PRESSURE GAUGE FOR AN INFLATABLE ARTICLE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a pressure gauge for an inflatable article. The pressure gauge comprises a housing. The pressure gauge comprises an indicating chamber defined within the housing. The pressure gauge comprises a resilient diaphragm located within the housing. The diaphragm is configured to expand upon an increase in pressure within the inflatable article. The diaphragm has a first surface and a second, opposing surface. The first surface of the diaphragm is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable article and the second surface of the diaphragm defines a boundary of the indicating chamber. The pressure gauge further comprises an indicating element located within the indicating chamber. The pressure gauge is configured so that the indicating element is moveable, by an expansion of the diaphragm, in a first direction away from a first position. The position of the indicating element relative to the housing provides an indication of the pressure within the inflatable article.

Claims

1. A pressure gauge for an inflatable article, the pressure gauge comprising: a housing; an indicating chamber defined within the housing; a resilient diaphragm located within the housing and configured to expand upon an increase in pressure within the inflatable article, the diaphragm having a first surface and a second, opposing surface, wherein the first surface of the diaphragm is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable article and wherein the second surface of the diaphragm defines a boundary of the indicating chamber; and an indicating element located within the indicating chamber, wherein the pressure gauge is configured so that the indicating element is moveable, by an expansion of the diaphragm, in a first direction away from a first position and the position of the indicating element relative to the housing provides an indication of the pressure within the inflatable article.

2. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing element located within the indicating chamber, wherein the biasing element is configured to move the indicating element in a second direction towards the first position.

3. A pressure gauge according to claim 2, wherein the biasing element comprises a spring.

4. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the housing is mountable or coupleable to an inflatable article.

5. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a base portion configured to be coupled to the inflatable article.

6. A pressure gauge according to claim 5, wherein the base portion of the housing is flanged.

7. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines an air inlet that establishes a fluid communication between the interior of the inflatable article and the first surface of the diaphragm.

8. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the indicating element is configured to be visible through an indicating portion of the housing.

9. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the indicating element comprises a first indicator, preferably wherein the first indicator comprises a marking, a notch, or a scale.

10. A pressure gauge according to claim 9, wherein the housing comprises an opening, wherein the position of the first indicator relative to the opening provides an indication of the pressure within the inflatable article.

11-14. (canceled)

15. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the target operating pressure of the inflatable article is between about 20 psi (about 1.4 bar) and about 22 psi (about 1.5 bar).

16. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragm protrudes into the indicating chamber, preferably the diaphragm being concave.

17. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the indicating element abuts or is coupled to the second surface of the diaphragm.

18. A pressure gauge according to claim 1, wherein the indicating element is located between the diaphragm and the biasing element.

19-21. (canceled)

22. An inflation unit comprising a pressure gauge according to claim 1 and an inflation valve, preferably wherein the inflation valve comprises a Presta valve or a Schrader valve.

23. An inflation unit according to claim 22, wherein the pressure gauge and the inflation valve form a single integral unit.

24. An inflatable article comprising a pressure gauge according to claim 1.

25. An inflatable helmet comprising a pressure gauge according to claim 1.

26. An inflatable article comprising an integrated pressure gauge, the pressure gauge comprising: a housing; an indicating chamber defined within the housing; a resilient diaphragm located within the housing and configured to expand upon an increase in pressure within the inflatable article, the diaphragm having a first surface and a second, opposing surface, wherein the first surface of the diaphragm is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of the inflatable article and wherein the second surface of the diaphragm defines a boundary of the indicating chamber; and an indicating element located within the indicating chamber, wherein the pressure gauge is configured so that the indicating element is moveable, by an expansion of the diaphragm, in a first direction away from a first position and the position of the indicating element relative to the housing provides an indication of the pressure within the inflatable article.

27. An inflatable article according to claim 26, wherein the pressure gauge is coupled to an outer wall of the inflatable article.

