Tire Pressure Gauge Tip Assembly with Conical Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure gauges often provide inaccurate readings due to misalignment between the cylindrical cup and valve stem tube, which leads to pressure drops and potential damage to the valve stem core, and make it difficult to visually confirm a proper seal.
Innovation Solution
A pressure gauge design featuring a tip assembly with a semi-spherical or frusto-conical outer tip that allows for axial alignment or angling up to 15 degrees, ensuring a consistent seal and reducing the need for precise alignment, combined with a conduit and pressure indicator for accurate pressure measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cylindrical cup is used to form a seal with the valve stem tube, then a seal can be formed, but misalignment causes air escape and inaccurate pressure readings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional cylindrical cup with a conical cup having a tapered interior surface. This conical geometry allows the cup to self-align with the valve stem tube through angular convergence, ensuring that the sealing surface maintains optimal contact even when the gauge is approached at various angles. The converging walls of the conical cup guide the valve stem tube into proper alignment, preventing air escape and ensuring accurate pressure readings while maintaining reliable seal formation.
2Measurement precision
If the pressure gauge is rigidly aligned with the valve, then accurate readings are obtained, but the valve stem core may be damaged by side forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible membrane diaphragm as the sealing element instead of a rigid seal. This diaphragm can deform and adapt to slight misalignments between the gauge and valve, maintaining the seal integrity without transmitting harmful side forces to the valve stem core. The flexible nature of the diaphragm allows it to compensate for angular deviations, ensuring accurate pressure readings are obtained even when the gauge is not perfectly aligned, while protecting the valve stem core from damage.
3Reliability
If the cylindrical cup overlaps the valve stem tube, then a seal is formed, but it is difficult to visually confirm proper seal formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a visual indicator mechanism that changes color or provides visual feedback when a proper seal is formed between the conical cup and the valve stem tube. This allows users to easily confirm seal integrity without needing to visually inspect the overlapping surfaces. The visual indicator may change color in response to pressure differential across the seal or through a mechanical linkage that becomes visible when the seal is properly formed, making seal confirmation intuitive and reliable.
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure gauge broadly comprising a conduit, a pressure indicator, and a tip assembly. The tip assembly extends from the distal end of the conduit and includes an inner shaft, an annular seat, and an outer tip. The inner shaft engages a valve stem core of a valve. The annular seat cradles and provides support to the outer tip. The outer tip forms a seal against a valve stem tube of the valve and has an outer surface having a semi-spherical, dome, or frusto-conical shape for ensuring that the seal is formed regardless of the angle at which the tip engages the valve.