Tire valve

• US 7,234,485 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation, Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation, Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Teratani, Hiroyuki, Yamamoto, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/334,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20060118173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 137/223, 137/550, 141/5, 141/9, 141/38, 152/415, 152/425, 152/427, 152/DIG.7, 152/DIG.11, 152/317, 210/429
• US Class Current: 137/223
• 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: F16K 15/20 specially designed for inflatable bodies, e.g. tyres connecting valves to inflatable bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3584 Inflatable article [e.g., tire filling chuck and/or stem]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8122 Planar strainer normal to flow path

Abstract

Hollow particle can be charged into a tire when a second stem is disconnected from a first stem in a tire valve of the present invention. When the second stem is fitted in the first stem, the hollow particle is sealed in the tire by a filter provided on the second stem and a gas can be charged into the tire through a valve core provided on the second stem.

Claims

1. A tire valve for use with a tire which is charged with a hollow particle and a gas, comprising:

a valve stem formed into a cylindrical shape and communicating with an interior and an exterior of the tire and including a first and second stem, the first stem being fixed to the tire and removably fitted by the second stem, the first stem being constructed so that the hollow particle is capable of being charged into the tire when the first stem has been removed from the second stem;

a valve core mounted in the valve stem; and

a filter provided in the valve stem so as to close part of the interior of the valve stem inner than the valve core, thereby blocking the hollow particle and allowing the gas to pass to the valve core side;

wherein the second stem has both ends closed by the valve core and the filter respectively and the second stem includes a pinching portion pinching a peripheral edge of the filter.

2. The tire valve according to claim 1, wherein the pinching portion includes an end wall formed on one of the ends of the second stem so as to be directed axially and to which the peripheral edge of the filter is applied, a cylindrical wall standing from an outer edge of the end wall and having a distal end crimped to the end wall side so that the peripheral edge of the filter is held between the end wall and the cylindrical wall.

3. The tire valve according to claim 2, further comprising an annular member interposed between the peripheral edge of the filter and the crimped distal end of the cylindrical wall, a pair of annular protrusions formed on the end wall and the annular member so as to protrude and having different diameters respectively, wherein the annular protrusions are pressed against the peripheral edge of the filter.

4. A tire valve for use with a tire which is charged with a hollow particle and a gas, comprising:

a valve stem formed into a cylindrical shape and communicating with an interior and an exterior of the tire and including a first and second stem, the first stem being fixed to the tire and removably fitted by the second stem, the first stem being constructed so that the hollow particle is capable of being charged into the tire when the first stem has been removed from the second stem;

a valve core mounted in the valve stem; and

a filter comprising a nonwoven cloth being provided in the valve stem so as to close part of the interior of the valve stem inner than the valve core, thereby blocking the hollow particle and allowing the gas to pass to the valve core side;

wherein the second stem has both ends closed by the valve core and the filter respectively and includes a pinching portion pinching a peripheral edge of the filter.

5. The tire valve according to claim 4, wherein the pinching portion includes an end wall formed on one of the ends of the second stem so as to be directed axially and to which the peripheral edge of the filter is applied, a cylindrical wall standing from an outer edge of the end wall and having a distal end crimped to the end wall side so that the peripheral edge of the filter is held between the end wall and the cylindrical wall.

6. The tire valve according to claim 5, further comprising an annular member interposed between the peripheral edge of the filter and the crimped distal end of the cylindrical wall, a pair of annular protrusions formed on the end wall and the annular member so as to protrude and having different diameters respectively, wherein the annular protrusions are pressed against the peripheral edge of the filter.

7. A tire valve for use with a tire which is charged with a hollow particle and a gas, comprising:

a valve stem formed into a cylindrical shape and communicating with an interior and exterior of the tire, the valve stem including first and second stems, the first stem being fixed to the tire and removably fitted by the second stem, the first stem being constructed so that the hollow particle is capable of being charged into the tire when the first stem has been removed from the second stem;

a valve core mounted in the valve stem;

a filter provided in the valve stem so as to close part of the interior of the valve stem inner than the valve core, thereby blocking the hollow particle and allowing the gas to pass to the valve core side, the filter being comprised of a nonwoven cloth, having a filtration accuracy sufficient to remove the hollow particle in a filter performance test prescribed by JIS-B8356-8 or ISO16889;

wherein the second stem has both ends closed by the valve core and the filter respectively and includes a pinching portion pinching a peripheral edge of the filter.

8. The tire valve according to claim 7, wherein the pinching portion includes an end wall formed on one of the ends of the second stem so as to be directed axially and to which the peripheral edge of the filter is applied, a cylindrical wall standing from an outer edge of the end wall and having a distal end crimped to the end wall side so that the peripheral edge of the filter is held between the end wall and the cylindrical wall.

9. The tire valve according to claim 8, further comprising an annular member interposed between the peripheral edge of the filter and the crimped distal end of the cylindrical wall, a pair of annular protrusions formed on the end wall and the annular member so as to protrude and having different diameters respectively, wherein the annular protrusions are pressed against the peripheral edge of the filter.