DEVICE FOR INFLATING A TIRE
20200148177 · 2020-05-14
Assignee
Inventors
- Pius Kobler (Zürich, CH)
- Dominik EGGERT (Zürich, CH)
- Nico Spinelli (Zürich, CH)
- Arno Lenzi (Zürich, CH)
Cpc classification
B60S5/043
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F16L37/40
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F04B33/005
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
B60S5/04
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
The invention is directed to a device for inflating a tire that includes a housing with at least one first connection port and at least one second connection port. The second connection port includes connecting means to interconnect the device with a pressure tank. The first connection port is fluidically connected to the second connection port by means of a fluid passage. Furthermore the device comprises a first valve. When a pressure tank is connected to the second connection port and when the first valve is in a closed state, the first valve is suited to prevent air from flowing from inside of the pressure tank out of the first connection port. When the first valve is in an open state, it is suited to allow passage of air from inside of the pressure tank through the fluid passage to the first connection port. The device further includes a second valve that is connectable to an inflator for pressurizing the tank.
Claims
1. A device (1) for inflating a tire (23), comprising: a. a housing (2), said housing (2) comprising i. at least one first connection port (3), ii. at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4), each of said at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) comprising connecting means (6) to interconnect the device (1) with a pressure tank (8, 8, 8), iii. the at least one first connection port (3) being fluidically connected to the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) by a fluid passage (15); b. a first valve (5); c. when at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) is connected, respectively, to at least one respective second connection port (4, 4, 4), i. the first valve (5) in a closed state is suited to prevent air from flowing from inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) out of the at least one first connection port (3), and ii. the first valve (5) in an open state is suited to allow passage of air from inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) through the fluid passage (15) to the at least one first connection port (3); and d. a second valve (9) that is connectable to an inflator (30) and can be used in order to pressurize the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8), when it is connected to the device (1), with air, e. the first valve (5) is a two-way valve (5) that is arranged in the device (1) to close or open a fluidical connection through the at least one first connection port (3), f. the second valve (9) is a two-way valve (5) that is arranged in the device (1) to close or open a fluidical connection through at least one third connection port, and g. wherein the first valve (5) can close or open a fluidical connection through the device (1) between the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8), when connected to its respective second connection port (4, 4, 4), and an inner chamber (24) of a tire (23), when connected to one first connection port (3), and can cause transfer of gas from inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) into the inner chamber (24) of the tire (23) when the second valve (9) is closed, and h. wherein the second valve (9) can close or open a fluidical connection through the device (1) between the inflator (30), when connected to the second valve (9), and the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8), when connected to its respective second connection port (4, 4, 4), and can cause transfer of gas from the inflator (30) to inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) when the first valve (5) is closed.
2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first valve (5) and the second valve (9) function as the valves that close the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) when being connected to the device (1); or the device (1) does not comprise a three-way valve; or the device (1) does not comprise any valve arranged at the second connection port (4, 4, 4).
3. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a. when the second valve (9) is connected to the inflator (30) and the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) is connected to the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4), the second valve (9) is the sole valve arranged between the inflator (30) and the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) that can close or open a fluidical connection therebetween; or b. when the second valve (9) is connected to the inflator (30) and the tire (25) is connected to the first connection port (3), the second valve (9) is arranged in series with the first valve (5) between the inflator (30) and the tire (23).
4. A device (1) for inflating a tire (23), comprising: a. a housing (2), said housing (2) comprising i. at least one first connection port (3), ii. at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4), each of said at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) comprising connecting means (6) to interconnect the device (1) with a pressure tank (8, 8, 8), iii. the at least one first connection port (3) being fluidically connected to the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) by a fluid passage (15); b. a first valve (5); c. when at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) is connected, respectively, to at least one respective second connection port (4, 4, 4), i. the first valve (5) in a closed state is suited to prevent air from flowing from inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) out of the at least one first connection port (3), and ii. the first valve (5) in an open state is suited to allow passage of air from inside of the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) through the fluid passage (15) to the at least one first connection port (3); and d. a second valve (9) that is connectable to an inflator (30) and can be used in order to pressurize the at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8), when it is connected to the device (1), with air, e. wherein the first valve (5) is a two-way valve that is arranged in the device (1) to close or open a fluidical connection through the at least one first connection port (3), and f. the second valve (9) is a two-way valve that is arranged in the device (1) to close or open a fluidical connection through the at least one third connection port, and g. wherein the first valve (5) can close or open a fluidical connection through the device (1) between the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) and the at least one first connection port (3) through the fluid passage (15) without any further valve being present between the at least one first connection port (3) and the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4).
5. The device (1) according to claim 4, wherein the second valve (9) is mounted on the third connection port of the device (1) such that a. a fluidical connection is provided through the device (1) to the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) without any further valve besides the second valve (9) being present between the third connection port and the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4); or b. a fluidical connection is provided through the device (1) to the at least one first connection port (3) by the second valve (9) being arranged in series with the first valve (5) between the third connection port and the at least one first connection port (3).
6. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) comprises exactly one first connection port (3) and the first valve (5) is arranged at the first connection port (3); or the device (1) comprises exactly one second connection port (4, 4, 4); or the device (1) comprises exactly one third connection port.
7. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first valve (5) is a check valve.
