Method of and apparatus for introducing polverulent material into a tire

• US 5,472,023 A
• Filed: 04/19/1994
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Schuessler, Warren Jr., Buckles, Raymond, Fogal, Robert D. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US08/229,536
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/4, 141/5, 141/9, 141/38, 141/67, 141/100, 141/102, 141/105, 406/38, 406/108, 406/122, 406/128-130, 406/137, 406/139, 406/146, 156/75, 156/115, 152/153, 152/154.1, 152/155, 152/157, 152/310-322, 152/415, 152/450, 152/502-504, 152/521, 301/5.22
• US Class Current: 141/9
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/003 Balancing means attached to the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/062 for filling a tyre with particular materials, e.g. liquids B60C5/004, B60C5/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/365 using balancing liquid

Abstract

Method of and apparatus for introducing pulverulent material into a tire for the purpose of balancing a tire and an associated wheel assembly. A quantity of polymeric pulverulent material sufficient to balance a tire and an associated wheel assembly is charged to a cylindrical chamber and confined therein. Pressurized air is passed through the chamber in such manner as to form cyclonic air currents in the chamber. The cyclonic air currents can be obtained by configuring the air inlet and the air outlet for the chamber so that their respective axes are not aligned. A mixture of air and pulverulent material is withdrawn from the chamber and passed to a tire which is being balanced. An apparatus for practicing this method comprises a container having a transparent cylindrical side wall and a pair of end caps which together enclose a chamber for pulverulent material; an in-line filter, a pressure regulator and a first on-off valve which together form an air supply flow path for supplying air under pressure to the chamber, and a second on-off valve and a flexible hose having a quick disconnect coupling at its discharge end for conveying a mixture of pressurized air and pulverulent material from the chamber to a tire.

Claims

1. A method of introducing a pulverulent solid material into a tire through a tire valve stem comprising the steps of:

(a) confining a predetermined amount of pulverulent polymer is solid material in an upright chamber having opposite first and second ends and having an air inlet at said first end and an air outlet at said second end, said air outlet being higher than said air inlet, said air inlet and said air outlet having non-aligned axes whereby cyclonic air currents are created;

(b) passing a pressurized air stream successively through said air inlet, said chamber and said air outlet, said pressurized air stream flowing upwardly through said chamber and said air outlet, the pressurized air creating cyclonic air currents within the chamber and thereby creating an essentially uniform admixture of said pulverulent material and air; and

(c) introducing the resulting admixture of said pulverulent material and air into a tire through an associated tire valve stem under the influence of the pressurized cyclonic air currents, the amount of pulverulent material so introduced into the tire being sufficient to effect dynamic balancing of said tire and a wheel assembly associated therewith but insufficient to substantially fill said tire.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the amount of pulverulent material introduced into the tire is from about 3 ounces to about 24 ounces.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said pulverulent material is dry and freely flowable.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein substantially all air introduced into said tire in said admixture of air and pulverulent material is retained in said tire during introduction of said admixture.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the pressurized air stream passed through said air inlet and said chamber is the only air stream introduced into said tire.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein said pressurized air stream is filtered to remove moisture prior to passing through said chamber.

7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said chamber is defined by an essentially rigid cylindrical wall.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said pressurized air stream is pressurized to a pressure sufficient to inflate a tire but not over about 125 pounds per square inch.

9. The method defined in claim 8 wherein said pressurized air stream is pressurized to a pressure from about 40 to about 125 pounds per square inch.

10. The method defined in claim 1, including the step of

(d) selectively and adjustably regulating the pressurization of the air currents.

11. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said pressurized air stream is passed through a pressure regulator before passing through said air inlet.

12. An apparatus for introducing a pulverulent material into a tire through a tire valve stem comprising:

(a) an essentially rigid and essentially cylindrical container defining a chamber for confining a predetermined amount of pulverulent material, said chamber having an essentially vertical axis and opposite first and second ends, an air inlet at said first end and an air outlet at said second end, said air outlet being higher than said air inlet whereby compressed air flows upwardly through said chamber, said air inlet and said air outlet being axially remote and non-aligned whereby the confined pulverulent material is subjected to pressurized cyclonic air currents when pressurized air is introduced through said air inlet,

(b) means for establishing a flow path for pressurized air extending from an intake for pressurized air to said air inlet of said chamber, said flow path having a pressure regulator therein, and

(c) means for introducing an admixture of pressurized air and said pulverulent material into a tire through an associated tire valve stem under the influence of the pressurized cyclonic air currents,

the volume of said chamber being sufficient to contain an amount of pulverulent material sufficient to effect dynamic balancing of said tire and an associated wheel assembly but insufficient to fill said tire.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein,

said means for introducing an admixture of pressurized air and pulverulent material comprises a flexible hose having at a discharge end a coupling for a connection to said tire valve stem.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 12, further including a first on-off valve for controlling the flow of pressurized air from said pressure regulator to said chamber and a second on-off valve for controlling the flow of said admixture of pressurized air and pulverulent material from said chamber.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein,

the volume of said chamber is such as to contain from about 3 ounces to about 24 ounces of said pulverulent material.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 12, said apparatus providing a single air stream extending from said source of pressurized air to said tire valve stem.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 12, said apparatus further including a filter for removing moisture upstream of said chamber.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 12, further including

(e) a flexible hose for delivering a mixture of air and pulverulent material from said cylindrical chamber to a tire;

and

(f) a manually operated on/off valve for controlling the discharge of said mixture of air and pulverulent material into said flexible hose.

19. A portable apparatus for introducing a pulverulent material into a tire through a tire valve system comprising:

(a) an upright chassis having therein a means for forming a flow path for compressed air, said chassis having therein an air intake adapted to be connected to a source of pressurized air, and a pressure regulator;

(b) an upright rigid cylindrical container defining a chamber for containing pulverulent material said container having first and second ends, said second end being above said first end, said container further including an air inlet at said first end and outlet for a mixture of air and pulverulent material at said second end, wherein said inlet and said outlet have non-aligned axes whereby compressed air flows upwardly through said chamber and cyclonic currents are created within said chamber by pressurized air flow therethrough; and

(c) means for conveying an admixture of pressurized air and said pulverulent material from said chamber and for introducing said admixture into a tire through an associated tire valve stem under the influence of pressurized cyclonic air currents, the volume of said air chamber being sufficient to contain an amount of pulverulent material sufficient to effect dynamic balancing of said tire and an associated wheel assembly but insufficient to fill said tire; and

(d) means for securing said chassis and said container together to form a portable unitary assembly.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein,

said means for conveying said admixture of air and pulverulent material and for introducing said admixture into a tire valve stem comprises a flexible hose having a discharge end and a coupling for connection to said tire valve stem at said discharge end.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein, said coupling at said discharge end is a quick disconnect coupling.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein,

said chamber has a single air inlet and a single air outlet, and

said apparatus has means for establishing a single flow path for said compressed air, said single flow path extending from said air intake to said discharge end and extending through said pressure regulator and upwardly through said chamber from said air inlet to said air outlet.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, further including a first on-off valve for regulating the flow of compressed air into said chamber and a second on-off valve for controlling the discharge of said admixture of air of pulverulent material from said chamber.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein, said second end of said air chamber has a removable filler cap to permit filling of said chamber with pulverulent material when said cap is removed, said filler cap receiving a tubular fitting which forms said air outlet.