# US 9,434,222 B2 · Rubber composition and design for snap-in tire valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,222 B2 - Document ID: US9434222B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/796,119 - Filed: 2013-03-12 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12 - Assignees: The Gates Corporation - Applicants: The Gates Corporation - Inventors: Donald James Burlett; John Graeme Knox - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434222B2 ## CPC - B60C 29/02: Connection to rims - B29C 67/00: Shaping techniques not covered by groups B29C39/00 - B29C65/00, B29C70/00 or B29C73/00 - B29C 71/00: After-treatment of articles without altering their shape; Apparatus therefor (B29C44/56, B29C73/00 take precedence; surface shaping B29C59/00 {; for joined or sealed parts B29C66/03; after-treatment specially adapted for vulcanising tyres B29D30/0633}) - B60C 1/00: Tyres characterised by the chemical composition or the physical arrangement or mixture of the composition - B60C 29/005: {characterised by particular features of the valve stem} - C08K 5/14: Peroxides - C08L 23/16: Ethylene-propylene or ethylene-propylene-diene copolymers - Y10T 137/3724: With coupling means - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) - C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A snap-in tire valve for mounting in a valve hole in a wheel rim, having a valve body and a resilient member having an overall shape including a groove and a rib adapted to snap into and be retained in the hole. The resilient member may include a rubber that is the reaction product of ethylene-propylene copolymer elastomer, a peroxide curative, zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, and a high-density inert filler, such as barium sulfate. The resilient member may include a first and second rubber members of different compositions from each other and defining two layers under the groove. The thickness of the layer of the first rubber member is preferably greater than the thickness of the layer of the second rubber member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A snap-in tire valve for mounting in a valve hole in a wheel rim, comprising: a valve body; and a resilient member having an overall shape including a groove and a rib adapted to snap into and be retained in said hole; wherein said resilient member comprises: a first rubber member surrounding and bonded to a first portion of said valve body; and a second rubber member surrounding and bonded to at least a portion of said first rubber member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The snap-in tire valve of claim 1 wherein said first and second rubber members are of different compositions from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The snap-in tire valve of claim 1 wherein said rubber members define two layers between said valve body and said groove, with the thickness of the layer of the first rubber member greater than the thickness of the layer of the second rubber member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The snap-in tire valve of claim 1 wherein one of said first and second rubber members is ethylene-propylene-based elastomer comprising zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, and the other of said first and second rubber members is free of zinc diacrylate and zinc dimethacrylate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The snap-in tire valve of claim 4 wherein said second rubber member extends onto and is bonded to a second portion of said valve body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The snap-in valve of claim 5 wherein said second rubber member completely surrounds said first rubber member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The snap-in tire valve of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second rubber members comprises the reaction product of: ethylene-propylene copolymer elastomer, a peroxide curative, zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, and barium sulfate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The snap-in tire valve of claim 7 wherein said zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate is present in the range of 3 to 20 parts weight per hundred parts of elastomer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The snap-in tire valve of claim 7 wherein said barium sulfate is present in the range of 10 to 30 parts weight per hundred parts of elastomer. ### Claim 10 A snap-in tire valve comprising a valve body and a resilient sealing member; wherein the resilient sealing member comprises a first rubber member comprising the reaction product of at least: an ethylene-alpha-olefin elastomer, a peroxide curative, zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, and a high-density inert filler; and wherein the resilient sealing member further comprises a second rubber member which is free of zinc diacrylate and zinc dimethacrylate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The snap-in tire valve of claim 10 wherein said first rubber member encircles said valve body and is bonded to a portion of said valve body, and said second rubber member substantially covers said first rubber member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The snap-in tire valve of claim 11 further comprising a groove for engaging the tire valve in a valve opening in a wheel rim, wherein the portion of the resilient sealing member residing between the groove and the valve body comprises a layer of each said rubber member, each said layer having a thickness, and said layer of said first rubber member being thicker than said layer of said second rubber member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The snap-in tire valve of claim 12 wherein said layer of said second rubber member is less than 10% the total thickness of said layers. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: i) applying a first rubber composition to surround a first portion of a tire valve body and vulcanizing said first rubber composition to bond to said first portion; ii) over-molding a second rubber composition to surround and bond to at least a portion of said vulcanized first rubber composition; iii) vulcanizing said over-molded second rubber composition to produce a resilient rubber seal member having an overall shape including a groove and a rib and adapted to snap said over-molded tire valve body into and be retained in a valve hole in a wheel rim, wherein said first and second rubber compositions form two rubber layers residing between the groove and the valve body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said second rubber composition substantially covers said first rubber composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said first rubber composition comprises an ethylene-alpha-olefin elastomer, a peroxide curative, zinc diacrylate or zinc dimethacrylate, and a high-density inert filler. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein said second rubber composition is free of zinc diacrylate and zinc dimethacrylate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said high-density inert filler is barium sulfate and is present in the range of 10 to 30 parts weight per hundred parts of elastomer.