Low pressure tire warning device

Claim 2

A low pressure tire valve assembly comprising a tire valve core unit, a cylindrical elastomeric member encompassing said valve core unit and having its lower portion secured to said valve core unit, said valve core unit having a threaded upper portion and a bore extending therethrough for communicating with a tire chamber, said cylindrical member having a lower plug portion for reception by a tire rim and to sealingly engage such a tire rim, a housing member encompassing the upper portion of said cylindrical member, an indicator cap mounted on said housing member, latching means operative to interconnect said housing member and said indicator cap, vent means interconnecting said bore and the surface areas between the outer peripheral surface of said tire valve core unit and the inner peripheral surface of said cylindrical member operative to distend said cylindrical member to position said latching means into operative position, valve cup means on said tire valve core unit retaining said cylindrical member and said housing member positioned on said valve assembly, means interconnecting said indicator cap and said valve cap means for relatively a predetermined distance, and spring means mounted on said housing member biasing said indicator cap outwardly for ejection from said housing member.

Claim 3

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve cap means includes a flat washer abutting by engaging the uppermost end of said housing member, and said interconnecting means having core end embedded in said washer.

Claim 4

A low pressure tire valve assembly set forth in claim 2 wherein screw means are located in said housing member for adjusting the tension on said latching means.

Claim 5

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said latching means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced springs having one secured to said housing member and the other end operative to frictionally engage said indicator cap.

Claim 6

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said indicator cap has an annular recess on its inner periphery to provide a ledge portion for engagement by said other end of said spring.

Claim 7

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said other end of said spring has an outwardly extending end portion that is circular in configuration to provide a point contact between said spring and said ledge portion.

Claim 8

A low pressure tire valve assembly comprising a conventional tire valve core unit; said valve core unit having an upper threaded portion, an intermediate portion and a lower portion; a cylindrical elastomeric member having a lower portion, a distensible upper portion, and an outermost end portion; said lower portion of said cylindrical member encapsulating said lower portion of said valve core unit to be integral therewith; said lower portion of said cylindrical member being molded into a plug for securing said tire valve assembly to a tire rim; said valve core unit having a centrally disposed bore extending therethrough for communicating with the air chamber of a tire; a vent hole in said intermediate portion of said valve core unit communicating said bore with the space defined by the outer periphery of said intermediate portion of said valve core unit and the inner peripheral surface of said upper portion of said cylindrical member; a housing member mounted on said cylindrical member; an annular cap member mounted on said valve core unit; said cap member having a recess on its inner periphery surface; said recess defines an inner ledge portion; a plurality of circumferentially spaced springs secured to the lower inner portion of said housing member; each of said spring members having an upper abutment means operative to engage said inner ledge portion for retaining said cap member on said housing member; a nut threadedly engaging said upper threaded portion of said valve core unit to abuttingly engage the upper portions of said housing member and the outermost end portion of said cylindrical member; an annular washer mounted on said nut, a valve cap threaded onto said upper threaded portion of said valve core unit and abuttingly engaging said annular washer; cord means interconnecting said washer with said cap member; and biasing means mounted in said housing member for engagement with said cap member for biasing said cap member away from said housing member.

Claim 9

A low pressure tire valve assembly comprising a conventional tire valve core unit; said valve core unit having an upper threaded portion, an intermediate portion and a lower portion; a cylindrical elastomeric member having a lower portion, a distensible upper portion, and an outermost end portion; said lower portion of said cylindrical member encapsulating said lower portion of said valve core unit to be integral therewith; said lower portion of said cylindrical member being molded into a plug for securing said tire valve assembly to a tire rim; said valve core unit having a centrally disposed bore extending therethrough for communicating with the air chamber of a tire; a vent hole in said intermediate portion of said valve core unit communicating said bore with the space defined by the outer periphery of said intermediate portion of said valve core unit and the inner peripheral surface of said upper portion of said cylindrical member; a housing member mounted on said cylindrical member; an annular cap member mounted on said valve core unit; said cap member having a recess on its inner periphery surface; said recess defines an inner ledge portion; a plurality of circumferentially spaced springs secured to the lower inner portion of said housing member; each of said spring members having an upper abutment means operative to engage said inner ledge portion for retaining said cap member on said housing member; a nut threadedly engaging said upper threaded portion of said valve core unit to abuttingly engage the upper portions of said housing member and the outermost end portion of said cylindrical member; an annular washer mounted on said nut, a valve cap threaded onto said upper threaded portion of said valve core unit and abuttingly engaging said annular washer; cord means interconnecting said washer with said cap member; and biasing means mounted in said housing member for engagement with said cap member for biasing said cap member away from said housing member.

Claim 10

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein screw means are located in said housing member for contacting said springs for adjusting the tension thereon.

Claim 11

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said abutment means on said spring members is a circular configuration to provide a point contact between said abutment members and said ledge portion.

Claim 12

A low pressure tire valve assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein a plurality of shearable ribs interconnect said indicator cap and said valve cap.