Patent Abstract:
An oil filling device includes an oil filling funnel, an extendable tube assembly, a direction adjustment assembly, and a coupling assembly. The oil filling funnel is mounted to a first end of the extendable tube assembly. The extendable tube assembly has a second end mounted to the direction adjustment assembly. The direction adjustment assembly is mounted to the coupling assembly that is attachable to an oil filling hole of an engine. The direction adjustment assembly enables adjustment of the direction of the extendable tube assembly and the oil filling funnel with respect to the engine, while the extendable tube assembly allows the oil filling funnel to be selectively moved toward or away from the oil filling hole. Thus, the oil filling device may accommodate various heights and angles of oil filling hole of engine and allows filling of oil into the engine to be conducted in a smoother manner.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an oil filling device, and in particular to an oil filling device that enables adjustment of relative direction and distance between an oil filling funnel of the device and an engine oil filling hole so as to allow the oil filling device to accommodate various models and types of engine. 
     2. The Related Arts 
     Vehicles, such as automobiles and motorcycles, comprise an engine that is provided with an oil pan having a small filling opening. It is often that over-filling of oil result in spillage or overflowing of the oil outside the engine, causing environmental pollution when falling to the ground. In addition, when a large amount of oil is filled into an oil tube in a short period, air bubbles are generated and stuck in the oil tube so that the air may not be discharged and thus block oil from being further filled. This affects the efficiency and smoothness of the operation of filling oil and may often lead to spillage of oil due to negligence. 
     Further, the location and direction of the oil filling opening are different from each other for different engines. Heretofore, oil filling devices are generally not adjustable and are thus not fit to the oil filling openings of various models and types of vehicles. Consequently, it is common to change the oil filling devices when it is attempted to fill oil to different models or types of vehicles. This is certainly very troublesome. Apparently, the conventional, non-adjustable oil filling devices can be further improved. 
     Thus, it is desired to provide an oil filling device that overcomes the above discussed problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provides an oil filling device, which enables adjustment of direction of an oil filling funnel with respect to an oil filling hole of an engine and also enables adjustment of distance between the oil filling funnel and the engine oil filling hole, whereby the oil filling device is applicable to filling oil to various models and types of engines. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an oil filling device, which comprises an oil filling funnel, an extendable tube assembly, a direction adjustment assembly, and a coupling assembly. The oil filling funnel is mounted to a first end of the extendable tube assembly. The extendable tube assembly has a second end mounted to the direction adjustment assembly. The direction adjustment assembly is mounted to the coupling assembly that is attachable to an oil filling hole of an engine. The direction adjustment assembly enables adjustment of the direction of the extendable tube assembly and the oil filling funnel with respect to the engine, while the extendable tube assembly allows the oil filling funnel to be selectively moved toward or away from the oil filling hole. Thus, the oil filling device may accommodate various heights and angles of engine oil filling hole and allows filling of oil into the engine to be conducted in a smoother manner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view showing an oil filling device according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view, in an assembled form, of the oil filling device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the oil filling device of the present invention, particularly showing details of an extendable tube assembly of the oil filling device; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the oil filling device of the present invention, particularly showing a direction adjustment assembly to which a coupling assembly is attached; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing a locking cap of the coupling assembly of the oil filling device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view illustrating an extension operation of the oil filling device according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view illustrating a direction adjustment operation of the oil filling device according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating an application of the oil filling device according to the present invention to filling oil into an engine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawings and in particular to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention provides an oil filling device, which comprises a oil filling funnel  10 , which has a lower end connected to an insertion connector  11 . The insertion connector  11  has a lower end connected to an angled fitting  12 . 
