WO1996007567A1

WO1996007567A1 - Pneumatic connector

Info

Publication number: WO1996007567A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/002141
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew Peter Rogers; Norman Philip Fletcher
Original assignee: Garage Equipment Maintenance Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 1994-09-09
Filing date: 1995-09-11
Publication date: 1996-03-14
Also published as: GB9418207D0; AU3478395A

Abstract

A connector for use in connecting an air line to the valve of a pneumatic tyre comprises a tubular flexible seal member (24) arranged to be positioned around the stem of the pneumatic tyre valve and includes means (28) or flexing the seal member (24) radially inwardly to engage the stem to seal the stem to the connector for passage of air through the connector, the seal member (24), and the stem, to or from the tyre.

Description

PNEUMATIC CONNECTOR

Technical Field

This invention relates to a connector, in particular to a connector for use in connecting an airline to the valve of a pneumatic tyre.

Background of the Invention

A number of different types of connector are currently available, one common type comprising a cylindrical member arranged to be pushed over the tubular stem of the valve of the tyre in order to seal against the end face of the stem. This type of connector has the disadvantage that the seal may rapidly be abraded by the end of the tubular stem giving rise to inefficient sealing in use. In addition, this type of connector has to be held accurately in position in use.

It is an object of the invention to reduce the problems associated with the above described device.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a connector comprising a tubular flexible seal member arranged to be positioned around the stem of a valve of a pneumatic tyre, in use, and means for flexing the seal member to engage the stem of the valve to seal the connector to the valve.

The means for flexing the seal member preferably comprises a plurality of first members each being movable between an inoperative first position, and an operative second position in which it displaces the seal member radially inwardly. Each of said first members conveniently comprises a spherical element.

Preferably, said first members are equiangularly spaced around the seal member.

The means for flexing the seal member preferably further comprises a plurality of second members axially spaced from said first members. The second members are preferably in the form of spherical elements, each being movable between an inoperative first position and an operative second position in which it displaces the seal member radially inwardly. The second members preferably are equiangularly spaced around the seal member and are axially and angularly spaced from said first members.

The first and second members are preferably housed in apertures provided in a cylindrical housing within which the seal member is housed, the cylindrical housing being within a slidable body having ramped surfaces for cooperation with said first and second members so that in one position of the body with respect to the housing, the compression members are in their first positions, and on movement of the body towards a second position, the ramped surfaces cooperate with said members to displace said members inwards to their second positions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will further be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a connector;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the connector of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modification.

Details of the Preferred Embodiments

The connector illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings comprises a tubular body 10 including a first region 10a and an integral second region 10b. A tubular handgrip 12 is provided on the outer surface of the second region 10b. The free end of the first region 10a includes a region of increased internal diameter separated from the remainder of the first region 10a by a ramped surface 32. A generally cylindrical housing 14 is slidable within the first region 10a, one end of the housing 14 including a bore 16 arranged to receive a coupler provided on the end of an airline 18. A grub screw 20 is provided in a screw-threaded bore of the housing 14 and arranged to engage with the coupler in order to secure the airline 18 to the housing 14. The grub screw 20 is accessible through an elongate aperture 22 provided in the body 10.

The other end of the housing 14 is provided with a bore 26 which communicates with bore 16 by way of bores 36 and within which a flexible seal member 24 is housed. The seal member 24 comprises a generally cylindrical injection moulding, the free end of the seal member 24 being of enlarged internal diameter in order to aid the insertion of a valve stem of a pneumatic tyre valve into the seal member 24. The internal diameter of the member 24 is large enough to permit the member 24 to be slid onto valve stems of a variety of sizes, yet small enough to permit the valve stem to be gripped on flexing of the member 24.

The seal member 24 is constructed of a material of surface hardness sufficient to withstand abrasion due to the sliding onto and removal from valve stems, in use, and of suitable flexibility to permit repeated flexing into and out of engagement with valve stems, to form seals therewith. Suitable materials are urethane or vulcanised rubber.

The housing 14 is provided with two sets of three equi-angularly spaced apertures extending through the wall thickness of the housing the sets of apertures being axially spaced from one another and the apertures of one set being displaced angularly by 60° from the apertures of the other set. A spherical member 28 is provided in each of the apertures.

In use, to attach the connector to the valve of a pneumatic tyre, the connector is slid over the stem of the valve so that the stem extends within the seal member 24. When fully inserted, a projection 30 provided on the end waii of the bore 26 engages with the operating member of the valve to open the valve and to prevent further movement of the housing 14 with respect to the valve.

Continued movement of the body 10 towards the valve takes place relative to the housing 14 and a point will be reached at which the surface 32 rides over the members 28 so displacing the members 28 inwardly. Such movement of the spherical members 28 results in the members engaging the outer surface of the seal member 24 and flexing the wall of the seal member 24 inwardly to grip and seal against the stem of the valve. Inflation or deflation of the tyre can then occur by Alternatively, the body 10 may be constructed of a flexible material, bending to permit use with motorcycle tyres or the like if desired.

The positive feel of the connector may be enhanced by providing one or more recesses adjacent the ramped surface 32 in which the members 28 extend when the connector is in its operative and/or inoperative positions, movement of the connector into one of these positions being accompanied by an increased resistance to further movement, and possibly by an audible signal. In the illustrated embodiment, only one ramped surface is illustrated. The device could be modified to include two such surfaces, one for each set of members 28, or possibly to include separate ramped surfaces for each member 28.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 3 although the design is different the mode of operation is extremely similar to that described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Where appropriate the same reference numerals have been used to indicate like components.

