Tire valve having dual electric conducting paths

• US 4,951,501 A
• Filed: 10/16/1989
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schrader-Bridgeport International Incorporated (Pacific Industrial Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Schrader Automotive Incorporated
• Inventors: MacAnally, Milton B., Ruf, Carl G. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orsino, Joseph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US07/421,959
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 73/146.8, 73/146.2, 73/146.3, 73/146.4, 73/146.5, 137/223, 137/231, 137/227, 200/61.25, 200/61.22, 340/442, 116/34 R, 116/34 B
• US Class Current: 73/146.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3662 With gauge or indicator

Abstract

This tire valve comprises a brass stem having an elongate insulating sleeve over it, the sleeve being circumposed by a flanged threaded metal body which is provided with a gasket and a clamping nut to clamp the valve to the wheel. Electrically insulated from each other are a pair of contact rings held respectively against the clamping nut on the body and a second final nut contacting the stem, the rings having take-off leads. A molded rubber shroud protects the rings and holds them and an insulating spacer in proper relation.

Claims

1. A tire fill valve/electric dual lead-through having inner and outer ends with respect to an adjacent radial cross section of a tire/wheel on which the valve/lead-through is mounted, the valve/lead-through including parts having inner ends toward the inner end of the valve/lead-through and outer ends toward the outer end of the valve/lead-through , and comprising:

a. a brass tubular stem exteriorly and internally threaded at its outer end, the internal threads adapted to receive a conventional valve core, its inner end being internally threaded,

b. an elongate insulating bushing disposed over the inner end of the stem,

c. a tubular terminal pin having an outward stop shoulder adjacent its outer end and being threaded at its outer end, the threads snugly engaging in the threads in the inner end of the stem,

d. a rubber washer being disposed against the outer face of the shoulder,

e. a tubular brass body having threads on its exterior surface and tightly circumposing the elongate insulating bushing and providing a terminal flange on its inner end abutting the washer,

f. a rubber grommet having a tapered sleeve section tapering toward its outer end and a radial outward flange about its inner end, the flange abutting the flange in the body,

g. an anti-friction nylon washer surrounding the body toward the outer end of the body from the grommet,

h. a brass clamping nut engaging the threads on the body and adapted to clamp a tire valve opening in a rim sealingly against the grommet,

i. a first contact ring on the body against the outer end of the claiming nut,

j. a tubular plastic spacer on the body against the outer end of the first contact ring,

k. a second contact ring of lesser inside diameter than the elongate insulating bushing and disposed on the exteriorly threaded portion of the tubular stem, and

l. a final brass compression nut threadedly engaging the exterior threads on the stem and compressing the contact rings and spacer against the clamping nut and electrically engaging the second contact ring whereby the terminal pin and terminal flange on the body are electrically integral with the rings respectively.

2. A fill valve/electric dual lead-through as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compression nut, the contact rings and the spacer are enclosed in a sleeve-like rubber shroud, and including a pair of lead wires having an end electrically attached to the contact rings respectively, the wires extending through the shroud.

3. A fill valve/electric dual lead-through as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate insulating bushing is radially enlarged at its outer end but to no larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the adjacent threaded portion of the body.

4. A fill valve/electric dual lead-through as claimed in claim 2 wherein an inward flange is formed in the inner end of the shroud and the inner end of the shroud is disposed outward of the nylon washer.