Description

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0066] Specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures, in which:

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure gauge in accordance with the present invention;

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure gauge in accordance with the present invention in a low pressure configuration;

[0069] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure gauge in accordance with the present invention in a high pressure configuration;

[0070] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of a pressure gauge in accordance with the present invention;

[0071] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a pressure gauge in accordance with the present invention and how the pressure gauge integrates with the wall structure of an inflatable article;

[0072] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure gauge coupled to an outer surface of a wall structure of an inflatable article;

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional view of a pressure gauge coupled to an inner surface of a wall structure of an inflatable article;

[0074] FIGS. 8a & 8b respectively show a perspective view of a pressure gauge incorporating a Presta valve and a Schrader valve;

[0075] FIG. 9 shows an exploded perspective view of a pressure gauge shown in Figure Ba; and

[0076] FIGS. 10a & 10b show a perspective view of an inflatable helmet incorporating a pressure gauge shown in FIGS. 8a & 8b in a deflated configuration and in an inflated configuration, respectively.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a pressure gauge 1, in accordance with the present invention, coupled to an inflatable article (not shown in its entirety). The outer boundary of such an inflatable article is represented in FIG. 1 by the outer wall 6.

[0078] The pressure gauge 1 comprises a housing 2 extending along a longitudinal axis L. The housing 2 comprises an outer housing or casing 3 and an end cap element 5 arranged to cooperate with the outer housing 3. The end cap element 5 comprises an end cap portion 5a and a tubular portion 4 extending within the outer housing 3.

[0079] The pressure gauge 1 comprises an indicating chamber 8 that is defined within the housing 2. The pressure gauge 1 comprises a resilient diaphragm 10 having a first surface 9 and a second, opposing surface 11. The diaphragm 10 has a concave shape so as to extend or protrude into the indicating chamber 8. When the pressure gauge 1 is attached to an inflatable article, the first surface 9 of the diaphragm 10 is configured to be in fluid communication with the interior of an inflatable article. An air inlet 7 is defined within the outer housing 3 and extends from a base portion 22 of the housing 2 (or outer housing 3) to the first surface 9 of the diaphragm 10. The diaphragm 10 separates the indicating chamber 8 from the air inlet or conduit 7. As shown in FIG. 1, air from the interior of the inflatable article is configured to enter the pressure gauge 1 along a direction IN.

[0080] The second surface 11 of the diaphragm 10 defines a boundary of the indicating chamber 8. The diaphragm 10 is configured to expand in a first direction A upon an increase in pressure within the inflatable article the pressure gauge 1 is coupled to.

[0081] The pressure gauge 1 comprises an indicating element 12, the position of which with respect to the housing 2, in particular the tubular portion 4, provides an indication of the internal pressure within the inflatable article (not shown in FIG. 1) the pressure gauge 1 is coupled to. The indicating element 12 is located within the indicating chamber 8. Expansion of the diaphragm 10 in the first direction A is configured to push the indicating element 12 in the same direction so that the indicating element 12 moves along the longitudinal axis L within the indicating chamber 8.

[0082] The pressure gauge 1 comprises a biasing element 14 located within the indicating chamber 8. The biasing element 14 is configured to compress when the pressure within the inflatable article increase and the indicating element 12 pushes against the biasing element 14. In this embodiment, the biasing element 14 is a spring. The indicating element 12 is located between the diaphragm 10 and the biasing element 14. When the pressure within the inflatable article decreases, the diaphragm 10 no longer expands and no longer pushes against the indicating element 12. As a result, the compressed biasing element 14 is configured to push the indicating element 12 in a second direction B opposite to the first direction A towards an initial position. Both first and second directions A, B are parallel to the longitudinal axis L.

[0083] The indicating chamber 8 is bound by the second surface 11 of the diaphragm 10, the internal surface of the tubular member 4 and an internal face of the end cap 5.

[0084] As mentioned above, the indicating element 12 is located immediately between the diaphragm 10 and the biasing element 14. The diaphragm 10 comprises a first locating protrusion 19 extending into the indicating chamber 8 from the second surface 11. A first end of the indicating element 12 has a corresponding recess 20 arranged to cooperate and engage with the first locating protrusion 19.

