Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A tire valve stem having an integral pair of O-rings over which a pressure gauge or other device can be mounted by sliding a mating collar provided on the device over the O-rings. The O-rings provide an air-tight seal against the collar, and allow the device to rotate relative to the stem, either during or after mounting, to position the device anywhere within a 360.degree. arc around the stem. The O-rings are located on either side of an orifice which extends through the valve stem, beneath the valve. Air passes from the pressurized valve stem, through the orifice, into an air-tight region between the O-rings, valve stem and collar. A port in the collar allows air to pass through the collar from the air-tight region into the device. A wide variety of devices equipped with collars capable of air-tight, slidable mounting over the O-rings can be provided, such as pressure transducers, pressure sensors, temperature gauges, temperature transducers, temperature sensors, or air conduits for coupling to remote equipment. Any such device can quickly and easily be interchanged with a device previously mounted on the valve stem by sliding the previously mounted device's collar off the valve stem, then sliding another device's collar over the O-rings. For initial shipping purposes, a plain collar having no port and no device can be slidably mounted over the O-rings to prevent air passage beyond the air-tight region. The end user can quickly and easily replace the plain collar with a collar-equipped device suited to a particular application.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim