Patent Publication Number: US-2023139548-A1

Title: Valve puller

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a valve puller. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     A tire is equipped with an air valve to allow inflation or deflation of the tire. Normally, the air valve is protrusive out of the rim around which the tire is mounted, for connection with an air pump. However, before the tire is sufficiently inflated, the air valve is not forced to be upright enough such that it needs a pulling tool to pull the air valve outward to make the air valve in a suitable position for inflation during the mounting process. In replacement of the tire, the air valve has to be pulled out of the rim by the pulling tool. As a result, the pulling tool is very important for installation and removal of the air valve. 
     However, most replacement is carried out by using a pliers or the like to pull the air valve during installation and removal of the air valve, which can cause damage to the air valve or to the rim easily. 
     The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above-mentioned disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of the present invention is to provide a valve puller with which it is efficient to pull a valve head and avoids damage to the valve head. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, a valve puller is provided, including: a main body; at least one valve assembly, connected to the main body, configured to be connected with at least one valve head; and a support mechanism, including a connection portion and at least one support body, the connection portion being connected to the main body, the at least one support body being changeably connected with the connection portion, the at least one support body being configured to be abutted against a rim to serve as a fulcrum such that the main body is swingable relative to the rim. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a stereogram of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a breakdown drawing of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  5    is a drawing showing a valve puller provided with various support bodies according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  6    is a drawing showing the valve puller in use with a first valve assembly according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  7    is a drawing showing the valve puller in use with a second valve assembly according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS.  1  to  7    for a preferable embodiment of the present invention. A valve puller  1  of the present invention includes a main body  1 , at least one valve assembly and a support mechanism  4 . 
     The at least one valve assembly is connected to the main body  1  and configured to be connected with at least one valve head. The support mechanism  4  includes a connection portion  41  and at least one support body  42 , the connection portion  41  is connected to the main body  1 , and the at least one support body  42  is changeably connected with the connection portion  41  so that it is easy to change according to various requirements. The at least one support body  42  is configured to be abutted against a rim  6  to serve as a fulcrum such that the main body  1  is swingable relative to the rim  6 . 
     In this embodiment, the at least one support body includes a plurality of support bodies  42  having different lengths respectively. The support body  42  is movably screwed to the connection portion  41  so that an entire length of the support body  42  and the connection portion  41  can be finely adjusted by rotating the support body  42 . As a result, the support mechanism  4  can be adjusted in two different ways of rough adjustment and fine adjustment. In the rough adjustment, it is to replace the support body  42  with another one having different length. In the fine adjustment, it is to rotate the support body  42  to adjust relative spatial relationship of the support body  42  and the connection portion  41 . 
     Specifically, the support body  42  includes a metal body  421  and a rubber sleeve  422 , the metal body  421  is connected with the connection portion  41 , and the rubber sleeve  422  is disposed around the metal body  421 . The metal body  421  has good stiffness to good resistance to external force or impact, and the rubber sleeve  422  provides good buffering. A side of the rubber sleeve  422  opposite to the main body  1  includes a recessed portion  423 , and the recessed portion  423  is configured for engagement of a part of the rim  6  therewithin, for improving stable support. 
     Specifically, the connection portion  41  is slidably disposed on the main body  1 , thus being easy and convenient adjustment. The valve puller further includes at least one positioning member  31 , the at least one positioning member  31  is disposed on the main body  1 , and the connection portion  41  is blocked by the at least one positioning member  31  in a direction in which the connection portion  41  slides so that the connection portion  41  is prevented from detaching from the main body  1 . 
     Preferably, the support mechanism  4  further includes a resistance mechanism  5 , the connection portion  41  includes a through hole  411 , the main body  1  is movably disposed through the through hole  411 , and the resistance mechanism  5  includes a receiving hole  51 , an elastic member  52  and an abutting member  53 . The receiving hole  51  is disposed on the connection portion  41  and in communication with the through hole  411 , and the elastic member  52  is abutted against and between a hole wall of the receiving hole  51  and the abutting member  53 . The elastic member  52  biases the abutting member  53  to abut the main body  1  so that there provides sufficient resistance between the main body  1  and the connection portion  41  to effectively position the connection portion  41 . 
     The valve puller further includes a swingable member  32 , the at least one valve assembly includes a plurality of valve assemblies, the plurality of valve assembly includes a first valve assembly  21  and a second valve assembly  22 , and the first valve assembly  21  and the second valve assembly  22  are cylindrical. The swingable member  32  is swingably pivoted to the main body  1 , the first valve assembly  21  is positioned to the swingable member  32  and movable relative to the main body  1 , and the second valve assembly  22  is disposed on the main body  1 . In this embodiment, the second valve assembly  22  is integrally formed as a part of the main body  1 ; the first valve assembly  21  is configured to be connected with a first valve head  71 , and the second valve assembly  22  is configured to be connected with a second valve head  72 . 
     In use, it is optional to choose the first valve assembly  21  or the second valve assembly  22  for working operation. For example, the first valve assembly  21  is relatively suitable for applying to the first valve head  71  which extends straightly; while the second valve assembly  22  is relatively suitable for applying to the second valve head  72  which extends to be L-shaped. However, the second valve assembly  22  may be used to apply to the first valve head which extends straightly. When the first valve assembly  21  is used, the first valve assembly  21  can be driven to at a suitable angle and position by swinging the swingable member  32 , which facilitates respective valve heads in various positions relative to different rims. 
     Specifically, the first valve assembly  21  includes a first inner wall  211 , a first receiving room  212  defined by the first inner wall  211  and a first threaded portion  213 , the first receiving room  212  is configured to receive the first valve head  71 , and the first threaded portion  213  is disposed on the first inner wall  211  and configured to be screwed with the first valve head  71 . Similarly, the second valve assembly  22  includes a second inner wall  221 , a second receiving room  222  defined by the second inner wall  221  and a second threaded portion  223 , the second receiving room  222  is configured to receive the second valve head  72 , and the second threaded portion  223  is disposed on the second inner wall  221  and configured to be screwed with the second valve head  72 . 
     Specifically, an end of the main body  1  includes a slot  11 , a part of the swingable member  32  extends within the slot  11 , a pin  37  is disposed through the slot  11  and connected to the main body  1  and the swingable member  32 , and the pin  37  includes a groove  38  extends axially, wherein with the groove  38  the pin  37  can be deformable during assembling. It is easier to dispose the pin  37  through the main body  1  and the swingable member  32  as the pin  37  is radially contracted by an external force; and the pin  37  can be firmly engaged with and positioned to the main body  1  as the external force is removed from the pin  37 . 
     Preferably, the first valve assembly  21  is rotatably connected to the swingable member  32  so that it is easy to assemble or detach the first valve assembly  21  by rotating the first valve head  71 . 
     In this embodiment, the valve puller further includes a first shaft  33 , the first shaft  33  is disposed through the first valve assembly  21  and is connected with the main body  1 , and the first valve assembly  21  is freely rotatable about the first shaft  33 . Preferably, the first shaft  33  is detachably screwed to the main body  1 , which is easy to replace parts. 
     Preferably, a first pad  35  is received within and positioned to the first receiving room  212  and covers a head portion of the first shaft  33 , wherein the first pad  35  is applied to be located between the first valve head  71  and the head portion of the first shaft  33 , thus preventing the first valve head  71  and the first shaft  33  from being damaged. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.