Excess pressure claibrated guage

• US 9,428,017 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Luna, Enrique Chavez, Alvarez-Alonso, Diego Alejandro, Carrillo, Antonio Moya
• Primary Examiner(s): ARUNDALE, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US14/132,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20150165848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 137/225, 137/226, 137/510, 137/853, 137/860
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/064 Hose connections for pneumatic tyres, e.g. to spare wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/068 Pressure relief devices, i.e. safety devices for overpressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3631 Diaphragm, bellows or expansible tube

Abstract

A valve assembly having a housing, and a valve portion disposed in the housing, where the valve is able to change between an open position and a closed position. The valve assembly also includes a variable pneumatic device disposed in the housing, which is able to change between a first configuration and a second configuration, and an inner cavity in fluid communication with the housing. An exhaust aperture is formed as part of the housing, and as pressure builds in the variable pneumatic device, the variable pneumatic device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration such that air is prevented from flowing around the variable pneumatic device, and air flowing through the valve body passes through the exhaust aperture.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a valve assembly, including;

a housing;

a valve portion disposed in the housing, the valve portion having an open position and a closed position;

a variable pneumatic device located in the housing;

a pneumatic muscle located in the housing; and

a variable volume cavity disposed within the pneumatic muscle;

wherein air is allowed to pass through the valve portion when the valve portion is in the open position, and at least partially flows into the variable pneumatic device to change the variable pneumatic device between a first configuration and a second configuration, and air passes around an outer surface of the pneumatic muscle when the variable pneumatic device is in the first configuration such that the variable volume cavity expands and the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle contacts the inner surface of the housing, and air is prevented from passing around the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the valve portion further comprising:

a valve member; and

a valve seat, the valve member selectively in contact with the valve seat;

wherein the variable pneumatic device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration when the valve member is moved away from the valve seat, and the valve portion is moved to the open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the valve portion further comprising;

a valve body located in the housing;

a valve stem extending through the valve body, the valve member connected to the valve stem; and

a spring having a first end and a second end, the first end of the spring connected to the valve stem, and the second end of the spring connected to the valve body, such that the spring biases the valve member toward the valve seat;

wherein the valve portion changes from the closed position to the open position when enough force is applied to the stem to overcome the force applied to the valve member by the spring, and move the valve member away from the valve seat.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the variable pneumatic device further comprising:

a dynamic seal connected to a first end of the pneumatic muscle; and

a static seal connected to a second end of the pneumatic muscle;

wherein as air fills the variable volume cavity, the dynamic seal moves towards the static seal as the variable pneumatic device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the variable pneumatic device further comprising an aperture formed as part of the static seal, a portion of the pneumatic muscle extending through the aperture formed as part of the static seal, wherein a portion of the pressurized air passing around the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle flows through the portion of the pneumatic muscle extending through the aperture, and into the pneumatic muscle.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an inner cavity, a portion of the pneumatic muscle extending through the aperture and into the inner cavity, such that at portion of the air passing around the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle flows into the inner cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an exhaust aperture formed as part of the housing, wherein the exhaust aperture is blocked by the dynamic seal when the variable pneumatic device is in the first configuration, and air flows out of the exhaust aperture when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the pressure in the inner cavity is substantially similar to the pressure of the variable pneumatic device when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.

9. A valve assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a valve portion disposed in the housing, the valve portion being able to change between an open position and a closed position;

a variable pneumatic device disposed in the housing, the variable pneumatic device able to change between a first configuration and a second configuration;

an inner cavity, the housing in fluid communication with the inner cavity; and

an exhaust aperture formed as part of the housing;

wherein as pressure builds in the variable pneumatic device, the variable pneumatic device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration, such that air is prevented from flowing around an outer surface of the variable pneumatic device, and air flowing through the valve body passes through the exhaust aperture.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9, the valve portion further comprising:

a valve body located in the housing;

a valve seat formed as part of the valve body;

a valve stem at least partially extending through the valve body;

a valve member connected to the valve stem, the valve member selectively in contact with the valve seat; and

a spring at least partially disposed in the valve body, a first end of the spring connected to the valve stem, and a second end of the spring connected to the valve body such that the spring biases the valve member to contact the valve seat, and place the valve in the closed position;

wherein valve member is in the closed position when the valve member is in contact with the valve seat, and when force is applied to the valve stem to overcome the force of the spring and move the valve stem through the valve body, the valve member moves away from the valve seat, changing the valve member to the open position.

