External tire pressure gauge, mounting structure associated therewith, and handling tool thereof

• US 8,966,968 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelmate Co. Ltd
• Original Assignee: Steelmate Co. Ltd
• Inventors: Li, Zhitao
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
• Application Number:
  US14/119,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20140196531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 731/465, 731/463
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/14 for assembling objects other than by press fit or detaching same
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53909 Means comprising hand manipulatable tool

Abstract

An external tire pressure gauge mounting structure includes a base and a cap; the base and cap are locked together to provide an internal mounting space; the mounting structure also includes a gear, a cushion ring and a locking member; the gear is fixed on the base and has teeth; a through hole is defined in the cushion ring and teeth is provided on a sidewall of the through hole; the gear is inserted into the cushion ring, and the teeth of the cushion ring and gear mesh each other; the locking member is pressed against the cushion ring and gear; the locking member, gear and base all have their threaded holes. Also disclosed is a handling tool used for above mounting structure. The invention makes improvements upon the mounting structure of the tire pressure gauge and provides a handling tool which is easy to use. As such, mounting and dismounting of the tire pressure gauge becomes convenient.

Claims

1. An external tire pressure gauge mounting structure comprising a base having an externally threaded sidewall and a cap having an internally threaded sidewall;

the base and cap are locked together to provide an internal mounting space;

the mounting structure further comprises a gear, a cushion ring and a locking member;

the gear is fixed on a bottom portion of the base and has a plurality of circumferentially distributed teeth;

a through hole is defined in the cushion ring and a plurality of teeth is provided on a sidewall of the through hole;

an outer periphery of the gear is inserted into the through hole of the cushion ring, and the teeth of the cushion ring and gear mesh each other;

the locking member is pressed tightly against the cushion ring and gear;

the locking member, gear and base all have their threaded holes for locking with a gas nozzle valve rod.

2. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the gear and base are integrally formed.

3. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking member is a hexagon nut in the middle portion of which a threaded hole engaged with the gas nozzle valve rod is defined.

4. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein a circular groove is defined in the base at a downward distal end of the externally threaded sidewall;

and a circular rubber ring is fitted into the circular groove.

5. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to any one of claims 1, wherein the cap is designed to surround the outer periphery of the cushion ring when the cap is locked with the base.

6. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to any one of claims 1, wherein a plurality of grooves is defined in the cap at a top periphery thereof.

7. The external tire pressure gauge mounting structure according to any one of claims 1, wherein the cushion ring is provided with a protrusion and a notch is defined in the cap for circumferentially receiving the protrusion therein.

8. An external tire pressure gauge handling tool for mounting and dismounting the external tire pressure gauge mounting structure as defined in claim 6, the handling tool comprising a first manipulation member and a second manipulation member;

wherein

the first and second manipulation members are both of a disk shape and both have a front surface and a back surface

a first clamping structure is provided on the front surface of the first manipulation member, and a first groove is defined in the back surface thereof;

a plurality of protrusions is formed on the sidewall of the first groove for locking with the grooves of the mounting structure;

a second clamping structure is provided on the front surface of the second manipulation member, and a second groove is defined in the back surface thereof;

a plurality of teeth is formed on the sidewall of the second groove for meshing with the gear of the mounting structure;

the second manipulation member and first manipulation member are locked together by their respective clamping structure;

a receiving space is defined by the first and second manipulation members for receiving an operation member which acts on the locking member.

9. The external tire pressure gauge handling tool according to claim 8, wherein the operation member comprises a handle and an operation head;

the operation head has an opening of which the shape is consistent with the outer sidewall of the locking member;

the first and/or second manipulation member has a passageway for passing through of the handle.

10. The external tire pressure gauge handling tool according to claim 8, wherein the outer sidewall of the first manipulation member and/or second manipulation member is designed to have teeth.

11. The external tire pressure gauge handling tool according to claim 8, wherein the first clamping structure comprises two cylindrical walls disposed on the front surface of the first manipulation member, one of which is disposed internally while the other of which is disposed externally;

a cylindrical space is defined between the two cylindrical walls;

the internally disposed cylindrical wall is lower than the externally disposed cylindrical wall;

the second clamping structure comprises a cylindrical wall disposed on the front surface of the second manipulation member for insertion into the cylindrical space.

12. The external tire pressure gauge handling tool according to claim 8, wherein the first and second manipulation members each have a hole defined therein through which a rope passes.

13. An external tire pressure gauge comprising an external tire pressure gauge mounting structure as defined in any one of claims 1.

14. The external tire pressure gauge according to claim 13, wherein the mounting structure provides a mounting space into which a button battery, a pressure sensor, a control circuit and an antenna are disposed;

the pressure sensor is installed on the circuit board and is also secured on the base;

the base has a passage extending from its through hole to the pressure sensor;

the circuit board is located above the pressure sensor and incorporates therein the control circuit;

the button battery is disposed above the circuit board and supplies power to the control circuit;

the antenna is connected with the control circuit; and

the base forms part of the antenna.