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US 9,499,016 B2Granted
Valve stem for coupling a TPMS wheel unit to a wheel rim, TPMS wheel unit and valve stem assembly and installation thereof
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsJean-Christophe Deniau, Martin Jankowski, Matthew D McIntyre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve stem for coupling a TPMS wheel unit to a wheel rim, TPMS wheel unit and valve stem assembly and installation thereof are disclosed. The valve stem comprises a bulb, an inner tubular member, and an outer tubular member; the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member being fixedly attached to the bulb.
Claims20
A TPMS assembly comprising:
- a TPMS wheel unit mechanically coupled to a valve stem;
- the valve stem comprising a bulb, an inner tubular member, and an outer tubular member;
- the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member being fixedly attached to the bulb;
- wherein the inner tubular member penetrates both ends of the outer tubular member through a cavity defined by the outer tubular member and wherein an end of the inner tubular member distal from an attachment interface with the bulb extends beyond an end of the outer tubular member and wherein the end of the outer tubular member is configured to receive a fastening mechanism mechanically coupling the TPMS wheel unit to the valve stem and leaving substantially no gap between the bulb and the TPMS wheel unit immediately prior to and during urging of the valve stem into a valve stem hole of a wheel rim.
1 more element
A valve stem comprising:
- a bulb,
- an inner tubular member, and
- an outer tubular member;
- the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member being fixedly attached to the bulb
- wherein the inner tubular member penetrates both ends of the outer tubular member through a cavity defined by the outer tubular member and wherein an end of the inner tubular member distal from an attachment interface with the bulb extends beyond an end of the outer tubular member and wherein the end of the outer tubular member is configured to receive a fastening mechanism mechanically coupling a TPMS wheel unit to the valve stem and leaving substantially no gap between the bulb and the TPMS wheel unit immediately prior to and during urging of the valve stem into a valve stem hole of a wheel rim.
2 more elements
A method of installing a TPMS wheel unit and valve stem assembly comprising:
- providing a wheel rim defining a valve hole;
- providing a TPMS wheel unit mechanically coupled to a valve stem, the valve stem comprising a bulb, an inner tubular member, and an outer tubular member, the inner tubular member and the outer tubular member being fixedly attached to the bulb, wherein the inner tubular member penetrates both ends of the outer tubular member through a cavity defined by the outer tubular member and wherein an end of the inner tubular member distal from an attachment interface with the bulb extends beyond an end of the outer tubular member and wherein the end of the outer tubular member is configured to receive a fastening mechanism mechanically coupling the TPMS wheel unit to the valve stem and leaving substantially no gap between the bulb and the TPMS wheel unit immediately prior to and during urging of the valve stem into a valve stem hole of a wheel rim;
- urging the valve stem into the valve hole such that the bulb lengthens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.