
     The spherical connecting portion is fixed through the elastic retaining members after sliding into the opening without using a hooked positioning structure. Thus the adapter structure features easy die sinking and mass production. 
     The elastic retaining member is separated from the fixing member, so the plurality of elastic retaining members with different elastic forces are capable of providing various options to fulfill various requirements. 
     The elastic retaining member is separated from the fixing member, so the plurality of elastic retaining members and the fixing member, all of which have different hardness, are capable of providing various material options to lower production cost. 
     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of an adapter structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the assembly of an elastic retaining member of the adapter structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of assembling the adapter structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is anther cross sectional view showing the operation of assembling the adapter structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3C  is also anther cross sectional view showing the operation of assembling the adapter structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 A, an adapter structure for a gas fuel bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a bottle  10  and is connected with a spherical connecting portion  21  of a power tool  20 , a gas fuel in the bottle  10  is fed into the spherical connecting portion  21  of a power tool  20  through the adapter structure, and the spherical connecting portion  21  has a tubular input end  22  to feed the gas fuel. 
     The adapter structure comprises a body  30  to connect with the bottle  10 , a gas sealing assembly  40  mounted inside the body  30 , a fixing member  50  to cooperate with the spherical connecting portion  21 , and a plurality of elastic retaining members  60  secured on the fixing member  50 . The body  30  includes a gas channel  31  coupled with an output end  11  of the bottle  10 . The gas sealing assembly  40  is mounted in the gas channel  31  and respectively couples with the output end  11 . and the spherical connecting portion  21 . In particular, the gas sealing assembly  40  includes a first connecting hole  41  connecting with the output end  11 , a second connecting hole  42  coupling with the tubular input end  22 , and a extending connector  43  disposed between the first connecting hole  41  and the second connecting hole  42 , each of the first connecting hole  41  and the second connecting hole  42  has an elastic sealing ring  44  arranged on a peripheral side thereof to prevent from gas leakage, and the extending connector  43  is respectively in combination with the output end  11  and the tubular input end  22 . 
     The fixing member  50  includes an opening  51  communicating with the gas channel  31  and used to receive the spherical connecting portion  21 , a diameter of the opening  51  is larger than that of the spherical connecting portion  21 , the fixing member  50  also includes two engaging orifices  52  arranged thereon correspondingly, two elastic retaining members  60  correspondingly arranged in the two engaging orifices  52 , but the number of the engaging orifices  52  is not limited two, for example, three or four symmetrically engaging orifices  52  are capable of being provided in the present invention to correspond to three or four elastic retaining members  60 . The plurality of elastic retaining members  60  form an elastic spreading mouth corresponding to the opening  51 , and a diameter of the elastic spreading mouth is normally smaller than that of the spherical connecting portion  21 , the elastic spreading mouth is capable of being pressed to expand so that the spherical connecting portion  21  slides into or disengages from the opening  51 . It is to be noted that the each elastic retaining member  60  includes an abutting portion  61  and two resilient legs  62  extending from the abutting portion  61 , the two resilient legs  62  are secured to one side of the fixing member  50  away from the opening  51 , and the abutting portion  61  extends into the opening  51  via the engaging orifice  52 . 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the power tool  20  includes a releasable pressing member  23  The body  30  includes two disconnecting portions  32  connected on a surface of one side thereof away from the output end  11  so that a user presses the releasable pressing member  23  to force the two disconnecting portions  32 , such that the spherical connecting portion  21  disconnects from the fixing member  50 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 3C , an operation of assembling the adapter structure for the gas fuel bottle is described as follows. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3A , as connecting the power tool  20  to the bottle  10 , the spherical connecting portion  21  is inserted into the opening  51  of the fixing member  50 . Due to the diameter of the elastic spreading mouth is normally smaller than that of the spherical connecting portion  21 , so as shown in  FIG. 3B , the spherical connecting portion  21  enters into the spherical connecting portion  21  to press the abutting portion  61  of the each elastic retaining member  60  expending outward so that the diameter of the elastic spreading mouth becomes increased with that of the spherical connecting portion  21 , thereafter the spherical connecting portion  21  enters into the opening  51  as illustrated in  FIG. 3C , and the tubular input end  22  couples with the second connecting hole  42  of the gas sealing assembly  40  via the gas channel  31  to communicate with the output end  11  of the bottle  10  so that the power tool  20  has the gas fuel of the bottle  10  to operate, and the each elastic retaining member  60  returns to an original state with the diameter of the elastic spreading mouth decreasing so that the spherical connecting portion  21  is fixed in the gas channel  31 . 
     Likewise, as removing the bottle  10  from the power tool  20 , the releasable pressing member  23  is pressed to push the two disconnecting portions  32  so that the spherical connecting portion  21  forces the each elastic retaining member  60  reversely to expand the diameter of the elastic spreading mouth, thus removing the each elastic retaining member  60  from the fixing member  50 . To facilitate convenience of a connection and a disconnection, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the abutting portion  61  further includes two arcuate chamfers  611  corresponding to the spherical connecting portion  21  so that the spherical connecting portion  21  pushes the abutting portion  61  away easily, thus obtaining the connection and disconnection. 
     Thereby, the adapter structure for the gas fuel bottle of the present invention has the following advantages: 
     1. The spherical connecting portion is fixed through the elastic retaining members after sliding into the opening without using a hooked positioning structure. Thus the adapter structure features easy die sinking and mass production. 
     2. The each elastic retaining member is separated from the fixing member, so the plurality of elastic retaining members with different elastic forces are capable of providing various options to fulfill various requirements. 
     3. The each elastic retaining member is separated from the fixing member, so the plurality of elastic retaining members and the fixing member, all of which have different hardness, are capable of providing various material options to lower production cost. 
     4. The spherical connecting portion forces the each elastic retaining member easily by means of the two arcuate chamfers, thus having quick connection and disconnection. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.