     An extendable tube assembly  20  comprises a first tubular member  21  that has a first end  211 . The angled fitting  12  has a free end that is fit into the first end  211  of the first tubular member  21  of the extendable tube assembly  20 . The first tubular member  21  has a free end to which an end connector  22  is mounted. The end connector  22  comprises a tapered bore  221  formed therein and the tapered bore  221  receives a second tubular member  23  to telescopically extend therethrough. The tapered bore  221  comprises a tapered section that receives and retains therein a conical wedge block  24  having a C-shaped cross-section. A fastening element  25 , which is internally threaded, is mounted to an external thread  222 . After the second tubular member  23  is telescopically received and sets a desired length, the fastening element  25  is rotated to urge the conical wedge block  24  further into the tapered bore  221  so as to get compressed and securely fix the first tubular member  21  and the second tubular member  23  to each other to thereby achieve the functions of extension for adjustment and also fixing at selected length. 
     A direction adjustment assembly  30  comprises a rotary adjustment knob  31 , a fastening knob  32 , and a T-shaped fitting  33 . The T-shaped fitting  33  has a top portion through which a lateral passage  331  is formed to receive the rotary adjustment knob  31  to extend therethrough in such a way as to maintain the rotary adjustment knob  31  rotatable. The rotary adjustment knob  31  has an end that receives, engages, and fixes an external thread  232  formed on a free end of the second tubular member  23 . The rotary adjustment knob  31  has an opposite free end forming an external thread  314  with which an internal thread  321  formed in the fastening knob  32  engages, whereby when the rotary adjustment knob  31  is rotated to a desired angular position, the fastening knob  32  is rotated to tightly abut the T-shaped fitting  33  so as to secure the position of the rotary adjustment knob  31 . 
     A coupling assembly  40  comprises a locking cap  41 , in which an axially extending insertion bore  411  is formed. The insertion bore  411  receives the T-shaped fitting  33  to inset therein. In operation, the insertion bore  411  is set in communication with an interior of an engine  50  (see  FIG. 8 ). The locking cap  41  as a lower end forming an external thread  412  that is engageable with an internal thread  511  of an oil filling opening  51  of the engine  50  (see  FIG. 8 ). The external thread  412  can be further provided with a gasket ring  42  set around an outer circumference of the external thread. The locking cap  41  has a side portion in which an inverted T-shaped vent hole  43  is formed, whereby a first opening  431  of the inverted T-shaped vent hole  43  is in communication with the interior of the engine  50 , a second opening  432  is formed in a side surface of the locking cap  41  to communicate with the outside atmosphere, and a third opening  433  is formed in a top of the locking cap  41  to communicate with the outside atmosphere so as to enable an oil filling operation to be done in a smoother manner without jamming. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , as discussed above, the oil filling device according to the present invention comprises an oil filling funnel  10  having a lower end to connect to an insertion connector  11  and the insertion connector  11  has a lower end connected to the angled fitting  12 , whereby a funnel hole  101 , a connector hole  111 , and an angled fitting hole  121  are in communication with each other. The angled fitting  12  has a free end that is fit to the first end  211  of the first tubular member  21  of the extendable tube assembly  20  in such a way that the angled fitting hole  121  is in communication with a first bore  212  of the first tubular member  21 . The first tubular member  21  has a free end to which an end connector  22  is mounted. 
     The end connector  22  comprises an internal tapered bore  221 , which telescopically receives the second tubular member  23  to extend therethrough. The tapered bore  221  comprises a tapering section that receives and retains the conical wedge block  24  therein. The fastening element  25  comprises an internally threaded hole  251  and the end connector  22  has an outer circumference that forms an external thread  222  engaging the internally threaded hole  251  of the fastening element  25 . 
     Once the second tubular member  23  is extended or retracted to a desired length, the fastening element  25  is rotated to drive the conical wedge block  24  further into the tapered bore  221  so as to compress the wedge block and thus fix the first tubular member  21  and the second tubular member  23  to each other to achieve the functions of extension for adjustment and also fixing at selected length. 
     The first bore  212  of the first tubular member  21  is in communication with a second bore  231  of the second tubular member  23 . 
     The direction adjustment assembly  30  that comprises the rotary adjustment knob  31 , the fastening knob  32 , and the T-shaped fitting  33  is structured so that the T-shaped fitting  33  has a top portion forming the lateral passage  331  to receive the rotary adjustment knob  31  to extend therethrough. The T-shaped fitting  33  also has a lower portion forming a vertical passage  332  extending from and in communication with the lateral passage  331 . The rotary adjustment knob  31  is rotatable and has an end (leading end) forming an internally-threaded hole  311  that engages an external thread  232  formed at a free end of the second tubular member  23 . 
