Pressurization control device

Claim 2

A pressurization control device for the pressurization of a container to a predetermined maximum pressure, said device comprising: a housing having an axial bore therethrough, said housing having mounting means at one end thereof for sealingly mounting said housing to Said container with said bore of said housing being in fluid communication with interior of said container, the other end of said housing having means to receive a source of pressurized fluid; a first normally closed valve operatively connected to said other end of said housing, said normally closed valve permitting pressurized fluid to enter said bore of said housing when said valve is opened; a piston having an axial bore therethrough slidably received in said housing bore intermediate said first normally closed valve and said one end of said housing, said piston having a face acted upon by pressure within said container to bias said piston towards said first normally closed valve; a second normally closed valve mounted to said piston for axial movement therewith and for controlling the flow of fluid through said axial piston bore, said second normally closed valve opening when said piston is axially adjacent said one end of said housing, and biasing means for urging said piston towards said one end of said housing, said predetermined maximum pressure acting upon said piston face being effective to overcome said biasing means to move said piston towards said first normally closed valve thereby allowing said second normally closed valve to close preventing further pressurization of said container.

Claim 3

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first normally closed valve is a standard tire valve core mounted in said axial bore of said housing adjacent said other and said second normally closed valve is a standard tire valve core mounted in said axial bore of said piston, said valve cores being on the same longitudinal axis and disposed in a back-to-back relationship.

Claim 4

A device as defined in claim 2, wherein said piston has a larger and a smaller face in fluid communication with the interior of said container, said larger face being acted upon by fluid pressure causing said piston to move longitudinally against said biasing means towards said first normally closed valve.

Claim 5

A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the difference in area between said larger and said smaller faces of said piston when multiplied by said predetermined maximum pressure equals a force sufficient to overcome said biasing means and allow said piston to move a sufficient longitudinal distance to allow said second normally closed valve to close.

Claim 6

A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said second normally closed valve is a tire valve core mounted in said axial bore of said piston, the valve core being held open by a depressor in contact with the actuating plunger of said valve core and remaining held upon until a predetermined pressure is reached in the interior of said container causing said piston to move a sufficient longitudinal distance to permit said plunger to assume a non-depressed condition closing said valve core.

Claim 7

A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said biasing means is a coil spring, said spring being of such construction so as to deflect a distance equal to the travel distance of the actuating plunger of said second normally closed tire valve when a predetermined compression force is applied to said spring, said force being equal to the difference in area between said larger and said smaller face of said piston multiplied by said predetermined maximum pressure.

Claim 8

A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said container is a pneumatic tire mounted on a tire rim.

Claim 9

The device of claim 5 wherein said first normally closed valve includes an axially extending tubular member and said piston includes a guide-like member telescopically received in said tubular member.

Claim 10

A pressurization control device for pressurization of a container to a predetermined maximum pressure, said device comprising: a housing having an axial bore therethrough, one end of said housing including mounting means for being received through an aperture in said container and for being sealingly mounted to said container, said means including a washer and fastening Means adjacent said washer operative to exert a clamping force on said housing; the other end of said housing including means for receiving a source of pressurized fluid, a first normally closed valve operatively connected to said other end of said housing, said first normally closed valve permitting pressurized fluid to enter said bore of said housing when said valve is opened; a piston having an axial bore therethrough slidably and sealingly received in said housing bore intermediate said first normally closed valve and said one end of said housing, said piston having a larger and a smaller face in fluid communication with the interior of said container, said larger face being acted upon by fluid pressure causing said piston to move longitudinally toward said first normally closed valve; a second normally closed valve mounted to said piston for axial movement therewith and for controlling the flow of fluid through said axial piston bore, said second normally closed valve including an actuating plunger which will be depressed to open said second normally closed valve when said piston is adjacent said one end of said housing, and biasing means for urging said piston towards said one end of said housing, said predetermined maximum pressure acting upon said piston faces being effective to overcome said biasing means to move said piston toward said first normally closed valve to release said actuating plunger and allow said second normally closed valve to close thereby preventing further pressurization of said container.

Claim 11

A pressurization control device for pressurization of a container to a predetermined maximum pressure, said device comprising: a housing having an axial bore therethrough, one end of said housing including mounting means for being received through an aperture in said container and for being sealingly mounted to said container, said means including a washer and fastening Means adjacent said washer operative to exert a clamping force on said housing; the other end of said housing including means for receiving a source of pressurized fluid, a first normally closed valve operatively connected to said other end of said housing, said first normally closed valve permitting pressurized fluid to enter said bore of said housing when said valve is opened; a piston having an axial bore therethrough slidably and sealingly received in said housing bore intermediate said first normally closed valve and said one end of said housing, said piston having a larger and a smaller face in fluid communication with the interior of said container, said larger face being acted upon by fluid pressure causing said piston to move longitudinally toward said first normally closed valve; a second normally closed valve mounted to said piston for axial movement therewith and for controlling the flow of fluid through said axial piston bore, said second normally closed valve including an actuating plunger which will be depressed to open said second normally closed valve when said piston is adjacent said one end of said housing, and biasing means for urging said piston towards said one end of said housing, said predetermined maximum pressure acting upon said piston faces being effective to overcome said biasing means to move said piston toward said first normally closed valve to release said actuating plunger and allow said second normally closed valve to close thereby preventing further pressurization of said container.

Claim 12

A pressurization control for pressurization of a tire to a predetermined maximum pressure, said device comprising: a housing having an axial bore therethrough, one end of said housing including mounting means for being threadably and sealingly received on a standard tire valve stem mounted through an aperture in a tire rim, said mounting means including means to depress the actuating plunger of said standard tire valve to open said valve thereby placing said housing bore in fluid communication with the interior of tire, the other end of said housing including means for receiving a source of pressurized fluid, a first normally closed valve operatively connected to said other end of said housing, said first normally closed valve permitting pressurized fluid to enter said bore of said housing when said valve is opened; a piston having an axial bore therethrough slidably and sealingly received in said housing bore intermediate said first normally closed valve and said one end of said housing said piston having a larger and smaller face in fluid communication with the interior of said container, said larger face being acted upon by fluid pressure causing said piston to move longitudinally toward said first normally closed valve; a second normally closed valve mounted to said piston for axial movement therewith and for controlling the flow of fluid through said axial piston bore, said second normally closed valve including an actuating plunger which will be depressed to open said second normally closed valve when said piston is adjacent said one end of said housing, and biasing means for urging said piston towards said one end of said housing, said predetermined maximum pressure acting upon said piston faces being effective to overcome said biasing means to move said piston towards said first normally closed valve to release said actuating plunger and allow said second normally closed valve to close thereby preventing further pressurization of said container.

Claim 13

A pressurization control for pressurization of a tire to a predetermined maximum pressure, said device comprising: a housing having an axial bore therethrough, one end of said housing including mounting means for being threadably and sealingly received on a standard tire valve stem mounted through an aperture in a tire rim, said mounting means including means to depress the actuating plunger of said standard tire valve to open said valve thereby placing said housing bore in fluid communication with the interior of tire, the other end of said housing including means for receiving a source of pressurized fluid, a first normally closed valve operatively connected to said other end of said housing, said first normally closed valve permitting pressurized fluid to enter said bore of said housing when said valve is opened; a piston having an axial bore therethrough slidably and sealingly received in said housing bore intermediate said first normally closed valve and said one end of said housing said piston having a larger and smaller face in fluid communication with the interior of said container, said larger face being acted upon by fluid pressure causing said piston to move longitudinally toward said first normally closed valve; a second normally closed valve mounted to said piston for axial movement therewith and for controlling the flow of fluid through said axial piston bore, said second normally closed valve including an actuating plunger which will be depressed to open said second normally closed valve when said piston is adjacent said one end of said housing, and biasing means for urging said piston towards said one end of said housing, said predetermined maximum pressure acting upon said piston faces being effective to overcome said biasing means to move said piston towards said first normally closed valve to release said actuating plunger and allow said second normally closed valve to close thereby preventing further pressurization of said container.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10 wherein said first and second normally closed valves are standard tire valve cores mounted in back-to-back coaxial relationship.