The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 94125658, filed Jul. 28, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a two-way check valve, and particularly to a check valve enabling a two-way check for a high-pressure gas or fluid flowing through the check valve.
A typical tire pump or tire pressure gauge is pressed onto the valve stem of a tire to detect pressure inside the tire. A conventional tire pump mainly includes an air-filled nozzle, a pressure gauge and an intake controller connected with an air compressor. A user can input high-pressure air generated by the air compressor through the valve stem into the tire by controlling the intake controller and measuring the pressure inside the tire by disposing the pressure gauge along the same channel as the valve steam. However, since it is hard to inflate the tire to a proper pressure (that is, the tire is easily overinflated or underinflated), it is often necessary to interatively decrease or increase the pressure inside the tire to obtain the proper pressure, which is inconvenient and increases the possibility of improperly inflating the tire such that driving is made hazardous.
Taiwan Patent Publication No. 578706 discloses a tire pressure sensor disposed directly inside a tire. Though it is convenient for the tire pressure sensor to detect the pressure inside the tire, it is inconvenient to install or detach the tire pressure sensor. In order for the tire pressure sensor to be installed and used conveniently, the sensor is directly secured to the valve stem outside the tire. However, this makes inflating inconvenient and providing proper pressure inside the tire difficult.
An object of the present invention is to provide a two-way check valve wherein when high-pressure gas (or fluid) enters from an intake hole at one end of the two-way check valve, the high-pressure gas (or fluid) can push a first valve body and enter into an object to be inflated at the other end of the two-way check valve when the pressure of the high-pressure gas is increased; and when the pressure of the inside of the object to be inflated exceeds an upper limit of a given pressure range of the first valve body, the high-pressure gas (or fluid) inside the object to be inflated automatically closes the first valve body, pushes the second valve body and then vents outward from the intake hole, thereby maintaining a constant pressure inside the object to be inflated at the other end of the two-way check valve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-way check valve which can adjust and control the pressure of a high-pressure gas (or fluid) inside an object to be inflated via venting from a second valve body by adjusting pressure exerted at the second valve body.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a two-way check valve which is adjustable to a given tire pressure and is applied to a tire pressure sensor for outputting high-pressure gas in one direction in order to transmit pressure of a tire to a tire pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the tire.
To achieve the above objects, a two-way check valve of the present invention mainly includes a sleeve having a first sleeve portion and a second sleeve portion, the inner diameter of the first sleeve portion being less than that of the second sleeve portion; a first receiving chamber and a second receiving chamber being respectively defined in the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion, an inward protruding shoulder being formed between the first receiving chamber and the second receiving chamber; a valve stem eject-rod defined with an exhaust hole, the lower end of the valve stem eject-rod being threaded into the first sleeve portion; a connection head being a sleeve, the lower portion of the connection head being connected with the valve stem eject-rod which is connectable to an object to be inflated; an intake connector provided with an intake hole, the intake connector having a first threaded connection portion and a second threaded connection portion, the first threaded connection portion connecting to the second sleeve portion; a second valve body having an inner thread at one end thereof which is open and a channel at the other end thereof, the second valve body being provided with a hollow receiving room therein, a blocking surface being formed between the receiving room and the channel, the second valve body being received in the first receiving chamber and movable longitudinally within the first receiving chamber, an end of the second valve body having the channel extending into the second receiving chamber, a protruding annular portion being formed at the outer surface of the second valve body and corresponding to the inward protruding shoulder; a first valve body received in the receiving room of the second valve body and movable longitudinally within the receiving room, the first valve body having a push rod at one end thereof for being received in the channel of the second valve body, and a protruding ring at the other end thereof; a first pressure adjustment module having a compression resilient member and an adjustment nut, the adjustment nut being threaded into the inner thread of the second valve body and having a through-hole defined therethrough, the compression resilient member being disposed between the adjustment nut and the protruding ring of the first valve body whereby the first valve body bears the resilience of the compression resilient member towards the end of the second valve body having the channel, and the protruding ring is pushed to abut against the blocking surface of the second valve body by the resilience of the compression resilient member; and a second pressure adjustment module having a compression resilient member and an adjustment nut, the compression resilient member being disposed at one end of the second valve body having the channel, the adjustment nut being threaded on the inner thread of the second sleeve portion of the sleeve and being provided with a through-hole whereby the compression resilient member is positioned between the second valve body and the adjustment nut, the second pressure adjustment module providing resilience whereby the second valve body bears the resilience of the pressure adjustment member towards the open end of the first receiving chamber for achieving close abutment and airtightness between the oil seal ring at the top surface of the protruding annular portion of the second valve body and the inward protruding shoulder.
These and other embodiments, aspects and features of the invention will be better understood from a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The sleeve 10 is a hollow pipe with inner threads 16, 18 respectively provided at inner surfaces of opposite open ends of the sleeve 10 for respectively threading over the valve stem eject-rod 30 and the intake connector 80. The sleeve 10 includes the first sleeve portion 12 and the second sleeve portion 14. The open end of the first sleeve portion 12 threads over the valve stem eject-rod 30 via the inner thread 16. The second sleeve portion 14 threads over the intake connector 80 via the inner thread 18. The inner diameter of the first sleeve portion 12 is less than that of the second sleeve portion 14. The first receiving chamber 122 and the second receiving chamber 142 are respectively defined inside the first sleeve portion 12 and the second sleeve portion 14. An inward protruding shoulder 13 is formed between the first receiving chamber 122 and the second receiving chamber 142 due to the difference of the inner diameters of the first and second sleeve portions 12, 14.
