INFLATION VIEWING DEVICE

Abstract

A tire inflation viewing device that enables to view the proper operation of the inflation arrangements and that, in turn, enables to determine which of all of the tires is being inflated and has an air leak.

Claims

1. An inflation viewing device comprising: at least a main body which is externally provided with at least one translucent viewing portion and internally provided with at least a one-way air path assembly, at least one air entrance connector being operatively connected to an external air source and to a first ends of said main body, and at least an air exit connector being connected to a second, opposed end of the main body and to at least one inflation valve.

2. The viewing device according to claim 1, characterized in that said viewing portion is made of a translucent material selected from the group consisting of acrylic, glass or a combination thereof.

3. The viewing device according to claim 1, characterized in that said main body has an inner passage wherein the one-way air path assembly is arranged.

4. The viewing device according to claim 1, further comprising two or more compromising sealer rings disposed about the main body, and said main body is held between an air entrance connector and an exit connectors through respective sealing rings.

5. The viewing device according to claim 3, further comprising a guide spacer provided between said air entrance connector and the main body, said guide spacer having an inner passage which has a wider section that is in communication with the inner passage of the main body and a reduced section that defines a communication opening with the air entrance connector.

6. The viewing device according to claim 5, characterized in that the inner passage of the main body has a guide section and a reduced section extending towards a seat that is in communication with the air exit connector.

7. The viewing device according to claim 5, characterized in that said one-way air path assembly comprises a communication opening of the inner passage of the guide spacer, at least one filter disposed in the communication opening, at least one slidably guided plunger slidably disposed within the inner passage of the guide spacer and guide section of the inner passage of the main body, and at least one spring being held between the plunger and said seat of the main body.

8. The viewing device according to claim 7, characterized in that a first end and a second ends of said plunger comprise respective expansible fingers which are separated between each other, defining air circulation channels or pathways.

9. The viewing device according to claim 4, further comprising a guide spacer provided between said air entrance connector and the main body, said guide spacer having an inner passage which has a wider section that is in communication with the inner passage of the main body and a reduced section that defines a communication opening with the air entrance connector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For the purpose of providing more clarity and a better understanding of the subject-matter of the invention, it has been illustrated in several figures, in which the invention has been represented by way of example in a preferred embodiment wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the viewing device of this invention being mounted on a self-inflating arrangement;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective and section view of the viewing device of this invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic view of an operation position of the viewing device of this invention, wherein the air circulation occurs; and

[0015] FIG. 4 is an exemplary schematic view of another operation position of the viewing device of this invention, wherein there is no air circulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] By making reference now to the figures, it may be seen that the invention is a new device that enables one to view the proper operation of inflating arrangements, more particularly whether air is properly circulating while, in turn, it also enables one to determine which of all of the tires is being inflated. Although reference is made in this description to the fact that the device of the invention is used in self-inflating arrangements, it is to be understood that by inflating arrangements it is meant any type of arrangement that enables the inflation of a tire or the like, whether they are either known self-inflating arrangements of truck trailers, buses, etc., or the conventional inflating arrangements used for inflating tires of vehicles, bikes, motorbikes, etc. at service stations or tire workshops.

[0017] Accordingly and according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the inflation viewing device of this invention is shown by the general reference number 1 and comprises at least one main body 2 that may be externally provided with at least one translucent viewing portion 3 and internally provided with at least one one-way air path assembly 4. Preferably, in this invention, but without limitation, the main body 2 is translucent along its whole length whereby the viewing portion 3 is viewable by the user. Furthermore, said main body 2 has an end being connected to at least an air entrance connector 5 and an opposite end being connected to an air exit connector 6. Said air entrance connector 5 is operatively connected to an external air source through respective conduits 7 (not shown), a rotor 24, and the like, which are well known in the art of self-inflating arrangements and, consequently, no details shall be provided about the operation thereof. Likewise, said air exit connector 6 is connected to a tire inflation valve (not shown) through respective conduits 8.

[0018] Furthermore, internally between said main body 2 and the air entrance connector 5 a guide spacer 9 is provided 9 which, together with respective sealing rings 10, holds the main body held between connectors 5 y 6. The guide spacer 9 has an inner passage 11, which has a wider section 12 in communication with an inner passage 13 of the main body 2 and a reduced section that defines an opening 14 that communicates with the air entrance connector 5. It is to be noted that the inner passage 13 of the main body 2 has a guide section 15 and a reduced section extending to a seat 16 that is communicated with the air exit connector 6, and the one-way air path assembly 4 is located therein.

[0019] With regard to the one-way air path assembly 4 of this invention, it consists of at least one filter 17 arranged in the communication opening 14 of the inner passage 11 of the guide spacer 9, at least a plunger 18 that is slidably guided through the inner passage 11 of the guide spacer 9 and the guide section 15 of the inner passage 13 of the main body 2, and at least a spring 19 being held between the plunger 18 and said seat 16 of the main body 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the plunger 18 comprises on the ends respective expansible fingers 20 and 21 which are separated between each other in such a way that they define air circulation channels or pathways 22. Likewise, the plunger 18 has a blind wall 23 which prevents the involuntary air circulation from passing through the tire inflation valve.

[0020] With regard to FIGS. 3 and 4, said viewing portion 3 is made of a translucent material selected from the group consisting of acrylic, glass, or a combination thereof. The use of a translucent glazed portion enables the inner view of the device of the invention and it is to be noted that said translucent glazed portion is resistant to hydrocarbons. Upon activation of the self-inflating arrangement, the air coming from the external compressed air source provides enough force to overcome the force of spring 19 thus moving the plunger 18. This movement makes it possible to view the plunger 18 through the translucent viewing portion 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3, whereby it may be determined that air is entering through the pipe to the tire.

[0021] The movement of the plunger 18 is performed by expansible fingers 20 and 21 that are slidably guided through the inner passage 11 of the guide spacer 9 and of the section guide 15 of the main body 2. In turn, the movement of the plunger 18 is limited by the expansible fingers 21 that stop against the reduced section of the inner passage 13 of the main body 2, thus keeping the plunger in a guided way so that there are no alterations in its operative position. Upon movement of the plunger 18 which is viewed through the translucent viewing portion 3, the compressed air passes through the air circulation channels or pathways 22 defined between the expansible fingers 20, circulates through the space defined between the inner wall of the inner passage of the main body and the external wall of the plunger, passes through the air circulation channels or pathways 22 defined between the expansible fingers 21 and continue its path through the exit connector 6 towards the respective inflation valves in order to carry out the tire inflation. If no air circulates or if there is not enough air to overcome the spring strength and cause the plunger movement, only the spring 19 will be viewed through the viewing portion 3 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0022] It is in this way that the inflation viewing device of this invention is constituted and built, which not only enables one to see whether the air circulation is proper but also enables one to determine within the circuits comprised in a tire gage which of all of the tires is being inflated and has a leak. The invention is not limited to self-inflating arrangements since it may be considered, adapted and used in conventional inflating arrangements or in air pressurization networks. Furthermore, although the device of the invention has been illustrated as being arranged between a connection conduit to the rotor (which may either internal or external) and the connection conduit to the inflation valve, it does not imply that the invention is limited to said arrangement, but, instead, it may be provided in any type of connection of an air pressurized network or in any type of conventional inflation arrangement. It is also to be noted that the translucent viewing portion is resistant to hydrocarbons.