US20110265909A1

US20110265909A1 - Device for filling air tires with a tire sealing fluid

Info

Publication number: US20110265909A1
Application number: US13/055,256
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Stehle
Original assignee: DOUKAS AG
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2008-07-23
Filing date: 2009-07-23
Publication date: 2011-11-03
Also published as: WO2010009887A1; DE102008053562A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for filling air tires, particularly bicycle tires, with a tire sealing fluid through the valves of the tires, wherein the device is configured as an adapter set (1) having a connector (3) for the tire fluid, and having multiple individual parts (10) which can be inserted into one another, and onto the valves by means of inserting, clipping, and/or screwing, which can be varied with respect to one another depending on the valve type, such as Dunlop valves, quick valves (8), or Sclaverand valves (9).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for filling an air tire, in particular bicycle tires, with a tire sealing fluid via the valves thereof.
Said tire sealing means can be placed into an air tire either prophylactically or in the event of a puncture. In this case, the tire interior can be considered to be a closed container in which the tire sealing means is uniformly distributed when the corresponding tire is rotated about the axis thereof. If the tire is damaged, the liquid tire sealing means then flows immediately into the damaged location and seals off the latter.
In principle, puncture aids of this type can be divided into three groups: sprays, squeezable bottles or compressors which press the means through the respective valve. Latex is primarily used here for sealing purposes. There are also devices for filling air tires, in which the respective valve insert has to be removed in order to introduce the sealing means, but this may frequently make unscrewing the valve inserts very laborious because of the inaccessibility.
The invention starts here and is based on the object of providing a device for filling air tires with a tire sealing fluid, which device can be used in particular for customary types of valves, such as Dunlop valves (car valves), Blitz valves (bicycle valves) and Sclaverand valves (French or racing bike valves), specifically without the respective valve inserts having to be removed for this purpose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the object according to the invention is achieved in a simple manner in that said device is designed as an adapter set with a connection for the tire sealing fluid and with a plurality of individual parts which can be plugged, snapped and/or screwed one inside the other and onto the valves and can be varied with respect to one another depending on the type of valve.
The invention takes account above all of the fact that two-wheelers—and in particular bicycles—may have different types of valves which are shown little consideration is shown when purchasing the two-wheeler. Only when a puncture occurs or the tire has to be pumped up is it found that the available pump does not match the valve. The user also has the same experience with a puncture set with which sealing fluid is placed into the tire interior.
The adapter set can preferably have a cylindrical body, one end side of which serves for the connection for the tire sealing fluid and the other end side of which serves for the connection to the variable types of valve, with a central passage for the tire sealing fluid being provided in the basic body between the end sides.
This valve adapter set according to the invention is preferably designed here in such a manner that the connection of the basic body for the tire sealing fluid is matched in particular to the contour of a connecting head of an aerosol bottle, the connection of the basic body being designed for the variable types of valves, such as, in particular, Dunlop valves (car valves), Blitz valves (bicycle valves) and Sclaverand valves (French or racing bike valve), in a manner corresponding to the structural shape of said valves.
It is expedient in this case that for connection to a Dunlop valve, an elastic sleeve is provided in the basic body, and the Dunlop valve can be plugged into said elastic sleeve in a pressure-tight manner. The central passage for the tire sealing fluid expediently extends in the basic body following said elastic sleeve.
So that pressing down of the valve or pin regulating the air, in particular of a Dunlop valve, and therefore opening of the valve for the tire sealing fluid to flow into the air tire can take place automatically in a simple manner by the plugging-on of the adapter set according to the invention, it is furthermore expedient that the central passage has for this purpose a bridge web on which the valve pin or the valve pins can then be supported.
For this purpose, it is possible for the central passage to be formed by at least two diametrically opposite bores, the connecting web of said passage can then serve for pressing down the pin regulating the air, in particular of a Dunlop valve, wherein in particular four symmetrically arranged bores with the connecting webs thereof have proven successful in the central passage region as a type of abutment for the valve pin which is to be opened.
In particular for connection of the adapter set according to the invention to a Blitz valve or a Sclaverand valve, it is furthermore expedient if a type of closure cover in the form of an elastic stopper can be inserted as a further component part into the basic body coaxially with respect to the sleeve, said closure cover having a central bore through which the valves mentioned can be plugged in a pressure-tight manner.
Finally, it is advantageous for adaptation purposes if the component parts of the valve adapter set according to the invention are composed entirely or partially of rubber and/or plastic.
In addition, the inventive concept is intended also to include the fact that the adapter can carry out its function even in a suspended arrangement on the valve and/or tube.
Finally, it has proven advantageous in practice that, because of the dip tube, the spray achieves the best results preferably between a clock position of 9-11 or 13-15.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention emerge from the description below of two exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawing; in which