8. The device (1) according to claim 7, wherein the at least one first connection port (3) comprises a sleeve (14) and wherein the check valve comprises a valve body (60) which includes an elongated member (66), said elongated member (66) being at least partially arranged inside of the sleeve (14) when the check valve is in the closed state, and wherein the valve body (60) comprises a sealing member (64) which in the closed state is in sealing contact with the housing (2) and thereby prevents air from flowing from inside of the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) out of the at least one first connection port (3), wherein the elongated member (66) is arranged displaceable inside of the sleeve (14) in a first axial direction of the sleeve (14) such that when a valve (25) of a tire to be inflated is interconnected with the at least one first connection port (3) the elongated member is displaced in the first axial direction and thereby moves the sealing member (64) away from the housing (2) allowing passage of air from inside of the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) through the fluid passage (15) to the at least one first connection port (3).
9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the elongated member (66) is formed as a tube or cylinder having a peripheral wall and comprising at least one center opening (64), and comprising at least one orifice (61) that protrudes the tube wall in radial direction.
10. The device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the first valve (5) comprises a return spring (62) that applies a force on the valve body (60) such that when no valve (25) is interconnected with the at least one first connection port (3) that sealing member 65 is pressed against the housing (2) with a certain force.
11. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first connection port (3) is formed such that it can be connected directly to a tire valve (25), or the device (1) is configured such that an adapter is used to establish a connection between the device (1) and a tire valve (25); or the second valve (9) is a standardized tire valve.
12. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the second valve (9) comprises a pressure relief valve, which limits the pressure that can be applied to the pressure tank (8, 8, 8).
13. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the connecting means (6) arranged at the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) comprises is a thread (6); and preferably the thread (6) engages with a mating thread arranged at the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) to be interconnected with the device (1).
14. The device (1) according to claim 13, wherein the thread (6) is suited to engage with an outer thread of a plastic bottle such as a plastic drinking bottle (8, 8, 8) used as the pressure tank (8, 8, 8); or wherein a cross sectional area of the fluid passage (15) essentially aligns with a cross sectional area of the bottleneck of the plastic drinking bottle (8, 8, 8) which is used as the pressure tank (8, 8, 8).
15. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) or its housing (2) or a part thereof essentially has an elongated shape, preferably the shape of an elongated cylinder or elongated pyramid or elongated cube or elongated frustum or elongated cone, suitable for positioning the device (1) in between or close to spokes of a wheel.
16. The device (1) according to claim 1, the device (1) having a compact design with dimensions comparable to or smaller than a hand of a grown-up person.
17. The device (1) according to claim 1, the device (1) being used as a closure of a portable pressure tank (8, 8, 8), such as a plastic drinking bottle (8, 8, 8), wherein the first valve (5) and the second valve (9) are closeable for sealing the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) during transportation.
18. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the fluid passage (15) essentially remains constant between the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) and a region at the first connection port (3); or the housing (2) and/or fluid passage (15) include a narrowing geometry.
19. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) is shaped like the letter Y, two second connecting ports (4, 4, 4) being arranged at tips of each of the arms of the Y and the at least one first connection port being arranged at a stem of the Y.
20. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) comprises a third valve (50) arranged such that it releases pressurized air from inside of a pressure tank (8, 8, 8) interconnected to the device, if the pressure difference between inside of the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) and outside exceeds a specific value, which is chosen such that a tire (23) interconnected with the device (1) can be properly inflated.
21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) comprises a third valve (50) arranged such that it serves as a pressure gauge, which indicates when an inflator assembly (40), comprising the device (1) and a pressure tank (8, 8, 8) connected to the at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4), is sufficiently pressurized for being connected to a tire valve (25).
22. An inflator assembly (40) comprising a. a device (1) according to claim 1; and b. at least one pressure tank (8, 8, 8) that is connected to at least one second connection port (4, 4, 4) of the device (1).
23. The inflator assembly (40) according to claim 22, wherein the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) is a multi-purpose pressure tank (8, 8, 8), such as a plastic bottle (8, 8, 8) or preferably plastic drinking bottle (8, 8, 8); or the pressure tank (8, 8, 8) is made from a highly elastic material, such as a rubber balloon or a balloon made from a similar resilient material, or is an inner tube of a tire.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0105] The herein described invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description of the given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which should not be considered limiting to the invention described in the appended claims.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0119] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, an embodiment that is presently preferred, in which like numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed.
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[0124] As can also be seen in all figures, the two second connection ports 4 are arranged with respect to each other at an angle, which on the one hand allows to connect two relatively large tanks 8 without colliding with each other. On the other hand, such an arrangement allows connecting the device 1 to a wheel, without colliding with the spokes or disk of the wheel, as shown in subsequent
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[0126] In order to induce inflation of the tire 23, the inflator assembly 40 can be lowered on the valve 25, respectively the valve 25 can be inserted in the sleeve 14 of the device 1, as shown in
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[0128] As well, the device 1 shown comprises a third valve 50, which serves inter alia as a safety pressure relief valve.
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[0131] As schematically shown, a sealing element 70 may be arranged inside of the sleeve 14, forming an annular restriction inside of the sleeve 14 and thus allowing particularly reliable sealing between a tire valve and the sleeve 14 when the tire valve is arranged in the sleeve 14, as will subsequently be shown in more detail. However, such a sealing element 70 is neither mandatory to the invention nor limited to the embodiment of a device as shown in
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[0134] In order to release pressurized air from inside of the device 1, a tire valve 25 can be inserted into the sleeve 14, as illustrated in