Mobile tire inflator

• US 8,418,713 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raymond Huang
• Original Assignee: Raymond Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Schneider, Craig
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRICE, CRAIG JAMES
• Application Number:
  US12/923,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20110100480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 137/223, 137/224, 137/226, 137/227, 137/228, 137/557, 152/415, 152/416, 731/462, 731/463
• US Class Current: 137/224
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/046 using electrical or electronical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/36 With pressure-responsive pressure-control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3662 With gauge or indicator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A mobile tire inflator includes a control panel, multiple air passages, an inflation valve, a discharge valve and a pressure sensor. The user can control the operation of the inflation valve and the discharge valve automatically or manually by through a control panel, and switch between the automatic mode and the manual mode during operation. Matching with the operation of the pressure sensor, the mobile tire inflator achieves accurate tire pressure inflation and discharge and has the advantages of operation flexibility and high mobility.

Claims

1. A mobile tire inflator, comprising:

a housing, said housing comprising an air intake passage, an air outlet passage, an air discharge passage and a main air passage in communication with said air intake passage, said air outlet passage and said air discharge passage, said air intake passage being adapted for connecting to an external air pressure source, said air outlet passage being connectable to a tire to be inflated/discharged, said air discharge passage being in communication between said main air passage and the atmosphere;

a control panel mounted in said housing, said control panel comprising a processing unit, a control unit and a display unit respectively electrically connected to one another, said processing unit comprising a switching circuit, said control unit comprising a mode-switching button and a setting button set, said mode-switching button being operable to switch said switching circuit between a manual mode and an automatic mode, said setting button set being operable to set a target tire pressure value after start of said automatic mode, said setting button set being operable to increase/decrease a current tire pressure of the tire after startup of said manual mode, said display unit being adapted to display said target tire pressure value and the current tire pressure value of the tire;

an inflation valve electrically connected to said processing unit and set between said air intake passage and said main air passage to control connection between said air intake passage and said main air passage;

a discharge valve electrically connected to said processing unit and set between said air discharge passage and said main air passage to control connection between said air discharge passage and said main air passage; and

a pressure sensor installed in said main air passage and electrically connected to said processing unit for measuring the current tire pressure value of the tire to be inflated;

wherein when said automatic mode is started up and said pressure sensor senses the tire pressure of the tire to be greater than a predetermined threshold value, said inflation valve/said discharge valve is automatically opened for enabling a compressed air of said air pressure source to go into/out of the tire, and automatically closed when the current tire pressure of the tire reaches the set target tire pressure value;

said mode-switching button is operable to switch from said automatic mode to said manual mode during running of said automatic mode, for enabling said inflation valve/said discharge valve to be opened after said setting button set is operated;

said inflation valve/said discharge valve is openable to increase/decrease the current tire pressure of the tire after said setting button set is operated and after startup of said manual mode;

said mode-switching button is operable to switch from said manual mode to said automatic mode during running of said manual mode, for enabling said inflation valve/said discharge valve to be opened automatically.

2. The mobile tire inflator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main air passage comprises a horizontal segment and a vertical segment perpendicularly extending from one end of said horizontal segment;

said pressure sensor is installed in said vertical segment of said main air passage.

3. The mobile tire inflator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a check valve installed in said air intake passage.

4. The mobile tire inflator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit electrically connected to said processing unit, said power supply unit comprising a battery and a charging terminal electrically connectable to an external power source.

5. The mobile tire inflator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a speaker electrically connected to said processing unit.

6. The mobile tire inflator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a handle configured for grasping thereof by a person'"'"'s hand, and a head adapted for accommodating said control panel;

said air intake passage and said air outlet passage are integrated into said head.