FIG. 1 shows an adapter set according to the invention in an exploded illustration,

FIG. 2 shows the adapter set according to FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale with an inside view in the basic body of said adapter set, the inside view showing, as a first exemplary embodiment, the central passage of four bores for the tire sealing fluid,

FIG. 3 shows the basic body of the adapter set according to FIG. 2, as seen from below, but with a central passage in the form of a bridge web as a second exemplary embodiment,

FIG. 4 shows the adapter set according to FIG. 1 in an assembled illustration rotated through 180° for the Blitz valve and Sclaverand valve and

FIG. 5 shows the adapter set according to FIG. 4 but with a stopper removed and for the Dunlop valve type of valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows, in an exploded illustration, an adapter set 1 which has a cylindrical basic body 2 which has a lower end side 3 which is formed by an annular flange 4, the interior of which is matched to the contour of a connecting head of an aerosol bottle (not illustrated specifically) which serves as a known accessory for providing a tire sealing fluid.
Aerosol bottles are generally provided with a connecting piece (metering adapter), a pressurized spray bottle being involved here. When a button is actuated, the content in the form of a tire sealing fluid sprays at a massive pressure out of the metal or plastic aerosol bottle into the air tire via the respective valve.
The other end side of the basic body 2, which end side is denoted by 5, is of hollow-cylindrical design such that an elastic sleeve 6, for example made of rubber or plastic, can be fitted into the basic body 2. A Dunlop valve 7 (car valve) can then be inserted into said sleeve 6 in a pressure-tight manner.
In addition, for the connection of a Blitz valve 8 (bicycle valve) or a Sclaverand valve 9 (French or racing bike valve), an elastic stopper 10, for example made of rubber or plastic, may be provided, the elastic stopper being insertable as a type of closure cover into the basic body 2 coaxially with respect to the sleeve 6 and valves can be inserted through the central bore—denoted by 11—in said stopper in a pressure-tight manner.
A central passage 12 in the form of four symmetrically arranged bores 13 for the throughflow of the tire sealing fluid is provided in the basic body 2, between the end sides 3 and 5 according to FIG. 2, the connecting webs, denoted by 14, of which bores serving for pressing down of the pin 15 which regulates the air, in particular of a Dunlop valve 7 (FIG. 5).
However, it is also possible to design the central passage as a central bore 16 with a bridge web 17 according to FIG. 3, said passage then serving to press down the pin 15 regulating the air, in particular of a Dunlop valve 7, i.e. by pressing down the pin 15 the valve is opened at the same time, and therefore the tire sealing fluid can flow into the air tire.
The manner of operation of the present invention is as follows:
Starting from FIG. 4, in order to fill an air tire with a tire sealing fluid, first of all a customary aerosol bottle is fastened by the connecting head thereof to the end side 3 of the assembled adapter set 1 in a pressure-tight manner. The adapter set 1 is then plugged by the stopper 10 thereof onto the particular Blitz valve 8, shown in FIG. 4, or Sclaverand valve 9 in a pressure-tight manner. In the process, in the case of the Blitz valve 8, the end piece thereof, which is denoted by 8.1, enters the central bore 11 of the stopper 10 in a pressure-tight manner corresponding to the indicated arrow. On the other hand, in the case of the Sclaverand valve 9, the latter likewise enters with the end piece thereof, which is denoted by 9.1, into the central bore 11 of the stopper 10 in a pressure-tight manner but only until the pressure pin thereof, which is denoted by 9.2 (after the latter has been released beforehand by means of the screw ring surrounding it) is pressed against the respectively selected stop (connecting web 14 or bridge web 17) and at the same time opens the valve.
In the case of the Dunlop valve 7, according to FIG. 5, first of all the stopper 10 located on the end side 5 of the adapter set 1 is removed—indicated by the arrow 10.1—such that the sleeve 6 which is inserted into the basic body 2 is accessible. The basic body 2 together with the sleeve 6 is then pushed over the valve body of the Dunlop valve 7 in a pressure-tight manner until the latter presses with the pin 15 thereof against the respectively selected stop (connecting web 14 or bridge web 17) and therefore the valve is opened. Subsequently, by pressing the aerosol bottle against the Dunlop valve 7, the content is sprayed via the Dunlop valve 7 (correspondingly also when the two other types of valve 8 and 9 are used) into the air tire.
The filling of an air tire is ended by pulling the adapter set 1 off the respectively selected valves (7-9). The air tire can then be rotated a number of times such that the injected tire sealing fluid is distributed uniformly therein, this resulting in closure of possibly damaged locations in the event of a puncture.
After the adapter set 1 according to the invention has been used, for example for a Dunlop valve 7, the stopper 10 is plugged again onto the end side 5 of the basic body 2 such that a complete adapter set 1 for at least the Dunlop valve 7, Blitz valve 8 and Sclaverand valve types is again available in a space-saving manner and in a manner enabling versatile use.

