Fluid handling – Inflatable article – With coupling means
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-18
2001-11-13
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Inflatable article
With coupling means
C137S223000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314985
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns a valve connector for inflation through varying valves of vehicle types.
For reasons of clarity, some of the standards used will be cited. In the ISO standard No. 10475:1992(E). thread for tyre inflation valves of vehicles is described. The most used threads are designated 5V2 (DIN: Vg 5,2), which has a nominal diameter of 5.2 mm and a pitch of 1.058 mm, and 8V1 (DIN: Va 8), which has a nominal diameter of 7.7 mm and a pitch of 0.794 mm respectively. These thread types are used in the valve types of Dunlop-Woods, Sclaverand or Schrader. The last mentioned valve type is frequently used on common cars. where a spring-loaded pin head in the valve core must be kept down in preparation of the passage of air, while pumping a tyre. For this purpose, the valve connector must be equipped with suitable means which can serve this aim. Moreover, suitable means, e.g. a contra valve or the like, must be used to ensure a that loss of air is avoided when activating the valve core pin. The Sclaverand valve has—just like the Dunlop-Woods valve—the distinctive character that its core pin is solely opened by air pressure. The necessary air pressure for opening a Sclaverand valve is up to 16 bar, and the valve is mostly used in connection with high-pressure tyres with a pressure of up to 16 bar. The opening pressure for the Dunlop-Woods valve is approximately 4 bar, which ensures that it is easier to open.
It is commonly known from mechanical engineering, that when connecting a nut to a thread the axial length of the thread T
N
for a nut N is ≧0,8× the outer diameter D
N
of the corresponding screw, i.e. T
N
≧0,8×D
n
. This rule of thumb is used for highly-loaded constructions, where the thread is fastened with a wrench.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Well-known valve connectors (e.g. GB-B-977,139) can only be connected to to the Dunlop-Woods valve type and/or the Sclaverand valve type, or the Schrader valve type.
A well-known connector for a Schrader valve is of the type, where a rubber cylinder is tightly squeezed against the stem by means of a lever, which axially compresses the rubber cylinder. Consequently, the rubber cylinder is squeezed radially against the stem. With reference to different valve diameters, it is necessary that auxiliary equipment (nut
6
) is screwed onto or out of the valve thread to reduce or increase the internal diameter in advance to ensure the establishment of a connection from the valve connector to other valve diameters. Loose parts can disappear and can be loosened when used, if the pump hose is turned, so that the connection is no longer air-tight. The disadvantage of this connector type is that the user has to apply much strength when using the lever. It is necessary to use both hands to stabilize the (dis)connection.
GB-B-15 99 304 shows a universal valve connector which can be screwed on all valve types. The thread (
4
) corresponding to 8V1 also keeps the bushing (
26
) in position. The bushing (
26
) has an internal thread (
30
) corresponding to 5V2 for Sclaverand or Dunlop-Woods valves. The core pin of the Schrader valve is opened mechanically by means of a stationary pin indicated with (
12
). The disadvantage of this connector type is that the bushing (
26
) with a 5V2 thread has to be removed before connecting to a Schrader valve, and also that the bushing (
26
) must be mounted again before connecting to a Dunlop-Woods or Sclaverand valve. Also in this case loose parts are used. They can disappear and loosen when used, if the pump hose is turned, resulting in an untight connection.
From DE-B 38 19 771, an universal connector on a handpump with two coupling holes is known: one for Dunlop-Woods and Sclaverand valves and one for Schrader valves of which the core pin is opened mechanically. The disadvantage of this wave of coupling is firstly, that it cannot be fastened to a valve and secondly, that it can only be used in a certain position. where the coupling hole is turned almost vertically upwards, and finally that the user has to find out which of the two holes to use for the valve in question. This prior art has. therefore, no interest, when it is essential, that the user can use the coupling without studying the type of valve, the user instructions. and decide which type of valve should be used and thereafter turn the wheel with the valve to a cor rect, upright position for the valve coupling in question.
From U.S. Pat. No. 2,025,067 a coupling is known, where tubes of different diameters can be coupled to matching diameters in a tube. This prior art is intended for tightening against pipes without threads, and the axial displacement of each sealing is not decisive. This kind of coupling is meant for a tank filling device. The gaskets used for sealing the adaptor are basically mushroom-shaped with the stem of the mushroom arranged between trapezoidal walls in the adaptor, thereby leaving a semi-circular sealing to tighten against the nozzles without threads. Using a threaded tube in such a gasket would destroy the gasket after few connections.
Another well-known universal valve type, which, apparently, does not exist in the patent literature, is of the same type as the one of the above mentioned GB-B-15 99 304. This rubber cylinder consists of two adjacent parts of different diameter and length, fitting on 5V2 , and 8V1 threads, respectively. Axially, proximally staggered on the centre line of the holes it is possible to mount a means, which can open the core pin of a Schrader valve. The disadvantage of coupling is partly that both hands must be used to stabilize the (dis)-connection of the relevant valve types and partly that the rubber cylinder must be taken out of the housing and turned upside down to make connection to valves with different thread types possible, so that the coupling place for connecting the valve is always positioned closest to the opening of the coupling hole. Also, the pin which mechanically opens the Schrader valve has to be turned in the above-mentioned operation. This is a problem for the ordinary user, as both means must be positioned correctly in relation to each other in order to be able to connect the coupling to a valve: combinatorily, there are to four possibilities to select from, which can only be done correctly if a user manual is available. Apart from that, the above-mentioned means can be lost. loosened or disappear in the said operation.
From WO-A-92/22448 it is known to provide a sealing means, which is placed in a single level, and from GB-B-977 139 a valve connector operated by a lever cam is known. Common to both prior art references is that they can only be used together with a Schrader valve, and that neither Sclaverand type nor Dunlop-Woods type valves can be served by this type of connector, as the sealing means only show one diameter fitting e.g. the Schrader valve.
THE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Inflating a tyre is a problem to many people, especially if the tyres have different valve types, and only one pump has to be used. This is the case in most house-holds. The aim of the invention is to provide a valve connector which fits on all current valve types, which is easy to operate, is economical, and which has the possibility of automatically adjusts itself to the valve in question. Also, it should be possible to use the connector with existing pumps.
According to the invention this task is solved by means of the provisions in the characterising part of claim
1
.
By a connector for inflation valves of vehicle tyres, where the connector consists of a housing connected to a pressure source, preferably a hand or foot pump, and with a coupling hole with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the valve to which it is connected, where the coupling hole is equipped with a securing means for securing on the valve and sealing means against valves of different sizes, the invention is provided by the fact that the sealing means are positioned coaxially in the housing behind the coupling hole and are established in at least two parallel discrete levels wit
NVB International
Price and Gess
Rivell John
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