Tire pressure gauge with adjustable extension member

• US 5,939,627 A
• Filed: 12/04/1997
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tien-Tsai Huang
• Original Assignee: Tien-Tsai Huang
• Inventors: Huang, Tien-Tsai
• Primary Examiner(s): OEN, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US08/984,760
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 73/146.3, 73/146.8, 73/146.2, 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/447
• US Class Current: 73/146.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

A tire pressure gauge includes a tubular housing, a pressure measuring head connected to one end of the tubular housing, a pressure responsive piston provided inside the tubular housing and biased by a spring towards a pressure inlet hole of the pressure measuring head, and a plunger actuated by the piston and having a portion that extends out of the other end of the tubular housing. An adjustable extension member, which is disposed between the piston and the plunger, is connected to the plunger to adjust the length of the outwardly extending portion of the plunger or to correct the position of the graduations provided on the plunger relative to a pointing end of the tubular housing where a detected pressure is read. Preferably, the adjustable extension member is a screw member which is threadedly connected to the plunger. Adjustment or correction can be made before or after assembly by turning the screw member relative to the plunger.

Claims

1. A tire pressure gauge comprising:

a tubular housing having a first end and a second end;

a pressure measuring head connected to said first end and having a pressure inlet hole communicated with said tubular housing;

a piston mounted movably inside said tubular housing adjacent to said pressure inlet hole for longitudinal movement in response to a pressure introduced through said pressure inlet hole;

a fixed hollow guide disposed at said second end of said tubular housing;

a plunger extending longitudinally in said tubular housing and having a driven end disposed adjacent to said piston to be driven by said piston, said plunger further having a guided end extending through said hollow guide and out of said second end of said tubular housing;

an adjustable extension member disposed between said driven end and said piston and connected to said driven end for adjusting and correcting the length of said plunger that extends out of said second end of said tubular housing; and

a spring mounted inside said tubular housing around said plunger between said piston and said hollow guide for biasing said piston towards said pressure inlet hole.

2. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustable extension member comprises a headed screw member which has a portion threadedly inserted into said driven end of said plunger.

3. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plunger is graduated and hollowed to form a through-bore which extends from said driven end to said guided end, said headed screw member having a portion threaded into said driven end.

4. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a slender element which is inserted into said through-bore and which has a turning end engaging said portion of said headed screw member, said portion of said headed screw member being provided with a diametrical groove to engage said turning end, said slender element further having a part which extends outwardly of said guided end of said plunger.

5. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 4, wherein said slender element is a pen element, said part of said slender element having a writing end.

6. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 4, wherein said guided end of said plunger has a rectangular cross-section, said hollow guide having a guide hole of rectangular cross-section to engage said guided end, thereby preventing said plunger from rotation.

7. The tire pressure gauge as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a positioning seat that couples said writing end with said guided end of said plunger, and a pen cap attached removably to said positioning seat.