U.S. patent application number 11/241762 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-27 for sealing device.
Invention is credited to Arne Kant, Rainer Samson, Paul W.K. Wong, Manfred Zeuner.
Application Number | 20060086403 11/241762 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34980852 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060086403 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kant; Arne ; et al. |
April 27, 2006 |
Sealing device
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a device for the sealing of
inflatable objects, in particular tires, comprising a gas pressure
source, a pressure hose for the connection of the gas pressure
source to the inflatable object and a sealing agent contained in a
removal unit. In accordance with the present disclosure, the
pressure hose simultaneously forms the removal unit containing the
sealing agent.
Inventors: |
Kant; Arne; (Munich, DE)
; Zeuner; Manfred; (Munich, DE) ; Samson;
Rainer; (Munster, DE) ; Wong; Paul W.K.; (Hong
Kong, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALLEMAN HALL MCCOY RUSSELL & TUTTLE LLP
806 SW BROADWAY
SUITE 600
PORTLAND
OR
97205-3335
US
|
Family ID: |
34980852 |
Appl. No.: |
11/241762 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/38 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S 5/04 20130101; B29L
2030/00 20130101; B29C 73/166 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/038 |
International
Class: |
B65B 31/00 20060101
B65B031/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 1, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 048 002.8 |
Claims
1. A device for the sealing of inflatable objects, comprising: a
gas pressure source; and a pressure hose for the connection of the
gas pressure source to the inflatable object and a sealing agent
contained in a removal unit wherein the pressure hose
simultaneously forms the removal unit containing the sealing
agent.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pressure hose
is connectable to the gas pressure source and to the inflatable
object via connection pieces.
3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the pressure hose
has a check valve in front of one of the connection pieces, where
the one connection piece is connectable to the inflatable
object.
4. A device in accordance with claim 3, wherein closing membranes
respectively closing the hose are contained in the connection
pieces.
5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein closing caps are
respectively mounted onto the connection pieces of the pressure
hose.
6. A device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the pressure hose
has an expanded cross-section in a region in which it accepts the
sealing agent.
7. A device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the gas pressure
source has a housing which forms a recess at a jacket surface of
the housing to accept the pressure hose which is configured to be
wound onto the housing.
8. A device in accordance with claim 7, wherein one side of the
housing of the gas pressure source is formed as a standing leg,
whereas a gas pressure indicator is arranged at an oppositely
disposed side.
9. A device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the pressure hose
is already connected to the gas pressure source via a corresponding
connection piece in the wound on state.
10. A device in accordance with claim 9, wherein a recess for
acceptance of an electrical connection cable which can be wound on
is formed separately from the recess for the acceptance of the
pressure hose at the housing jacket.
11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the pressure hose
has a comparatively larger diameter in its middle region and
wherein a membrane slider is displaceably arranged in the middle
region.
12. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein a device for the
destruction of the membrane is arranged in an end region of the
comparatively larger diameter of the pressure hose.
13. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein a ball slider is
movably arranged in the pressure hose and wherein an acceptance
recess is formed at an end of the hose for acceptance of the ball
slider.
14. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pressure hose
is wound in spiral form.
15. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inflatable
device is a tire.
16. A device for the sealing of an inflatable object, comprising: a
gas pressure source; and a pressure hose configured to connect the
gas pressure source to the inflatable object, said hose further
having an integral removal unit containing a sealing agent formed
in the pressure hose, wherein the pressure hose is connectable to
the gas pressure source and to the inflatable object via connection
pieces.
17. A device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the pressure hose
has a check valve in front of one of the connection pieces, where
the one connection piece is connectable to the inflatable
object.
18. A device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the pressure hose
has an expanded cross-section in a region in which it accepts the
sealing agent.
19. A device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the gas pressure
source has a housing which forms a recess at a jacket surface of
the housing to accept the pressure hose which is configured to be
wound onto the housing.
20. A device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the pressure hose
is wound in spiral and multilayer form.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to German Patent
Application Serial No. DE 10 2004 048 002.8 filed Oct. 1, 2004,
which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for the
sealing of inflatable objects, in particular tires.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0003] Devices of this kind are already known from DE 196 52 546 A
1 and serve to seal a leak in an inflatable object, for example in
a pierced tire or a tire damaged during a journey in that a special
sealing agent is introduced into the tire via the tire valve and
the tire is subsequently pumped up to at least a pressure at which
it can be run. A sealing device of this type in accordance with the
present disclosure typically has a removal unit which comprises a
container containing a sealing agent and having a gas inlet
connectable to a gas pressure source and an outlet couplable to an
object to be sealed, with the gas inlet and the gas outlet being in
communication with one another via the interior space of the
container.
[0004] Removal units for the handling of liquids are known from a
series of further specifications, for example from U.S. Pat. No.
5,584,411, EP 0 557 913 A, DE 44 37 981 A, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,871
and U.S. Pat. No. 3,374,927.
[0005] A sealing device is known from EP 1 121 324 81 which
provides a separate removal unit and thereby makes it possible to
exchange the container when the sealing agent has been consumed or
has decayed without the whole sealing device having to be replaced.