The part 10a of the body 10 is a synthetic resin (preferably nylon) moulding housing the valve connector components, and having a brass hose coupling 40 projecting therefrom. The end of the body part 10a from which the coupling 40 projects is intended to mate with a two-part moulded synthetic resin hand grip defined by the second body part 10b. In practice the airline hose is connected to the coupling 40 whereafter the two parts of the body part 10b are assembled around the hose and are secured together by screws or welding, and are then slid along the length of the hose to mate the body part 10b with the body part 10a. controlling the flow of air through the airline 18. The force necessary to cause the ramped surface 32 to ride over the members 28 provides a positive indication that the connector is attached to the valve stem.

When it is desired to remove the connector from the valve, the body 10 is pulled away from the tyre using the handgrip 12. Since the seal member 24 is gripping the stem of the valve, the body 10 slides relative to the housing 14, moving the ramped surface 32 relative to the members 28 so that the resilience of the seal member 24 can restore the member 24 to its cylindrical configuration pushing the spherical members 28 outwardly. Such movement of the spherical members 28 releases the grip of the seal member 24 on the valve stem and permits removal of the housing 14, and hence the connector, from the valve. As shown in Figure 1 , the head of the grub screw 20 extends within the aperture 22 and thus restricts movement of the housing 14 with respect to the body 10.

By providing two axially spaced sets of spherical members 28, and by off-setting the members 28 of one set from the members 28 of the other set, a good seal can be achieved between the connector and the stem of the valve. It will be recognised that since engagement of the seal member 24 and the valve stem does not occur until after relative movement of the seal member 24 towards the tyre is complete, wear of the seal member 24 is reduced.

Although the body 10 of the connector is straight, an embodiment is envisaged in which the region 10b makes an angle of approximately 135° with the region 10a permitting it to be used with motorcycle tyres. Within the body part 10a there is formed a chamber 41 communicating with the coupling 40, the chamber 41 also communicating with a hollow tubular region of the body part 10a housing the connector components. The connector components within the body part 10a are extremely similar to those described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2 and comprise an outer stainless steel sleeve 42 locked in position within the tubular part of the housing 10a and incorporating an internally ramped surface 32. A generally cylindrical hollow slider 14 formed from brass is slidable axially within the sleeve 42 and the sliding interface of the slider 14 and the sleeve 42 is sealed by sliding O-ring seals 43. The slider 14 is hollow, and communicates at its inner end with the chamber 41. Internally the slider 14 is partially closed by a radial flange through which extends an abutment pin 30. The abutment pin 30 is locked in position relative to the slider 14 and projects forwardly from the internal flange. Moreover, although the abutment pin 30 passes through a circular aperture in the centre of the flange, its own cross-section includes a pair of diametrically opposed flats so that air flow passages 36 are defined on opposite sides respectively of the pin and place the chamber 41 in communication with the open end of the slider 14.

Received within the slider 14 is a vulcanised rubber or urethane, flexible, seal member 24 in the form of a sleeve abutting the flange of the slider 14 at its inner end, and having a flared opposite end to facilitate insertion of the valve stem of a pneumatic tyre valve in use. The abutment pin 30 extends into the seal member 24 and it will be recognised therefore that air can flow to or from the hose connected to the coupling 40, through the chamber 41 the passages 36 and the seal member 24. ,„„,„ /07567

8

The mode of operation of the connector, and the clamping of the seal member 24 around an inserted valve stem by means of a plurality of spherical members 28 is as described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2, it being noted that the transverse bores in the slider 14 for receiving the spherical members 28 are shown in Figure 3, but the spherical members themselves have been omitted for clarity.

As the connector is fitted over a valve stem the abutment pin 30 engages the valve opening member of the valve stem to open the valve as the valve stem becomes fully seated within the seal member 24. Thereafter continued movement of the body 10 towards the valve stem causes the slider 14 and seal member 24 to be moved bodily within the sleeve 42 such that the ramp surface 32 of the sleeve 42 engage and actuate the spherical elements 28 to flex the seal member 24 radially inwardly to grip the outer surface of the valve stem. Thereafter of course the valve of the valve stem is open and the valve stem itself is sealed within the connector and air can pass to or from the tyre through the connector. Pulling the connector away from the valve stem moves the slider 14 and seal member 24 bodily within the sleeve 42 back towards a rest position defined by the grub screw 20 sliding in the elongate slot 22 in the sleeve 42, thus releasing the clamping action of the spherical elements and permitting the seal member 24 to be withdrawn from the valve stem.

Claims

1. A connector for use in connecting an airline to the valve of a pneumatic tyre characterized by comprising a tubular flexible seal member (24) arranged to be positioned around the stem of a valve of a pneumatic tyre, in use, and means (28, 32) for flexing the seal member (24) to engage the stem of the valve to seal the connector to the valve.

2. A connector as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said means for flexing the seal member comprises a plurality of first members (28) each being movable between an inoperative first position, and an operative second position in which it displaces the seal member (24) radially inwardly.

3. A connector as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that each of said first members (28) is a spherical element.

4. A connector as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that said first members (28)are equiangularly spaced around the seal member (24).

5. A connector as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said means for flexing the seal member (24) preferably further comprises a plurality of second members axially spaced from said first members.

6. A connector as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said second members are equiangularly spaced around the seal member (24) and are axially and angularly spaced from said first members.

7. A connector as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterized in that said first and second members (28) are preferably housed in apertures provided in a cylindrical housing (14) within which the seal member (24) is housed, the cylindrical housing being relatively slidable within a body (10a, 42) having ramped surfaces (32) for cooperation with said first and second members (28) so that in one position of the body with respect to the housing, the members (28) are in their first positions, and on relative movement of the body (10a, 42) towards a second position, the ramped surfaces (32) cooperate with said members (28) to displace said members inwards to their second positions.