[0085] The indicating element 12 comprises a hollow, recessed portion 18 that receives the biasing element 14. The recessed portion 18 extends from a second end of the indicating element 12 to define an open end of the indicating element 12. The recessed portion 18 therefore defines a hollow portion or cavity portion that is configured to receive a first end of the biasing element 14. In other words, the biasing element 14 extends into the recessed portion 18 of the indicating element 12 and abuts against an internal end wall or surface located within the indicating element 12.

[0086] The indicator element 12 comprises a first indicator 15, which is configured to be visible through the housing 2 of the pressure gauge 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 2 comprises an opening or window 17 defined in the longitudinal wall of the outer casing 3. The tubular portion 4 of the end cap element 5 has a second indicator 16 located thereon, which is also visible through the window 17 of the outer casing 3. The end cap element 5 comprises a transparent material such as PVC or PMMA, such as Perspex. As shown in FIG. 1, the first indicator 15 comprises an indentation circumscribing the outer surface of the indicating element 12 and the second indicator 16 comprises a protrusion provided on the surface of the tubular portion 4. The first and second indicators 15, 16 are preferably coloured for ease of visibility. The first and second indicators 15, 16 may be red.

[0087] The relative position of the indicating element 12, in particular the first indicator 15, relative to the second indicator 16 provides an indication of the internal pressure within the inflatable article. Depending on the application of the pressure gauge 1, the alignment of the first and second indicators 15, 16 will indicate that the internal pressure within the inflatable is an ideal operating or target pressure of the inflatable article to which the pressure gauge 1 is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the first indicator 15 is aligned with the second indicator 16, thereby indicating to a user that the inflatable article has been inflated to a preferred, operating internal pressure. Such an indication is defined by the balance of forces exerted on the indicating element 12 between the diaphragm 11 under expansion and the biasing element or spring 14 under compression.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows the same pressure gauge 1 of FIG. 1 but when the inflatable article (not shown) is in a lower pressure or deflated state. As shown in FIG. 2, the diaphragm 10 may be substantially in or near an initial, collapsed or unexpanded (or relaxed) state, where the force exerted by the biasing element 14 on the indicating element 12 is greater than a force exerted by the diaphragm 10 on the indicating element 12, which is in turn subject to the internal pressure present within the inflatable article. As a result, a misalignment or offset is present between the first indicator 15 and the second indicator 16, where the first indicator 15 is located at a longitudinal position between the second indicator 16 and the diaphragm 10, thereby indicating that the internal pressure is either near zero or below the target operating internal pressure of the inflatable article. Upon inflation (in other words, an increase in pressure) of the inflatable article, the diaphragm 10 will expand, thereby pushing the indicating element 12 in first direction A towards the configuration shown in FIG. 1.

[0089] FIG. 3 shows the same pressure gauge 1 of FIGS. 1 & 2 but when the inflatable article (not shown) is in a high pressure, overinflated state. The diaphragm 10 is in an overexpanded state, where the force exerted by the expansion of the diaphragm 10 on the indicating element 12, as a result of the relatively high air pressure present within the inflatable article, is greater than the restorative force exerted by the spring 14 on the indicating element 12. As a result, a misalignment or offset is also present between the first indicator 15 and the second indicator 16, where the first indicator 15 is located a longitudinal position between the second indicator 16 and the end cap portion 5a, thereby indicating that the internal pressure is above the target operating internal pressure of the inflatable article. Upon deflation (in other words, a decrease in pressure) of the inflatable article, the diaphragm 10 will collapse or restore its initial relaxed state by virtue of its resilient characteristics, thereby allowing the biasing element 14 to push the indicating element 12 in the second direction B towards any one of the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 & 2.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 3, an end of the indicating element 12 is in abutment with the internal wall of the end cap portion 5a. This indicates that the internal pressure within the inflatable article is above the desired operating internal pressure of the inflatable article and is at, or near, the maximum pressure the inflatable article is configured to sustain. This beneficially indicates to a user that the lack of further movement of the indicating element 12 towards to the end cap portion 5a (in other words, along first direction A) means that the air pressure is too high for the particular inflatable article the pressure gauge 1 is provided on. Preferably, in such a configuration or state, the first indicator 15 remains visible when the indicating element 12 abuts an end wall defining the indicating chamber 8.

[0091] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the pressure gauge 1 and how the various components of the pressure gauge 1 can be assembled. Once the outer casing 3 is coupled to outer wall 6 of an inflatable article, the diaphragm 10 can be inserted into the outer casing 3. The indicating element 12 can be inserted such that a first end of the indicating element 12, which has the recess 20, cooperates with the first locating protrusion 19 of the diaphragm 10. The spring 14 can then be inserted in the casing 3 to cooperate with the second end of the indicating element 12, which comprises the recessed portion 18. The end cap element 5 is then inserted into the outer casing 3 so that the tubular portion 4 of the end cap element 5 abuts with a peripheral portion of the diaphragm 10 and encloses the indicating element 12 and spring 14 within the tubular portion 4. As discussed above, the end cap element 5 comprises a locating protrusion 21 provided on an internal surface of the end cap element 5. The first end of the spring 14, and portion extending therefrom, is arranged to be positioned within the recessed portion 18 of the indicating element 12 and the second end of the spring 14 is arranged to engage or cooperate with such a locating protrusion 21. The cooperation of the spring 14 with the recessed portion 18 and the locating protrusion 21 ensures that the spring 14 is retained suitably in place during use.

[0092] The end cap element 5 is arranged to be retained within the outer casing 3. The engagement between a locating tab or protrusion element 25 provided on the end cap element 5 and a retaining opening 26 provided on the outer casing 3 ensures that the end cap element 5 is retained in place within the outer casing 3 upon insertion. Furthermore, the outer casing 3 is provided with a guide track 28, which cooperates with a corresponding elongate guide protrusion 29 provided on a surface of the end cap element 5. The cooperation between the guide track 28 and the protrusion 29 ensures that the end cap element 5 is aligned within the outer casing 3 and is provided at an appropriate position and orientation within the casing 3.

[0093] FIG. 5 shows an example of how the pressure gauge 1 can be coupled to, or integrated with, an inflatable article (not shown in its entirety), more precisely the outer wall thereof. As mentioned above, the pressure gauge 1 is configured to be coupled to an outer wall 6 of an inflatable article. Such an outer wall 6 is preferably a wall defining an inflatable air chamber of the inflatable article. The outer wall 6, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 & 5, comprises an outer layer 6a and an inner layer 6b. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 & 5, a flanged base portion 22 of the outer housing 3 is positioned between the outer layer 6a and inner layer 6b. The flanged base portion 22 can be either adhered or welded to the either or both of the outer or inner layers 6a, 6b of the wall 6. At least the bottom surface of the base portion 22, which interfaces with the outer surface of the inner layer 6b, is coupled to the inner layer 6b to ensure that an airtight seal is formed between the housing 2 of the pressure gauge 1 and the inner layer 6b. This ensures that air does not leak when flowing to and through the air inlet 7 into the interior of the pressure gauge 1. The top surface of the base portion 22 may also be coupled to (adhered or welded to) the inner surface of the outer layer 6a.

[0094] The outer layer 6a comprises a cut-out portion 23 through which the pressure gauge 1 extends in order to be exposed on the outer surface of an inflatable article. The inner layer 6b comprises an inlet opening 24 allowing fluid communication between the diaphragm 10 and the interior of the inflatable article.

[0095] FIGS. 6 & 7 show examples of how the pressure gauge 1 can coupled to, or integrated with, an inflatable article having a single-layer wall 60. The wall 60 performs a similar function as the double-layer wall 6, discussed above. For a single-layer wall 60, the pressure gauge 1 can be coupled in two different manners. The structure of the pressure gauge 1 is equivalent to that described above.