11. The valve assembly of claim 9, the variable pneumatic device further comprising:

a pneumatic muscle located in the housing;

a variable volume cavity disposed within the pneumatic muscle;

a dynamic seal connected to a first end of the pneumatic muscle;

a static seal connected to a second end of the pneumatic muscle; and

an aperture formed as part of the static seal, a portion of the pneumatic muscle extending through the static seal and into the inner cavity;

wherein as air fills the variable volume cavity, the variable volume cavity expands such that the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle contacts the inner surface of the housing, and the dynamic seal moves towards the static seal, as the variable pneumatic device changes from the first configuration to the second configuration.

12. The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the dynamic seal prevents air from flowing through the exit aperture when the variable pneumatic device is in the first configuration, and air passes out of the exit aperture when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.

13. The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the pressure in the inner cavity is substantially similar to the pressure of the variable pneumatic device when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.

14. A valve assembly for preventing the over inflation of a tire, comprising:

a housing;

a valve body disposed in the housing;

a valve seat formed as part of the valve body;

a valve member selectively in contact with the valve seat such that the valve member is in contact with the valve seat when the valve member is in a closed position, and the valve member moves away from the valve seat when the valve member is moved to an open position;

a pneumatic muscle having a variable volume cavity such that the pneumatic muscle is able to change between a first configuration and a second configuration, the pneumatic muscle disposed in the housing in proximity to the valve body;

an inner cavity, the housing in fluid communication with the inner cavity; and

an exhaust aperture formed as part of the housing;

wherein air flows through the valve body and around an outer surface of the pneumatic muscle when the valve member is in the open position and the pneumatic muscle is in the first configuration, and as pressure builds in the inner cavity, the pneumatic muscle expands, such that when the pneumatic muscle is in the second configuration, a portion of the pneumatic muscle contacts the valve body and prevents air from flowing around the outer surface of the pneumatic muscle, and air flowing through the valve body passes through the exit aperture.

15. The valve assembly for preventing the over inflation of a tire of claim 14, further comprising:

a dynamic seal connected to a first end of the pneumatic muscle, the dynamic seal located in the housing;

a static seal connected to a second end of the pneumatic muscle, the static seal located in the housing; and

an aperture formed as part of the static seal;

wherein a portion of the pneumatic muscle extends through the aperture of the static seal into the inner cavity, such that the air pressure in the inner cavity is substantially similar to the air pressure in the pneumatic muscle.

16. The valve assembly for preventing the over inflation of a tire of claim 15, wherein the dynamic seal blocks the exhaust aperture when the pneumatic muscle is in the first configuration, preventing air from flowing out of the exhaust aperture, and as the pneumatic muscle moves from the first configuration to the second configuration, the dynamic seal moves closer to the static seal.

17. The valve assembly for preventing the over inflation of a tire of claim 14, further comprising:

a valve stem slidably disposed in the valve body and connected to the valve member; and

a spring having a first end connected to the valve stem, and a second end connected to an inner surface of the valve body;

wherein valve member is in the closed position when the valve member is in contact with the valve seat, and when force is applied to the valve stem to overcome the force of the spring, the valve stem moves through the valve body the valve member moves away from the valve seat, placing the valve member in the open position.

18. The valve assembly for preventing the over inflation of a tire of claim 14, further comprising pressure in the inner cavity is substantially similar to the pressure of the variable pneumatic device when the variable pneumatic device is in the second configuration.