GB2420101A

GB2420101A - Tyre inflation apparatus and method

Info

Publication number: GB2420101A
Application number: GB0425285A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Baker-Courtenay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-16
Filing date: 2004-11-16
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-16
Also published as: GB0425285D0; GB2420101B

Abstract

A method and apparatus for inflating a pneumatic tyre in which the valve core is held away from its seat in the valve during inflation and re-seated in the valve once inflation is achieved. The removal of the valve core from the flow of air leaves the air passage unrestricted during inflation. The apparatus comprises a bifurcated adapter in which the core is held sealingly in a portion aligned with the valve, while the tyre is inflated through a branch, and core seating means to seat the core first in the adapter and, after inflation, in the valve.

Description

Tyre Inflation Apparatus and Method This invention relates to apparatus

and methods for inflating pneumatic tyres.

Pneumatic tyres are inflated through a valve which has a core which is displaced from a valve seat by air pressure from the compressed air supply when the adapter is connected to the valve opening. When the pressure is removed, the core resiles back against the seat, sealing the tyre.

Because the space between the core and the seat is restricted, air flows into the tyre at a low rate. This is not a problem for motorists wishing to top up tyre pressure, as the tyres are already substantially inflated. However, in garages and tyre shops, filling tyres from scratch can take a significant amount of time. A particular problem arises when filling tubeless tyres, which often require a fast initial fill in order to seal the tyre rim against the wheel rim, and difficulties are encountered when the air flow through the valve is insufficient to do that, which means that the air leaks from the rim as fast as it enters through the valve.

The present invention provides apparatus and a method for inflating tyres that overcomes these problems.

The invention comprises a method for inflating a pneumatic tyre in which the valve core is held away from its seat in the valve during inflation, so as to leave an air passage unrestricted by the core, and seated in the valve once inflation is achieved.

The core may be held outside the valve until inflation is achieved.

The core may be held in an adapter that connects an inflation air line to the valve. The adapter may comprise a receiver for the valve core which, during inflation, holds the core in sealing relationship with the adapter, and core inserter means for seating the core in the valve once inflation is achieved, as well as a connector for the inflation air line. The connector may be comprised in a bifurcation of the adapter, the core receiver being axially aligned with the valve when connected thereto. The receiver may comprise an internally threaded part into which the core is threaded for inflation, and the core inserter means are arranged to thread the core out of the threaded part and position it to sit in the valve.

The invention also comprises apparatus for inflating a pneumatic tyre, comprising an adapter in which a valve core may be held away from its seat during inflation, so as to leave an air passage unrestricted by the core, and means to seat the core in the valve once inflation is achieved.

The adapter may comprise a receiver for the valve core, which, during inflation, holds the core in sealing relationship with the adapter, and core inserter means for seating the core in the valve once inflation is achieved, as well as a connector for the inflation air line.

The connector may be comprised in a bifurcation of the adapter, the core receiver being axially aligned with the valve when connected thereto. The receiver may comprise an internally threaded part into which the core is threaded for inflation, and the core inserter means are arranged to thread the core out of the threaded part and position it to sit in the valve.

One embodiment of apparatus and a method for inflating a tyre according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of an adapter, showing an air line, tyre valve and core inserter, with core, all aligned for connection; Figure 2 is an elevation, like Figure 1, showing the components connected for inflation; Figure 3 is a section on the line 111- 111 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a section like Figure 3, showing a valve core located in the core receiver ready for inflation; Figure 5 is a section like Figure 4, showing the valve core, after inflation, displaced from the receiver, en route to the tyre valve; and Figure 6 shows the valve core in place at its seat in the valve, the core receiver withdrawn.

The drawings illustrate a method for inflating a pneumatic tyre 11 having a valve 12 with a valve core 13, in which the valve core is held away from its seat 14 during inflation, so as to leave an air passage therethrough unrestricted by the core 13, and seated in the valve 12 once inflation is achieved.

The core 13 is held outside the valve 12 until inflation is achieved.

The core 13 is held in an adapter 15 that connects an inflation air line 17 to the valve 12.

The adapter 15 comprises a receiver 18 for the valve core 13 which, during inflation, holds the core 13 in sealing relationship with the adapter 16, and core seating means 19 for seating the core 13 in the valve 12 once inflation is achieved, as well as a connector 21 for the inflation air line 17. The connector 21 is comprised in a bifurcation of the adapter 15, the core receiver 18 being axially aligned with the valve 12 when connected thereto. The receiver 18 comprises an internally threaded part 22 into which the core 13 is threaded for inflation, and an apertured spacer 1 8a through which the air passes to the valve 12. The core 12 is placed in the adapter 15 and pushed in by the core inserter means 19 which are arranged to thread the core 13 out of the threaded part 22 and position it to sit in the valve 12.

With the core 13 threaded into the part 22, and the adapter 16 connected to the air line 17 and the valve 12, the whole arrangement is sealed against egress of air except, as intended, into the tyre 11 through the valve 12. The valve 12, not having its core 13 in place, presents no restriction to the flow of air into the tyre 11 from the air line 17, and inflation can take place quickly. Importantly, inflation can be sufficiently rapid to urge a tubeless tyre rim positively into proper seating relationship with the wheel rim, avoiding the risk that air can escape from the rim region to thwart the attempt to inflate the tyre.

The core seating means 19 comprise a rod 19a slidable within a collar 19b which threads sealingly on to an aperture 23 in the adapter 15. The rod lOa has a notched end 19c that engages a cross member I 3a of the core 13, so that the core 13 can be screwed, by twisting the rod 1 9a in the collar 1 9b, into the threaded part 22 and, after inflation, into the valve 12.

Claims

Claims: 1 A method for inflating a pneumatic tyre in which the valve core

is held away from its seat in the valve during inflation, so as to leave an air passage unrestricted by the core, and seated in the valve once inflation is achieved.
2 A method according to claim 1, in which the core is held outside the valve until inflation is achieved.
3 A method according to claim I or claim 2, in which the valve core is held in an adapter that connects an inflation air line to the valve.
4 A method according to claim 3, in which the adapter comprises a receiver for the valve core which, during inflation, holds the core in sealing relationship with the adapter, and core seating means for seating the core in the valve once inflation is achieved, as well as a connector for the air line.
A method according to claim 4, in which the connector is comprised in a bifurcation of the adapter, the core receiver being axially aligned with the valve when connected thereto.
6 A method according to claim 5, in which the core inserter threads the core into a threaded part of the receiver for inflation, and threads the core out of the said threaded part and positions it to sit in the valve after inflation.
7 Apparatus for inflating a pneumatic tyre, comprising an adapter in which a valve core may be held away from its seat during inflation, so as to leave an air passage unrestricted by the core, and means to seat the core in the valve once inflation is achieved.
8 Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the core is held outside the valve until inflation is achieved.
9 Apparatus according to claim 7 or claim 8, comprising an adapter that connects an inflation air line to the valve, the adapter comprising a receiver for the valve core, which, during inflation, holds the core in sealing relationship with the adapter, and core seating means for seating the core in the valve once inflation is achieved, as well as a connector for the inflation air line.
10 Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the connector is comprised in a bifurcation of the adapter, the core receiver being axially aligned with the valve when connected thereto.
11 Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the receiver comprises an internally threaded part into which the core is threaded for inflation.
12 Apparatus according to claim 11, in which the core inserter means are arranged to thread the core out of the threaded part and position it in the valve after inflation.