Suction-cup release mechanism
OwnerMarshall D. Hobart, IIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suction device (20) including an elastic diaphragm (30) with a lever (45) attached to the surface of diaphragm (30) by appendages (40, 41) and an attachment means (26, 98), a sun or glare screen (50), and handle (60). Handle (60) is inserted through screen (50) into opening (102) of diaphragm (30 ). Lever 45 provides a quick method of releasing suction device (20) from surface (10), using a natural one-handed operation.
Claims34
A quick-release suction cup mechanism for attachment to a planar surface, comprising:
- (a) a cup member of flexible, elastic material, the cup member having an outer surface and a concave interior surface, the cup member also having a thicker interior region and a thinner outer rim region, and being attachable under suction to the planar surface when the cup member is flattened toward the planar surface;
- and
- (b) release means, the release means being secured to the cup member at the thinner rim region on the outer surface, and including movable rigid means extending from the thinner rim region to the thicker interior region of the outer surface to engage the cup member at the interior region and compress the cup member.
A vacuum cup mechanism for releasable attachment to a planar surface, comprising:
- a) a cup member of flexible, elastic material having a peripheral rim, the cup member having a convex surface and a concave surface, the concave surface being engageable to the planar surface;
- b) attachment means, the attachment means being securely positioned on the convex surface adjacent the rim of the cup member ;and
- c) lever means of rigid material, the lever means being secured to the attachment means adjacent the convex surface of the cup member, wherein the lever means extends from the attachment means and moves to distort the cup member by compressing the interior region thereof while raising the rim relative to the planar surface such that the vacuum cup mechanism is quickly and easily released from a surface.
A quick release suction cup member, comprising:
- a) a flexible, elastic conical diaphragm, the diaphragm having a thicker interior region and a thinner outer region, the diaphragm having a convex surface;
- b) attachment means, the attachment means being mounted on the convex surface of the diaphragm at the thinner outer region of the diaphragm;
- c) lever means, the lever means being rigid, the lever means being secured to and attached to the attachment means adjacent the diaphragm, the lever means having an extension to the thicker interior region of the diaphragm and a manually operable handle, such that when the handle is urged towards the thicker interior region with the extension as a fulcrum, the thinner outer region of the diaphragm is raised at the attachment means, such that air is introduced under the diaphragm and release of the diaphragm thereby occurs.
A suction cup release mechanism comprising:
- (a) a flexible diaphragm having a central hug region and an outer rim and attachable to a smooth surface;
- (b) a rigid lever, said lever comprising a fulcrum for engagement with a bearing surface;
- (c) attachment means for attaching said rigid lever to said flexible diaphragm;
- whereby movement of said rigid lever in a direction parallel to said smooth surface causes said diaphram's outer rim to lift up.
A method of releasing an adhered suction-cup from an adjacent surface, the suction cup having a rigid lever attached thereto, the rigid lever including a fulcrum, comprising the steps of urging said rigid lever in a direction generally parallel with said adjacent surface and through said fulcrum, thereby producing a movement of said suction cup's perimeter rim generally perpendicular to said adjacent surface.
A vacuum cup release mechanism comprising:
- (a) a flexible, elastic conical diaphragm having a central hub region and an outer skirt, wherein said conical diaphragm is vacuum-attachable with a non-porous surface;
- and
- (b) leveraging means of rigid material comprising a fulcrum engagable with a bearing surface and further comprising attachment means to secure said leveraging means to said diaphragm so as to elevate said outer skirt's perimeter away from said non-porous surface upon actuating said leveraging means, thereby causing a break in vacuum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.