Tire pressure indicator

• US 4,945,337 A
• Filed: 09/14/1989
• Issued: 07/31/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tien-Tsai Huang
• Original Assignee: Tien-Tsai Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Tien-Tsai
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/407,351
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442-445, 340/626, 340/691, 340/447, 73/146.2, 73/146.5, 73/146.8, 116/34 R, 116/34 A, 116/34 B, 200/61.22, 137/223, 137/224, 137/225, 137/233
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3755 Valve actuating, assembling or locking means on cap

Abstract

A tire pressure indicator includes: a hollow cylindrical body with a closed side and an open side; a light bulb with a threaded negative portion and a positive contact detachably mounted at the closed side of the hollow cylindrical body; a transparent cover positioned at the closed side over the light bulb; a first conductor, together with a piston container, connected to the threaded negative portion of the light bulb; a sleeve member movably disposed around the piston container in the hollow cylindrical body; a piston unit composed of a mercury cell, a pressure spring and a sliding member movably disposed in the piston container; a pressure sensor which is a combination of a flexible film member, a second conductor and an air-channel member fixed on the closed side of the sleeve member under the piston unit; and a supporting base with an air chamber screw-connected to the open side of the hollow cylindrical body; whereby, when the air pressure indicator is connected to the tire valve of an associated tire, the tire pressure condition of the associated tire can be monitored and indicated via the light bulb without incurring any air pressure leakage of the associated tire.

Claims

1. A tire pressure indicator having a hollow cylindrical body formed with a closed side at one end thereof and an open side at another end thereof for being positioned on a tire valve of an associated tire with a light bulb being detachably mounted in a threaded central opening formed in the closed side of the hollow cylindrical body, comprising:

a transparent light cover screw-connected to the closed side of the hollow cylindrical body over the light bulb thereof;

a first conductor member having a central opening formed therein disposed on a bottom surface of the closed side of the hollow cylindrical body and engaged with a threaded negative portion of the light bulb through the central opening of said first conductor;

a piston container with an upper closed side thereof and an lower open side thereof screw-connected to the threaded negative portion of the light bulb at said upper closed side in the hollow cylindrical body;

a sleeve member with a closed side located at a lower end thereof movably disposed in the hollow cylindrical body with said piston container being sleevingly received therein;

a piston means movably disposed in an inner chamber of said piston container so as to be controlled by the tire pressure of an associated tire for turning the light bulb on and off in conjunction with the tire pressure condition of the associated tire;

a pressure sensing means fixedly provided on the closed side of said sleeve member under said piston means for being detachably connected to the tire valve of the associated tire to monitor and indicate the pressure condition of the associated tire; and

a supporting base, having an air chamber formed therein with internal and external threads provided therearound, screw-connected to the open side of the hollow cylindrical body for being detachably connected to the tire valve of the associated tire;

whereby, with said tire pressure indicator being detachably connected to an associated tire, the pressure condition of the associated tire can be monitored and indicated via the light bulb without incurring any air pressure leakage therefrom even when the hollow cylindrical body is damaged or loosened.

2. A tire pressure indicator according to claim 1 wherein said piston means comprises:

a mercury cell having a positive end being kept in contact with a positive end of the light bulb in the hollow cylindrical body;

a pressure spring member having an upper end positioned under a bottom side of said mercury cell for keeping said mercury cell in contact with the positive end of the light bulb thereat; and

a sliding member placed under a lower end of said pressure spring member for being operated by the tire pressure of an associated tire to cause said pressure spring member to either be compressed or released thereat so as to turn the light bulb on or off therewith.

3. A tire pressure indicator according to claim 1 wherein said pressure sensing means comprises:

a flexible film member placed under a bottom side of said sliding member for being moved, by the tire pressure of an associated tire, against said sliding member;

a second conductor member, which is coupled with said flexible film member under a lower edge thereof, positioned on the closed side of said sleeve member for serving as an electrical negative terminal thereat through said sleeve member and said first conductor; and

an air-channel member, having an inflating pin and a plurality of air channels provided therein, fixedly attached to a bottom surface of the closed end of said sleeve member with said air channels being in communication with said flexible film member;

so that, when said inflating pin is inserted into the tire valve of an associated tire, the air pressure inside said tire will push said flexible film member upward through said air channels so as to move said piston means upward against said pressure spring member without turning on the light bulb thereat when the tire pressure of the associated tire is normal.

4. A tire pressure indicator according to claim 3 wherein said air-channel member further comprises a seal closely engaged around a periphery of said air-channel member and extending downward from the bottom surface of the closed side thereof so as to prevent air lose from an associated tire thereat when said air-channel member is detachably connected to the tire valve of the associated tire.