[0096] The pressure gauge 1 can be coupled to the outer surface of the wall 60. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom surface of the flanged base portion 22 of the housing 2 is coupled directly to the outer surface of the wall 60. This can be done by welding or adhesive bonding. As shown in FIG. 6, the wall 60 comprises the inlet opening 24 for establishing a fluid communication between the diaphragm 10 and the interior of the inflatable article, which is defined by the wall 60.

[0097] Alternatively, the pressure gauge 1 can be coupled to the inner surface of the wall 60. As shown in FIG. 7, an upper surface of the flanged based portion 22 is coupled directly to an inner surface of the wall 60. This can be done by welding or adhesive bonding. However, a cut-out portion 23 is provided in the wall (similar to that of the outer layer 6a, as shown in FIG. 5) so that the rest of the pressure gauge 1 body can protrude through the wall 60. The portion of the pressure gauge housing 2 protruding from the inflatable article may protrude at least about 8 mm, measured perpendicularly from an outer surface of the wall 6, 60.

[0098] FIGS. 8a & 8b show embodiments of an inflation unit 100a, 100b comprising an inflation valve 110 and a pressure gauge 1, as described above. In the present disclosure, the inflation unit 100a, 100b may be referred to as a pressure gauge comprising an inflation valve or as an inflation valve comprising a pressure gauge.

[0099] The inflation unit 100a, 100b comprises a housing 102. The housing 102 comprise a pressure gauge housing 2, in line with the housing 2 described above, and a valve housing 103. Preferably, the pressure gauge housing 2 and the valve housing 103 form an integral housing unit 102. The valve housing 103 is configured to house and receive an inflation valve 110a, 110b. The valve housing 103 comprises a second air inlet or channel 107, similar to the first air inlet 7, that provide fluid communication between the inflation valve and the interior of the inflatable article. The second air inlet 107 is aligned with a second air inlet opening 124 provided in the wall 6, which is similar to the first air inlet opening 24. The second air inlet opening 124 is provided in the inner layer 6b, similar to the first air inlet opening 24 shown in FIG. 5.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 8a, the inflation valve of the inflation unit 100a can be a Presta valve 110a and, as shown in FIG. 8b, the inflation valve of the inflation unit 100b can be a Schrader valve 110b. FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the inflation unit 100a.

[0101] FIGS. 10a & 10b show an inflatable helmet 50 comprising an inflation unit 100a, 100b, as described above. The inflatable helmet may alternatively comprise a pressure gauge 1, which is not integrated with an inflation valve. In other words, instead of an inflation unit with an integrated inflation valve, an individual pressure gauge 1 can be applied in a similar manner to the inflatable helmet 50. In such cases, the inflatable helmet comprises a separate inflation valve. The inflation unit 100a, 100b is permanently coupled to the inflatable article, which is an inflatable helmet 50.

[0102] FIG. 10a shows the helmet 50 in a deflated configuration and FIG. 10b shows the helmet 50 in an inflated configuration. During inflation from a deflated configuration shown in FIG. 10a to an inflated configuration as shown in FIG. 10b using the inflation valve 110, a user can monitor the internal air pressure of the inflatable helmet through the pressure gauge 1 (by the position of the indicating element 12). Upon alignment of the first and second indicators 15, 16 described above, an indication is provided to a user inflating the helmet 50 that the internal air pressure has approximately reached an ideal operating pressure of the helmet 50. For the helmet 50, the ideal or target operating pressure is about 22 psi (about 1.5 bar). In the context of the helmet 50, it is particularly important that a user is informed that the internal pressure within the helmet is at about the pre-determined operating pressure (in other words, the ideal, optimum or target operating pressure) at which the helmet's safety and impact performance characteristics are optimum.

[0103] The specific embodiments and examples described above illustrate but do not limit the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments of the invention may be made and the specific embodiments and examples described herein are not exhaustive.