Portable dunnage bag inflator

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a portable dunnage bag inflator that provides a compact, pressurized source of air and that is easily mounted onto a movable cargo mover (such as a forklift truck or a pallet jack). Generally, the portable dunnage bag inflator includes an impellor-driven blower that, in operation, draws air at atmospheric pressure through an air intake grid or air inlet into the impellor and expels the air through an inflation hose. Since the portable dunnage bag inflator includes an impellor-driven blower, the pressure of the expelled air is higher than atmospheric pressure. This enables dunnage bags to be inflated to the desired specifications at point-of-use (e.g., during or after loading of cargo into a cargo container) and eliminates the need for a compressed air supply.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A portable dunnage bag inflator comprising:
 a housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet;   an impellor mounted within the housing;   an electric motor mounted within the housing and operably connected to the impellor;   a rechargeable battery electrically connectable to the electric motor;   a power switch at least partially external to the housing and movable from an off position in which the rechargeable battery does not power the electric motor to an on position in which the rechargeable battery powers the electric motor to drive the impellor to draw air into the air inlet and expel air from the air outlet; and   an inflation hose assembly including a first end having a first connector that is connectable to the air outlet and a second end having a second connector that is connectable to a dunnage bag to fluidly connect the air outlet with an interior of the dunnage bag.   
     
     
         2 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the impellor draws air into the air inlet at a first pressure expels air from the air outlet at a second pressure higher than the first pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
         4 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a wall defining the air inlet opening therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 4 , wherein the housing includes a different wall defining the air outlet opening therethrough. 
     
     
         6 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the inflation hose assembly is connectable to the air outlet via rotation relative to the air outlet. 
     
     
         7 . A portable dunnage bag inflator comprising:
 a pressurized air generator defining an air inlet opening and an air outlet, the pressurized air generator configured to draw air at a first pressure through the air inlet opening and expel the air at a second pressure through the air outlet, the second pressure being higher than the first pressure;   a rechargeable battery electrically connectable to the pressurized air generator to power the pressurized air generator; and   an inflation hose assembly including a first end having a first connector that is connectable to the air outlet of the pressurized air generator and a second end having a second connector that is connectable to a dunnage bag to fluidly connect the air outlet of the pressurized air generator with an interior of the dunnage bag.   
     
     
         8 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 7 , wherein the first pressure is atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 8 , wherein the second pressure is about 1.3 to 1.5 pounds per square inch gage pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 7 , wherein the pressurized air generator includes a housing. 
     
     
         11 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 10 , wherein the pressurized air generator includes an impellor mounted within the housing and a motor mounted within the housing and operatively connected to the impellor to drive the impellor. 
     
     
         12 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 11 , wherein the rechargeable battery is electrically connected to the motor. 
     
     
         13 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 12 , which includes a power switch at least partially external to the housing and movable from an off position in which the rechargeable battery does not power the motor to an on position in which the rechargeable battery powers the motor. 
     
     
         14 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 13 , wherein when the power switch is in the on position and the rechargeable battery powers the motor, the impellor draws air at the first pressure through the air inlet opening and expels the air at the second higher pressure through the air outlet. 
     
     
         15 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 10 , wherein the housing is at least partially cylindrical. 
     
     
         16 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 15 , wherein the housing includes a wall defining the air inlet opening therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a different wall defining the air outlet opening therethrough. 
     
     
         18 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 16 , wherein the housing includes a housing base and a cover. 
     
     
         19 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 18 , wherein the air inlet opening is defined through either the housing base or the cover. 
     
     
         20 . The portable dunnage bag inflator of  claim 19 , wherein the first end of the inflation hose assembly is connectable to the air outlet via rotation relative to the air outlet.