Temperature and pressure compensating indicator
First Claim
1. A tire pressure gauge apparatus for securing to a vehicle tire valve stem mounted to a tire valve stem port in a vehicle tire, the valve stem including a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly having a valve opening means, the stem body having a stem connection end fitting sealingly to the tire valve stem port, and having a stem air receiving end, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing for placement in fluid communication with received air from within the tire contained within the tire valve stem;
means for opening said valve opening means;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received air chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and said pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing, and said pressure indicator element displaying a pressure reading of received air from within the tire which varies with the position of said pressure equilibration structure relative to said housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received air within said received air chamber from the valve stem causes movement of said equilibration structure within said housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received air within said received air chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said indicator element to move relative to said housing to provide a received air pressure reading.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tire pressure gauge apparatus for securing to a vehicle tire valve stem mounted to a tire valve stem port in a vehicle tire includes an apparatus housing containing a received air chamber for placement in fluid communication with received air from within a vehicle tire and containing a biasing air chamber containing a fixed quantity of biasing air, the chambers being sealingly separated from each other by a pressure equilibration structure which includes a pressure indicator element, the pressure equilibration structure moving within the housing to alter the relative volumes of the two chambers and thus to equalize the pressures of the two chambers, and the pressure indicator element moving relative to the apparatus housing as the equilibration structure moves to equalize chamber pressures to display a tire pressure reading.
2 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A tire pressure gauge apparatus for securing to a vehicle tire valve stem mounted to a tire valve stem port in a vehicle tire, the valve stem including a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly having a valve opening means, the stem body having a stem connection end fitting sealingly to the tire valve stem port, and having a stem air receiving end, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing for placement in fluid communication with received air from within the tire contained within the tire valve stem;
means for opening said valve opening means;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received air chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and said pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing, and said pressure indicator element displaying a pressure reading of received air from within the tire which varies with the position of said pressure equilibration structure relative to said housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received air within said received air chamber from the valve stem causes movement of said equilibration structure within said housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received air within said received air chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said indicator element to move relative to said housing to provide a received air pressure reading.
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2. A tire pressure gauge apparatus for securing to a tire valve stem mounted to a valve stem port in a vehicle tire, the valve stem including a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly having an outwardly biased valve opening shaft, the stem body having a stem connection end for fitting to the tire in fluid communication with air within the tire, and having a stem air receiving end with external threads for affixation of a valve stem cap and having internal threads into which the valve assembly is screwed, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing for placement in fluid communication with received air from within the tire;
means for depressing said valve opening shaft and thereby opening said valve assembly, said means for depressing being connected to said housing;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received air chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and said pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing, and said pressure indicator element displaying a pressure reading of received air from within the tire which varies with the position of said pressure equilibration structure relative to said housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received air within the received air chamber from the valve stem causes movement of said equilibration structure within the housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received air within said received air chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said indicator element to move relative to said housing to provide a received air pressure reading. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 19)
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8. A tire pressure gauge and valve stem apparatus for securing into a valve stem port in a vehicle tire, comprising:
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a vehicle tire valve stem comprising a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly, said stem body having a stem connection end with means for fitting sealingly into a tire valve stem port, and having a stem air receiving end;
a gauge housing secured to said tubular stem body in fluid communication with received air contained within said tubular stem body through a tubular stem body lateral opening;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received air chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing and displaying a pressure reading of received air from within the tire which varies with the position of the pressure equilibration structure relative to the housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received air within the received air chamber causes movement of said pressure equilibration structure within the housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received air within said received air chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said indicator element to move relative to said housing to provide a received air pressure reading. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20)
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16. A tire pressure gauge and valve stem apparatus for securing into a valve stem port in a vehicle tire, comprising:
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a vehicle tire valve stem comprising a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly, said stem body having an outer surface and having a stem connection end with means for fitting sealingly into a tire valve stem port, and having a stem air receiving end;
a gauge housing comprising a housing circumferential wall formed of a translucent material and bowed outwardly from said circumferential wall along the longitudinal axis of said housing circumferential wall and wrapped sealingly and circumferentially around said tubular stem body; and
wherein said equilibration structure is an elastic bladder contained within said housing circumferential wall and wrapped circumferentially around and sealingly secured to the outer surface of said tubular stem body;
a stem branch passageway extending laterally from the interior of said stem body and opening within said bladder;
and a substantially opaque liquid contained within an annular space defined between said bladder and said housing circumferential wall together with a certain quantity of biasing gas;
the quantity and pressure of the biasing gas and as the elastic resistance of said bladder in relation to the minimum adequate tire air pressure being such that a tire air pressure of at least a certain magnitude which is deemed adequate causes said bladder to expand radially, to compress the biasing gas and to displace said substantially opaque liquid and bear against the inner surface of said housing circumferential wall, making a portion of said bladder visible through said housing circumferential wall, and such that a tire air pressure of less than the certain magnitude deemed adequate permits the elasticity of said bladder and the pressure of said biasing gas to retract said bladder from contact with said housing circumferential wall and said substantially opaque liquid to flow between said bladder and said circumferential wall to obscure said bladder from view.
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21. A pressure gauge apparatus for placement in fluid communication with a fluid contained within a fluid container, the fluid container including a container opening, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing having a housing interior for sealingly securing to the container opening to place the housing interior in fluid communication with fluid within the fluid container;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received fluid chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and said pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing, and said pressure indicator element displaying a pressure reading of fluid received from the fluid container, the pressure reading varying with the position of said pressure equilibration structure relative to said housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received fluid within said received fluid chamber from the fluid container causes movement of said equilibration structure within said housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received fluid within said received fluid chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said pressure indicator element to move relative to said housing to indicate a received fluid pressure reading.
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22. A tire pressure gauge apparatus for securing to a tire valve stem mounted to a valve stem port in a vehicle tire, the valve stem including a tubular stem body containing a valve assembly having an outwardly biased valve opening shaft, the stem body having a stem connection end for fitting to the tire in fluid communication with air within the tire, and having a stem air receiving end with external threads for affixation of a valve stem cap and having internal threads into which the valve assembly is screwed, the apparatus comprising:
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an apparatus mounting structure comprising connection means for sealingly securing to the stem air receiving end;
a housing connected to said apparatus mounting structure for placement in fluid communication with received air from within the tire;
means for depressing said valve opening shaft and thereby opening said valve assembly, said means for depressing being connected to said housing;
and a pressure equilibration structure dividing said housing into a received air chamber and a biasing gas chamber and comprising a pressure indicator element, said pressure equilibration structure and said pressure indicator element being movable relative to said housing, and said pressure indicator element displaying a pressure reading of received air from within the tire which varies with the position of said pressure equilibration structure relative to said housing;
such that alteration of the pressure of received air from the tire within the received air chamber causes movement of said equilibration structure within said housing to re-establish pressure equilibrium between biasing gas sealed within said biasing gas chamber and received air within said received air chamber, and movement of said equilibration structure causes said indicator element to move relative to said housing to indicate a received air pressure reading. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification