Triangular Portable Tire Inflator with Reflective Safety Features
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Solution Overview
Problem
Car owners face inconvenience and safety concerns when dealing with flat tires, as they often need to drive to a service station for inflation or replacement, which is time-consuming and risky due to the need to change tires on public roads with moving traffic.
Innovation Solution
A portable tire inflator with a triangular housing, a pump motor, reflective borders, LED lights, an air hose, and an air pressure indicator, allowing for safe and convenient tire inflation with preset pressure regulation, and a retractable hanger for easy storage and use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If car owners drive to a service station to inflate or fix a flat tire, then the tire can be properly inflated or replaced, but the process becomes time-consuming and exposes the driver to safety risks on public roads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tire inflation function from fixed service stations and relocates it to a portable device that can be used anywhere. The portable tire inflator includes a pump motor, air hose, and pressure indicator that can be carried in a vehicle and deployed at any location, eliminating the need to drive to a service station.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the vehicle owner to perform tire inflation independently without external assistance. The self-contained portable inflator with its own power source (vehicle battery connection), pump mechanism, and pressure monitoring allows the driver to service their own tire at any location, transforming a service station-dependent task into a self-service operation.
2Ease of operation
If car owners change a tire on a street with moving traffic, then the flat tire can be replaced, but safety risks increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for roadside tire changes by extracting the inflation function to a portable device. Instead of changing a tire on the roadside, drivers can simply inflate the flat tire using the portable inflator and continue driving, eliminating exposure to traffic hazards entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary inflation action to be taken immediately upon detecting a flat tire, before any roadside maneuvers are required. The portable inflator can be deployed right at the scene to restore tire pressure, allowing the vehicle to be made operational without moving to a safe location or performing roadside tire changes.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a portable tire inflator is designed with additional safety features like reflective borders and LED lights, then visibility and safety are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the portable inflator device. The housing serves both as structural containment for the pump mechanism and as a safety reflector for nighttime visibility. The LED lights serve dual purposes of illuminating the work area and enhancing visibility. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate safety devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines safety features directly with the functional components of the inflator. Reflective borders are integrated into the housing structure rather than being separate attachments. LED lights are built into the housing and work area rather than being external accessories. This merging approach adds safety functionality without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
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 portable tire inflator provides a safe and efficient solution for inflating tires on the go, enhancing user safety by allowing tire inflation in a controlled environment and reducing the need for roadside tire changes, thus minimizing exposure to traffic hazards.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective border on at least two of three edges of the triangular face
Implementation Method 2
at least one light emitting diode (LED) side light on a rotatable arm on at least one side of the two sides
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes a structure for a portable tire inflator that includes a triangular housing comprising a triangular face, a triangular back, two sides extending between the triangular face and the triangular back on first and second sides of the triangular face and back, and a support base on a third side of the triangular face and back extending between the triangular face and the triangular back, a pump motor within the housing. The inflator may be configured such that a majority of the total weight of the portable tire inflator is positioned between the middle of the triangular face and the base. The tire inflator may also include a reflective border on at least two of three edges of the triangular face and an air pressure indicator responsive to air pressure within the air hose, the air pressure indicator visible on an external surface of the housing.