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US 6,142,168 AGranted
Pressure regulating tire valve and core
AssigneeSumnett Corporation
InventorDirk Lee Sumrall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is related to air pressure valve stems and gauges. More particularly, this invention relates particularly to tire stem valves possessing a built-in calibrated air pressure regulator and an optional integrated air pressure indicator.
Claims44
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical valve stem housing having a longitudinal axis, a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a one-way valve for inflating the tire;
- c) a movable disk contained within the valve stem core housing and capable of moving along the longitudinal axis in response to an increase or decrease in the internal pressure of the tire, said disk effectuating a substantially air-tight seal when the tire pressure is at or below the desired value;
- d) a first pressure-sensitive structure located within the valve stem core housing and positioned between the movable disk and a first solid support structure, wherein said first solid support is immovably connected to the valve stem core housing at the inflation-side end and wherein said pressure-sensitive structure extends and contracts in response to the internal pressure of the tire acting on the movable disk;
- and
- e) one or more bleed apertures that allow air to exit said stem valve housing through the inflation-side end when air pressure inside the tire exceeds a desired value,
- wherein when the movable disk is not an O-ring, the valve stem further comprises a centrally-mounted tube running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem core housing from the inflation-side end of the valve stem core housing to a plenum chamber affixed to the movable disk;
- wherein the first pressure-sensitive structure is a spring, rubber, a polymer, or a foam;
- and wherein the one-way valve comprises a flap valve.
6 more elements
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical valve stem housing having a longitudinal axis, a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a one-way valve for inflating the tire;
- c) a movable disk contained within the valve stem core housing and capable of moving along the longitudinal axis in response to an increase or decrease in the internal pressure of the tire, said disk effectuating a substantially air-tight seal when the tire pressure is at or below the desired value;
- d) a first pressure-sensitive structure located within the valve stem core housing and positioned between the movable disk and a first solid support structure, wherein said first solid support is immovably connected to the valve stem core housing at the inflation-side end and wherein said pressure-sensitive structure extends and contracts in response to the internal pressure of the tire acting on the movable disk;
- e) one or more bleed apertures that allow air to exit said stem valve housing through the inflation-side end when air pressure inside the tire exceeds a desired value;
- f) a second solid support connected to the valve stem core housing positioned to create an air-tight seal with the movable disk when said disk is pushed against said second solid support by the first pressure-sensitive structure;
- and
- g) a third solid support connected to the valve stem core housing and positioned so as to limit the linear travel of the movable disk along the longitudinal axis of the stem housing,
- wherein when the movable disk is not an O-ring, the valve stem further comprises a centrally-mounted tube running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem core housing from the inflation-side end of the valve stem core housing to a plenum chamber affixed to the movable disk.
6 more elements
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical valve stem core housing having a longitudinal axis and a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a movable disk with a flap valve substantially at its center and at least one bleed aperture on its surface located within the valve stem core housing and capable of moving along the longitudinal axis;
- c) a spring located within the valve stem core housing and positioned between the movable disk and a first solid support, wherein the first solid support is connected to the valve stem core housing and said spring extends and contracts in response to the internal pressure of the tire;
- d) a second solid support connected to the valve stem core housing, said second solid support forming an air-tight seal with the movable disk when the tire is at or below a pre-selected air pressure;
- e) a centrally-mounted tube running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem core housing from the inflation-side end of the stem to a plenum affixed to the movable disk;
- and
- f) one or more third solid supports for supporting the centrally-mounted tube within the valve stem core housing.
4 more elements
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical valve stem core housing having a longitudinal axis and a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a movable disk comprising a solid rigid disk with a flap valve substantially at its center, wherein the movable disk is contained within the valve stem core housing and is able to move along the stem housing's longitudinal axis;
- c) one or more bleed apertures in the wall of the valve stem core housing;
- d) a spring located within the valve stem core housing and positioned between the movable disk and a first solid support connected to the valve stem core housing, said spring extending and contracting in response to air pressure forces acting upon the movable disk;
- e) a second spring located within the stem housing and positioned between the movable disk and a second solid support connected to the inner wall of the valve stem core housing, said second spring and second support being positioned on the tire-side of the movable disk;
- f) a centrally-mounted tube running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the valve stem core housing from the inflation-side end of the stem to a plenum affixed to the movable disk;
- and
- g) one or more third solid supports for supporting the centrally-mounted tube within the stem housing.
5 more elements
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical stem housing having a longitudinal axis and a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a movable valve assembly located within the stem housing, said assembly being formed by a chamber having a longitudinal axis, containing a ball, and possessing bleed apertures at both ends and one or more apertures on its longitudinal surface, said chamber also having rigid disks at either end that have apertures located substantially at their centers and which create air tight seals against the inner surface of the stem housing;
- c) a spring located between the movable valve assembly and a first solid support connected to the stem housing;
- d) a second spring located between the movable valve assembly and a second solid support attached to the stem housing, where said second spring and second solid support are located on the tire-side of the movable valve assembly;
- e) a centrally-mounted tube running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stem housing from the inflation-side end of the stem housing to the center of the movable valve assembly and positioned such that the tire-side end of the tube can enter and exit the chamber through the bleed aperture as the movable valve assembly moves along the longitudinal axis of the stem housing;
- and
- f) one or more third solid supports for supporting the centrally-mounted tube within the stem housing.
4 more elements
A tire stem valve for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a hollow cylindrical valve stem core housing having a longitudinal axis and a tire-side end and an inflation-side end;
- b) a movable disk having a hole substantially at its center and bleed apertures on its surface located within the valve stem core housing and capable of moving along its longitudinal axis;
- c) a spring located within the stem housing and positioned between the movable disk and a connected support structure attached to the valve stem core housing, said spring extending and contracting in response to air pressure forces acting upon the movable valve;
- d) a second solid support attached to the valve stem core housing, said support forming an air-tight seal with the movable disk by closing off the bleed apertures when said movable disk is pushed against the solid support by the spring;
- and
- e) a hollow cylindrical housing affixed to the movable disk, said cylindrical housing possessing one or more apertures and containing a second spring and a ball.
3 more elements
A tire stem valve mechanism for automatically controlling the internal pressure of a tire comprising:
- a) a pin having a first end and a second end, said pin comprising:
- i) an end-cap connected at the first end;
- ii) a first raised outer flange at the second end;
- and
- iii) a second raised outer flange positioned between the first end and second end;
- b) a first pressure-sensitive structure having a first end and a second end, said pressure-sensitive structure located proximal to the pin, wherein the second end of the first pressure-sensitive structure is braced by said second raised outer flange;
- c) a plunger assembly having a first end and a second end, said plunger assembly located proximal to the first pressure-sensitive structure and capable of moving along a longitudinal axis of said pin in response to an increase or decrease in the internal pressure of the tire, wherein the first end of the first pressure-sensitive structure is braced by said first end of the plunger assembly;
- d) a base having a first end and a second end, said base located proximal to the second end of the pin;
- and
- e) a second pressure-sensitive structure proximal to the base and braced at one end by the plunger assembly, wherein the second pressure-sensitive structure pushes against the plunger assembly to create an air tight seal at the plunger when the internal pressure of the tire is at or below a pre-selected value.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.