Claims

1. A device for filling air tires with a tire sealing fluid via a tire valve, the device comprises an adapter set (1) having a connection (3) for the tire sealing fluid and a plurality of individual parts (6, 10) which can be plugged, snapped and/or screwed one inside the other and onto a tire valve depending on the type of valve.

2. The adapter set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adapter set has an in particular cylindrical basic body (2), one end side (3) of which serves for the connection of the tire sealing fluid and the other end side (5) of which serves for connection to the type of valve (7-9), a central passage (12) for the tire sealing fluid being provided on the basic body (2) between the end sides (3, 5).

3. The adapter set as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection (3) of the basic body (2) for the tire sealing fluid is matched to the contour of a connecting head of an aerosol bottle.

4. The adapter set as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection (5) of the basic body (2) is designed for the type of valve.

5. The adapter set as claimed in claim 4, wherein for connection to a Dunlop valve (7), an elastic sleeve (6) is provided as a component part in the basic body (2), and the Dunlop valve (7) is plugged into said elastic sleeve in a pressure-tight manner.

6. The adapter set as claimed in claim 5, wherein a central passage (12) for the tire sealing fluid is provided in the basic body (2) following the elastic sleeve (6).

7. The adapter set as claimed in claim 6, wherein the central passage (12) has a central bridge web (17) or a centrally fitted multi-channel web for pressing down of the pin (15) regulating the air, in a Dunlop valve (7).

8. The adapter set as claimed in claim 6, wherein the central passage (12) is formed by at least two diametrically opposite bores and has connecting webs for pressing down of the pin regulating the air, in a Dunlop valve (7).

9. The adapter set as claimed in claim 8, wherein four symmetrically arranged bores (13) are provided in the central passage (12).

10. The adapter set as claimed in claim 9, wherein the center of the connecting webs between the four bores (13) serves for pressing down of the pin (15) regulating the air, in a Dunlop valve (7).

11. The adapter set as claimed in claim 4, wherein the valve is a Blitz valve (8), wherein a type of closure cover in the form of an elastic stopper (10) can be inserted as a further component part into the basic body (2) coaxially with respect to the sleeve (6), said closure cover having a central bore (11) through which these valves can be plugged in a pressure-tight manner.

12. The adapter set as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adapter set is composed entirely or partially of rubber and/or plastic.