Segmented Valve Assembly for Tubeless Tires
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valve assemblies for tubeless tires require significant protrusion, leading to user strain and risk of breakage or deformation during inflation, as they need to accommodate varying rim sizes and shapes, causing uneven protrusion lengths that result in bending moments and torques.
Innovation Solution
A coupling and valve assembly design featuring a first element with internal threading and a second element with external threading, where the second element's stem screws into the first, allowing controlled alignment and sealing, with optional sealing substances and gaskets for optimal tightness, and a protective cap for ease of use and versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the valve assembly protrudes significantly to accommodate varying rim sizes and shapes, then adaptability is improved, but the risk of breakage or deformation increases due to bending moments and torques
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is divided into multiple segments: a first portion that protrudes from the tire and a second portion that extends inside the tire. This segmentation allows the protruding length to be controlled and reduced, minimizing the lever arm and bending moments while maintaining adaptability through the adjustable positioning of the first portion relative to the tire surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly incorporates a movable piston within the duct that can be shifted between positions. This dynamic element allows the valve to adapt to different rim configurations while keeping the protruding portion length controlled, thus maintaining reliability by reducing stress on the assembly during inflation operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the protruding portion length varies depending on rim size and shape, then ease of fitting is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inconsistent protrusion lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly includes a movable piston that can be positioned at different locations along the duct. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the assembly to accommodate varying rim sizes and shapes while maintaining a consistent and controlled protruding length, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of fitting and manufacturing precision.
3Strength
If the valve assembly is designed for minimal protrusion, then resistance to stress is improved, but adaptability to different rim configurations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the valve assembly into internal and external portions with a controlled junction at the tire surface, the design minimizes the protruding length to reduce stress and bending moments. Meanwhile, the internal portion can be adjusted to accommodate different rim configurations, maintaining adaptability without compromising strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable piston allows the valve assembly to adapt dynamically to different rim configurations while maintaining a minimal and controlled protruding portion. This ensures high resistance to stress during inflation operations while preserving versatility across various rim types.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling for valve assemblies, for tubeless tires, includes an enclosure arranged to cover a rigid rim of a vehicle, to delimit a substantially tubular compartment, filled with gas under pressure. The coupling has a first element and a second element crossed respectively by a first through channel, threaded internally, and by a second through channel. The second element cooperates with a valve for the selective closure of the second channel. The first element rests on an internal surface of the rim, which can be activated following its hermetic insertion, from the inside of the compartment. The second element rests on an external surface of the rim, which can be activated following the hermetic screwing, from the outside of the compartment, of a threaded stem of the second element in the first channel, with consequent alignment between the channels to connect the compartment to the outside.