Hand-held tire pressure and soundness testing device

• US 5,959,201 A
• Filed: 11/06/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph A. Cummins
• Original Assignee: Joseph A. Cummins
• Inventors: Cummins, Joseph A., Velzy, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): FELBER, JOSEPH LEON
• Application Number:
  US08/965,287
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 73/146, 73/146.2
• US Class Current: 73/146.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

A hand-held tire pressure and tire soundness testing device is described. A shaft having a linear axis of symmetry, a predetermined maximum shaft cross-sectional dimension, a distal end and a proximal end is provided. A tire-striking head extends from the distal end of the shaft. The tire-striking head has a circular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the shaft and has an axially symmetrical striking surface defined by rotating an imaginary convex curve around the axis of symmetry at a predetermined maximum head diameter greater than the predetermined maximum shaft diameter. A handle coaxially extends from the proximal end of the shaft. The handle has a circular cross-sectional shape at a plane perpendicular to the axis of symmetry and has a maximum handle diameter equal to or greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the shaft.

Claims

1. A hand-held tire pressure and tire soundness testing device comprising:

(a) a shaft having a linear axis of symmetry, a predetermined maximum shaft cross-sectional dimension, a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said shaft comprises a solid frustum-shaped shaft having a taper angle of between about 1/2° and

2°

, and wherein said maximum shaft dimension comprises a maximum shaft diameter at said distal end of said shaft and having a predefined minimum diameter at said proximal end;

(b) a tire-striking head attached to said distal end of said shaft, said tire-striking head having a circular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to said axis of symmetry of said shaft and having an axially symmetrical striking surface defined by rotating an imaginary convex curve around said axis of symmetry at a predetermined maximum head diameter greater than said predetermined maximum shaft dimension, wherein said striking surface comprises an arc of a circle having a predefined radius and having its center at a point on said axis of symmetry of said shaft;

(c) a handle coaxially attached to said proximal end of said shaft, said handle defining a circular cross-sectional shape at a plane perpendicular to said axis of symmetry and having a diameter equal to or greater than said maximum cross-sectional dimension of said shaft; and

(d) a tapered coaxially symmetrical surface coupling between said distal end of said shaft and said striking surface of said tire-striking head.

2. A tire inflating testing tool comprising:

(a) A solid metal shaft having an axis of symmetry and two ends;

(b) A solid metal striking head attached to one of said two ends of said shaft and having a truncated hemisphere-shaped striking surface symmetrical with said axis of symmetry, the diameter of said striking surface larger than the diameter of said solid metal shaft; and

(c) A solid metal rounded handle attached to another of said two ends of said shaft, the diameter of said handle being larger than the diameter of said shaft.