Tire Sealant Injector Chuck and Venting for Multi-Valve Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire sealants are messy and difficult to apply using re-loadable injectors due to varying valve stem sizes and styles, leading to inefficiencies and potential spillage.
Innovation Solution
A reloadable tire sealant injector with a tapered-entry barrel and interference fit chuck designed to accommodate multiple valve stem types, featuring a vent port for air evacuation during priming and a relief valve to control sealant release, minimizing mess and ensuring efficient application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a re-loadable injector is used to apply tire sealant, then the injector can be reused and refilled, but the application becomes messy and difficult due to varying valve stem sizes and styles
Solution Approach 1:
The injector is designed with a universal interface system that can accommodate multiple valve stem types (Presta and Schrader) through a single chuck mechanism. The chuck includes adjustable components that can adapt to different valve stem diameters and configurations, allowing the same injector to work with various valve stem styles without requiring multiple specialized injectors.
2Ease of operation
If sealant is applied using traditional injectors, then the application process is simple, but spillage and mess increase
Solution Approach 1:
The injector includes a priming section with a vent port that allows air to be evacuated before sealant discharge. This preliminary action of venting air prevents air pockets from causing erratic sealant flow or spillage during application. The vent port is positioned to allow air escape while the plunger is depressed, ensuring smooth sealant delivery without mess.
Solution Approach 2:
The chuck acts as an intermediary component between the injector barrel and the valve stem. It provides a controlled interface that seals against the valve stem while directing sealant flow precisely where needed. The chuck includes sealing surfaces and flow control features that prevent leak 和 spillage, mediating between the high-pressure sealant reservoir and the low-pressure tire interior.
3Productivity
If the barrel is pressurized to discharge sealant, then the sealant flows faster and more efficiently, but air pockets can cause erratic flow and potential spillage
Solution Approach 1:
The vent port is positioned in the priming section to allow air evacuation before pressurization begins. When the plunger is initially depressed, air is vented through the vent port before the sealant reaches pressurization pressure. This preliminary air removal ensures that subsequent pressurization produces smooth, consistent sealant flow without air pockets causing erratic behavior or spillage.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for easy and mess-free application of tire sealant across different valve stem types, reducing spillage and enabling larger volume application in a single use, enhancing usability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
depressed past the vent port to pressurize the barrel, and depressed through the main section to discharge the liquid tire sealant
Implementation Method 2
a relief valve within the resilient housing to hold liquid sealant within the resilient housing when less than an actuation pressure is applied, and release the liquid sealant when greater than the actuation pressure is applied
Data Source
AI summary
Liquid tire sealants are messy and difficult to apply using conventional re-loadable injectors and varied valve stem sizes and styles. The reloadable tire sealant injectors disclosed herein incorporate easy start plungers and/or chucks capable of interference fit with one or more of Schrader, Presta, Dunlop, or custom valve stems. A tapered-entry barrel permits a plunger to be inserted with a minimum of mess. Interference fit chucks are used with at least Schrader and Presta valve stems without re-configuration, and minimize mess, as compared to conventional designs.