     The rotary adjustment knob  31  has an opposite end (tailing end) forming a hole  312  in communication with the internally-threaded hole  311 . The rotary adjustment knob  31  has a circumferential wall in which a plurality of through holes  313  is formed to correspond to the vertical passage  332  to communicate with the vertical passage  332 . The rotary adjustment knob  31  comprises an external thread  314  formed at the tailing end to engage an internal thread  321  formed in the fastening knob  32 , whereby when the rotary adjustment knob  31  is set at a desired angular position, the fastening knob  32  is rotated to abut against the T-shaped fitting  33  and thus secure the rotary adjustment knob  31  in position. 
     The coupling assembly  40  comprises the locking cap  41 , which forms an axially extending insertion bore  411  to receive and retain the T-shaped fitting  33  in such a way that the vertical passage  332  is in communication with the insertion bore  411 . The insertion bore  411  is set in communication with the engine  50  (see  FIG. 8 ). The locking cap  41  has a lower end forming an external thread  412  engageable with the internal thread  511  of the oil filling opening  51  of the engine  50  (see  FIG. 8 ). 
     Oil is filled through the funnel hole  101  of the oil filling funnel  10 , passing through the connector hole  111 , the angled fitting hole  121 , the first bore  212 , the tapered bore  221 , the second bore  231 , the internally-threaded hole  311 , the hole  312 , the through holes  313 , the vertical passage  332 , and the insertion bore  411  to get into the interior of the engine  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the locking cap  41  has a side portion forming the inverted T-shaped vent hole  43 , whereby the first opening  431  of the inverted T-shaped vent hole  43  is in communication with the engine  50 , the second opening  432  is formed in a side surface of the locking cap  41  to communicate with the outside atmosphere, and the third opening  433  is formed in the top of the locking cap  41  to communicate with the outside atmosphere so as to enable an oil filling operation to be done in a smoother manner without jamming. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the extendable tube assembly  20  has two opposite ends that are respectively connected to the oil filling funnel  10  and the direction adjustment assembly  30 . The second tubular member  23  of the extendable tube assembly  20  is telescopically received through the end connector  22  and the first tubular member  21 , whereby after being set to a desired length, the fastening element  25  is rotated to fix the first tubular member  21  and the second tubular member  23  to each other achieve the functions of extension for adjustment and also fixing at selected length. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 7 , according to the present invention, the rotary adjustment knob  31  of the direction adjustment assembly  30  is kept in a selectively rotatable condition and the leading end of manner of the rotary adjustment knob  31  is coupled to the second tubular member  23  through mating engagement with the external thread  232  of the second tubular member. Further, the rotary adjustment knob  31  comprises an external thread  314  formed at the tailing end thereof to mate the internal thread  321  of the fastening knob  32 , whereby when the rotary adjustment knob  31  is rotated to a desired angular position, generally with respect to the T-shaped fitting  33  and the coupling assembly  40 , the fastening knob  32  can be fastened to abut the T-shaped fitting  33  and thus secure the rotary adjustment knob  31  in position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the coupling assembly  40  is provided for coupling to the oil filling opening  51  of an engine  50  and the relative angle (or direction) between the direction adjustment assembly  30  with respect to the coupling assembly  40  can be adjusted as desired to set the direction the extendable tube assembly  20  and the oil filling funnel  10  with respect to the coupling assembly and the engine. The extendable tube assembly  20  can be adjusted to set the relative distance between the oil filling funnel  10  and the oil filling opening  51  of the engine  50  to selectively make them approaching to each other or distant from each other. In this way, the oil filling device can accommodate various heights and angles of oil filling opening  51  to allow the filling of oil into an engine to be done more smoothly. 
     It is apparent that the oil filling device according to the present invention enables adjustment of position and direction thereof with respect to an engine where oil is to be filled with the oil filling device and such adjustment is done with a novel and unique structure and arrangement that has never been proposed and known. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1