An exhaust hole 32 is defined in the axis of the valve stem eject-rod 30. An outer thread 34 is provided at the outer surface of the lower end of the valve stem eject-rod 30 for threadedly engaging with the first sleeve portion 12. A protruding ring 36 extends from the outer surface of the valve stem eject-rod 30. An oil seal ring 362 is disposed underneath the protruding ring 36 for forming an airtight joint between the valve stem eject-rod 30 and the first sleeve portion 12 when the valve stem eject-rod 30 is threaded into the first sleeve portion 12. An annular recess 38 is defined in the upper end of the valve stem eject-rod 30 for receiving and connecting the connection head 20. A projecting mouth 39 projects upwardly from the upper end of the valve stem eject-rod 30.
The connection head 20 is a sleeve with the lower portion thereof being received in the annular recess 38 of the valve stem eject-rod 30. An inner thread 22 is provided in the inner surface of the connection head 20 for threadedly engaging an object to be measured, for example a tire valve stem. An inner annular recess 24 is defined in the inner surface of the connection head 20. A rubber gasket 242 is disposed at the projecting mouth 39 of the valve stem eject-rod 30 and received in the inner annular recess 24 of the connection head 20.
The intake connector 80 is an elongated column with an intake hole 82 extending through the axis thereof. The intake connector 80 is provided with a first threaded connection portion 84 and a second threaded connection portion 86. The first threaded connection portion 84 and the second threaded connection portion 86 are respectively provided with outer threads 842, 862 at the outer surfaces thereof. The first threaded connection portion 84 is threaded into the second sleeve portion 14 of the sleeve 10. An annular recess 844 is defined in the outer surface of the first threaded connection portion 84. The annular recess 844 receives an oil seal ring 846 therein for forming an airtight connection with the second sleeve portion 14.
The second valve body 50 is a hollow column and has an inner thread 54 provided at one end thereof which is open and a channel 56 at the other end. A hollow receiving room 52 is defined inside the second valve body 50. A blocking surface 58 is formed between the receiving room 52 and the channel 56. The second valve body 50 is received inside the first receiving chamber 122 and is movable longitudinally inside the first receiving chamber 122. An end of the second valve body 50 having the channel 56 extends inside the second receiving chamber 142. A protruding annular portion 51 is disposed at the outer surface of the second valve body 50, corresponding to the inward protruding shoulder 13. The second valve body 50, between the protruding annular portion 51 and the inward protruding shoulder 13, is provided with an oil seal ring 53.
The first valve body 40 and the first pressure adjustment module 60 are received inside the receiving room 52 of the second valve body 50. The first pressure adjustment module 60 has a compression resilient member 62 and an adjustment nut 64. The adjustment nut 64 is threaded on the inner thread 54 of the second valve body 50 and is defined with a through-hole 642 for ventilation. The first valve body 40 has a push rod 42 at one end thereof. The push rod 42 is received inside the channel 56 of the second valve body 50. The first valve body 40 has a protruding ring 44 at the other end thereof. The compression resilient member 62 is disposed between the protruding ring 44 and the adjustment nut 64. The first valve body 40 is movable longitudinally along the receiving room 52 within the second valve body 50. That is, the first pressure adjustment module 60 can provide resilience to the first valve body 40 and adjust a given pressure value of the first valve body 40, whereby the first valve body 40 is forced by the resilience of the compression resilient member 62 and moves toward the end of the second valve body 50 having the channel 56, and the protruding ring 44 is pushed toward the blocking surface 58 by the resilience of the compression resilient member 62. A rubber gasket 45 is disposed at the outer surface of the push rod 42 between the protruding ring 44 and the blocking surface 58 for enhancing airtightness between the protruding ring 44 and the blocking surface 58.
The second pressure adjustment module 70 has a compression resilient member 72 and an adjustment nut 74. The compression resilient member 72 is connected to the end of the second valve body 50 having the channel 56. The adjustment nut 74 is threaded on the inner thread 18 of the second sleeve portion 14 whereby the compression resilient member 72 is positioned between the second valve body 50 and the adjustment nut 74. The second pressure adjustment module 70 provides resilience to the second valve body 50 and adjusts a given pressure value of the second valve body 50 whereby the second valve body 50 is forced by the resilience of the second pressure adjustment module 70 and moves toward the open end of the first receiving chamber 122. Therefore, a close union is formed between the protruding annular portion 51 and the oil seal ring 53 of the second valve body 50 and the inward protruding shoulder 13, thereby having an airtight effect. The adjustment nut 74 is provided with a through-hole 742 for ventilation.
Referring to
The two-way check valve of the present invention may guide the pressure of the vented air of the second valve body 50 to a connection pipe of a pressure-measuring device. That is, the two-way check valve of the present invention may be used to connect a connection pipe of an air compressor, of a pressure sensor or of a tire pump and of a tire pressure sensor of a vehicle. An embodiment of the present invention shows that the two-way check valve is applied to a tire pressure sensor of a vehicle. As shown in
Referring to
In addition, referring to
Furthermore, the second pressure adjustment module 70 may be threadedly engaging with the inner thread 18 of the second receiving chamber 142 through an adjustment nut 74 for adjusting and controlling resilience of the compression resilient member 72 between the second valve body 50 and the adjustment nut 74. Thus, the high-pressure air inside the tire 3 may be vented at different pressures inside the tire 3 in accordance with different resilience. In other words, the pressure of the inflated air inside the tire 3 can be adjusted and set through the two-way check valve 1 of the present invention.
It is understood from the above description that the present invention can be applied not only to a tire pressure sensor of a vehicle tire, but also to any device or object which requires to input one-way high-pressure gas or fluid with a restricted or constant pressure.
The preferred embodiments, aspects, and features of the invention have been described in detail. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations, modifications and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed and further claimed below.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
94125658 | Jul 2005 | TW | national |