Automobile wheel cover able to display tire pressure

• US 5,100,206 A
• Filed: 03/13/1990
• Issued: 03/31/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Le Jan Feng
• Original Assignee: Le Jan Feng
• Inventors: Feng, Le Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US07/492,662
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 301/37 R, 301/108 R, 301/108 TW, 301/5 VH, 152/418, 152/427, 152/428, 137/223, 137/227, 73/700, 73/714, 73/146.8, 73/700, 73/714, 73/146.8
• US Class Current: 301/37.108
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 7/00 Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting , venting, or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall , e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins wheels with cooling fins not provided on the wheel cover disc B60B19/10; apparatus or tools for removing or attaching cover discs hub caps or the like B60B31/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/02 Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure hand-held tyre pressure gauges G01L17/00

Abstract

An automobile wheel cover able to display tire pressure includes an air pressure meter and a safety and leakproof T-connector (referred to as T-connector), wherein the air pressure meter is installed in a position nearby the center of wheel cover, the T-connector being fixed on a holder on the perimeter of the wheel cover and able to act together with the wheel cover to engage with or desengage from the tire and composed of a tire connector, an air pressure meter connector and an air valve connector to communicate with each other. The tire connector is provided with a plunger therein and able to engage with the air valve of tube to admit the air in the tire into the T-connector, the air pressure meter connector being engaged with the air conduit of the air pressure meter. The structure of the air valve connector is the same as that of the air valve of the tire, a new air valve being formed when the tire connector is engaged with the air valve of the tire. Through the foregoing structure, the wheel cover can display the tire pressure at all times on under all-weather conditions and can also display the tire pressure when inflating or deflating the tire.

Claims

1. An automobile wheel cover for displaying air pressure in a tire, for use with a rim of an automobile tire having an air valve fixed on the rim, the wheel cover comprising an air pressure meter mounted in a substantially central position proximate to the center of the wheel cover;

a T-connector fixed on a portion of the perimeter of the wheel cover, said T-connector comprising three connector portions arranged for fluid flow communication with each other, said three connector portions comprising a tire connector portion connectable with the tire air valve, an air pressure meter connector portion always in fluid flow communication with said tire connector portion, and an air valve connector portion configurated and dimensioned to correspond to the air valve of the tire, thereby being capable of functioning like a tire air valve when filling the tire with air, said T-connector being provided with valve opening means for opening the tire air valve when said tire connector portion is connected to the tire air valve; and

valve means in said air valve connector portion for selectively providing fluid flow communication between said air valve connector portion and said tire connector and air pressure meter connector portions when the tire is being inflated or deflated, and conduit means for connecting said air pressure meter and said air pressure meter connector portion in fluid flow communication to continuously transmit the air pressure in the tire to said air pressure meter, said T-connector being mounted on the wheel cover in a position substantially corresponding to the location of the air valve on the rim so that said T-connector and air valve can be juxtaposed when said wheel cover is mounted on the tire rim and said tire connector portion can be engaged with the air valve.

2. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said tire connector portion is dimensioned and configurated to sealingly receive and mate with the tire air valve when juxtaposed therewith.

3. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve opening means comprises an axial plunger in said tire connector portion arranged to open the tire air valve and maintain it in an open condition when said tire connector portion cooperates with the tire air valve.

4. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduit means comprises a flexible hose and said air pressure meter connector portion is provided with means for retaining said flexible hose.

5. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said wheel cover is provided with a holder opening, said tire connector portion being provided on the outer surface thereof with an elastic coating receivable within said holder opening.

6. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 5, wherein said elastic coating is provided with at least one concave neck dimensioned to be received within said holder opening.

7. An automobile wheel cover as defined in claim 1, wherein said air pressure meter is slightly inclined in relation to the vertical direction when the wheel cover is mounted on the tire rim.