US 5,746,850 AGranted

Double inner tube and valve system

OwnerMarcus P. Luscher, Stephen F. Ridleyinventors

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Abstract

A double inner tube and valve system for use in a wheel assembly including a circular rim with a base wall and opposing radially extending flanges defining a well, and an aperture formed in said base wall. A tire is mounted on the rim, and defines an annular cavity in conjunction with the rim. The double inner tube is positioned in the annular cavity and defines an inflatable primary tube adjacent to the tire, and an inflatable secondary tube positioned between the primary tube and the rim. A valve assembly is attached to the double inner tube and positioned in the aperture in the rim. The valve assembly comprises a primary valve in fluid communication with the primary tube to allow inflation of the primary tube and a secondary valve which replaces the primary valve and is in fluid communication with the secondary tube for inflation of the secondary tube. The valve assembly is selectively configurable to inflate the primary tube or the secondary tube.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An inner tube for use in a wheel assembly, said wheel assembly including a generally circular rim having a pair of spaced flanges forming an outwardly open annular well therearound and an aperture through the rim, a tire mounted on said rim so as to define an annular cavity in conjunction with said rim, said inner tube being positionable in said cavity between said rim and said tire, said inner tube comprising:

an inflatable portion having an inflatable primary tube positioned radially outward and concentrically surrounding an inflatable secondary tube, said primary and secondary tubes having a common wall;
said primary tube positionable adjacent to said tire and said secondary tube positionable within said well between said primary tube and said rim when said inner tube is disposed in said cavity;
a valve assembly attached to said inflatable portion for insertion through said aperture in said rim when said inner tube is installed in said cavity, said valve assembly comprising:
a primary valve connected to said common wall and in fluid communication with said primary tube for inflation of said primary tube;
a secondary valve member for insertion through said aperture when said inner tube is installed between said rim and said tire in said cavity, said secondary valve member connected to a wall of said secondary tube and being in fluid communication with said secondary tube wherein said primary valve is slidably receivable in said secondary valve member in order to inflate said primary tube;
and
a secondary valve removably attachable to said secondary valve member for inflating said secondary tube, said valve assembly being selectively configurable to inflate said primary tube or said secondary tube depending on whether said primary valve is slidably received in and extends outwardly through said secondary valve member or said primary valve is not slidably received and said secondary valve is attached to said secondary valve member.

4 more elements

A wheel assembly comprising:

a circular rim having a base wall and opposing radially extending flanges defining an annular well around said rim and an aperture formed through said base wall;
a tire mounted on said rim defining an annular cavity in conjunction with said rim;
an inner tube positioned in said annular cavity comprising an inflatable primary tube positioned radially outward and concentrically surrounding an inflatable secondary tube, said primary and secondary tubes having a common wall, said primary tube being adjacent to said tire and said secondary tube positioned between said primary tube and stored entirely between said flanges within said well when deflated;
a valve assembly attached to said inner tube and positioned through said aperture in said rim, said valve assembly comprising:
a cylindrical valve shoulder communicating with and connected to a wall of said secondary tube;
a primary valve connected to said common wall and in fluid communication with said primary tube for inflation of said primary tube, said primary valve being removably positionable in said valve shoulder in order to inflate said primary tube;
a separate secondary valve member installable on said valve shoulder to be in fluid communication with said secondary tube for inflation of said secondary tube when installed on said valve shoulder;
and
wherein said valve assembly is selectively configurable to inflate said primary tube or said secondary tube depending on whether said primary valve is removably positioned in and extends outwardly through said valve shoulder or said primary valve is not positioned in said valve shoulder and said secondary valve is installed on said valve shoulder.

6 more elements

A dual inner tube for use in a bicycle wheel assembly having a circular rim with spaced flanges forming an outwardly open annular well therearound and a tire mounted on said rim, said tire and rim forming an annular cavity for receiving an inner tube therein, said rim having an aperture therein for passage of an inner tube valve therethrough, said dual tube comprising:

a primary inflatable annular tube and a secondary inflatable annular tube radially inward of said primary tube said tubes, joined together by a common wall portion;
an inner tube valve assembly positionable through said aperture in said rim for selectively inflating one of said primary or secondary tubes;
wherein said valve assembly comprises a generally cylindrical valve shoulder fastened to a wall of said secondary tube, said shoulder having a central bore therethrough communicating into said secondary tube a portion of said valve shoulder intended to fit through said aperture in said rim, a first retainer for securing the valve shoulder to the rim, an elongated, cylindrical, primary valve fastened to said common wall portion and communicating into said primary tube said primary valve removably extending through said central bore of said valve shoulder, and a second retainer for securing said primary valve in said valve shoulder.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/638,549Filed 26 Apr 1996
Granted: 5 May 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B60C 17/02
Utilising additional inflatable supports which become load-supporting in emergency: inflated or expanded in emergency only
B60C 5/025
Having separate inflatable inserts, e.g. with inner tubes; Means for lubricating, venting, preventing relative movement between tyre and inner…
B60C 5/22
Having multiple separate inflatable chambers: the chambers being annular
B60C 29/007
Arrangements of tyre-inflating valves to tyres or rims; Accessories for tyre-inflating valves, not otherwise provided for: for tyres with…