Handheld air bellows with expandable and retractable air tube

Abstract

Handheld air bellows with expandable and retractable air tubes. The handheld air bellows includes an air pump carried by a housing, an electric motor that drives the air pump, and an air tube operatively coupled with the air pump to direct a stream of air from the air pump through an exit orifice of the air tube. The air tube is extendable and retractable along an axis from a distal end to a proximal end between a retracted length and an extended length longer than the retracted length. The air tube may be coupled to the housing with a hinged joint such that the air tube can be pivoted about the hinged joint between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration relative to the housing.

1 . A handheld air bellows comprising:
 an air pump carried by a housing;   an electric motor that drives the air pump; and   an air tube operatively coupled with the air pump to direct a stream of air from the air pump through an exit orifice of the air tube;   wherein the air tube is extendable and retractable along an axis from a proximal end to a distal end between a retracted length and an extended length longer than the retracted length.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld air bellows of  claim 1 , wherein the exit orifice is located at the distal end and the proximal end is coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , wherein the air tube comprises a hollow telescoping tube that is rigid and heat resistant. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , wherein the air tube is made of at least one of stainless steel, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, tantalum, aluminum, hafnium carbide, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , further comprising a ceramic coating on the air tube. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , further comprising a hinge joint that couples the air tube with the housing, wherein the air tube pivots about the hinge joint relative to the housing between a folded position and an unfolded position. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , further comprising a battery configured to power the motor driven air pump. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld air bellows of  claim 7 , wherein the battery comprises a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , wherein the air pump comprises a fan. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , further comprising a switch carried by the air pump, wherein the switch is configured to turn the air pump on and off. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld air bellows of  any one of the previous claims , wherein the housing is sized to be grasped and manipulated in a single hand, and wherein the retracted length is about 5 cm to about 15 cm inches and the extended length is about 15 cm to about 120 cm. 
     
     
         12 . A method of using a handheld air bellows according to  any one of the previous claims , the method comprising:
 grasping the housing in one hand;   extending the air tube;   placing the exit orifice of the extended air tube near a flame; and   blowing air on the flame through the exit orifice in the extended air tube with the air pump.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 pivoting the air tube about the hinge from the folded position against the housing to the unfolded position projecting away for the housing.   
     
     
         14 . The method of any one of  claims 12 and 13 , further comprising:
 engaging the switch to activate the electric motor.   
     
     
         15 . The method of any one of  claims 12 to 14 , further comprising:
 recharging the rechargeable battery.