Thanks to the corresponding coupling capability of a separate
removal unit, the reusable removal unit can be used with containers
of different sizes and the sealing device in accordance with the
present disclosure can thus be matched to the respective inflatable
object. However, this already known removal unit comprises a
separate container filled with the sealing agent which has to be
connected to the pressure source, on the one hand, and to the
object inflatable for sealing, on the other hand, via corresponding
hose pieces. In this known apparatus, a series of components of the
total device must therefore be provided, namely--in addition to the
pressure source--also the removal unit, a container containing the
sealing agent and hose connection pieces. A comparatively large
space requirement must hereby be provided for the storage of the
corresponding sealing device, for example in motor vehicles in
which it is carried along.
[0006] It is one object of the present disclosure to further
develop a device of the type first named such that it is made in as
compact a manner as possible and has as few individual parts as
possible.
[0007] This object may be solved by a device for the sealing of
inflatable objects, in particular tires, comprising a gas pressure
source, a pressure hose for the connection of the gas pressure
source to the inflatable object and a sealing agent contained in
the removal unit, the pressure hose here simultaneously forming the
removal unit containing the sealing agent. A device is thus made
available which is substantially formed from two components, namely
from the gas pressure source, on the one hand, and the pressure
hose, which simultaneously contains the sealing agent, on the other
hand. An apparatus of this type can be made in a very compact
manner. For example, depending on the volume requirements of the
sealing agent, pressure hoses of different lengths or of different
fillings can be provided. On the other hand, the pressure hoses can
be replaced in the event that the sealing agent has been consumed
or has decayed without the total sealing device having to be
replaced. A commercial pressure hose can also easily be added in
addition to the pressure hoses filled with sealing agent, said
commercial pressure hose serving a connection to the inflatable
object in order, for example, to refill air without simultaneously
filling a sealing agent into the inflatable object, for example
into the tire.
[0008] In one example, the pressure hose can advantageously be
connectable to the gas pressure source and to the inflatable object
via connection pieces.
[0009] The pressure hose can also have a check valve in front of
the connection piece connectable to the inflatable object. In the
case of pumping up, this prevents an unwanted backflow of the
compressed air which was filled into the inflatable object with the
sealing agent.
[0010] Membranes which respectively close the hose and which can be
opened on the use of the device for sealing are contained in the
connection pieces. In order to be opened, they can, for example, be
pierced or can be cut during the screwing of the connection piece
onto the pressure source or the inflatable object such as the
tire.
[0011] In addition, where necessary, closing caps can be mounted,
for example plugged or screwed, onto the connection pieces of the
pressure hose.
[0012] To be able to accept sufficient sealing agent, the pressure
hose can have an expanded cross-section in the region in which it
accepts the sealing agent.
[0013] The gas pressure source is particularly advantageously
formed by a housing which presents a recess at its jacket surface
for the acceptance of the pressure hose which can be wound onto the
housing.
[0014] One side of the housing of the gas pressure source can
advantageously be formed as a standing leg, whereas a gas pressure
indicator is arranged at the oppositely disposed side.
[0015] The pressure hose can already be connected to the gas
pressure source via the corresponding connection piece in the
wound-on state.
[0016] In addition, a recess for the acceptance of an electrical
connection cable, which can be wound on, can be formed separately
from the recess for the acceptance of the pressure source at the
housing jacket. This electrical connection cable serves to connect
the gas compressor to a current source, for example to a 12 volt
battery of the vehicle.
[0017] The pressure hose preferably has a comparatively larger
diameter in its middle region. The necessary amount of the sealing
agent can hereby be accepted. To simplify a complete pushing out of
the sealing agent, a membrane slider is displaceably arranged in
the region of the pressure hose having an expanded diameter. It is
therefore a matter of a thin-wall slider construction here which is
displaced along the wall of the pressure hose by the compressed
air. A device, for example a corresponding cutting device, can be
present toward the end of the thickened part, by means of which the
membrane slider is cut open or pierced in order to permit the
passage of compressed air.
[0018] A further preferred aspect of the present disclosure
consists of a ball slider being movably arranged in the pressure
hose and pressing out the sealing agent from the pressure hose via
the compressed air. At the end of the hose, an acceptance recess is
formed for the acceptance of the ball slider in order hereby to
release the volume of the pressure hose for the compressed air
flowing through.
[0019] Finally, in accordance with a further advantageous aspect of
the present disclosure, the pressure hose is wound in spiral
form--optionally also in multilayer form. It should hereby be
achieved that the sealing agent can in each case collect in the
direction of gravity and is pressed out by the inflowing compressed
air.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0020] Further features, details and advantages of the present
disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to an
embodiment shown in the drawing. There are shown:
[0021] FIG. 1: a perspective representation of a device in
accordance with the present disclosure for the sealing of
inflatable objects;
[0022] FIG. 2: the device in accordance with FIG. 1 with an unwound
pressure hose;
[0023] FIG. 3: a sectional representation of a pressure hose such
as can also be wound onto the device in accordance with the present
disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 4: a schematic representation of a modified embodiment
variant of the present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 5: a further schematically modified embodiment of the
present disclosure; and
[0026] FIG. 6: a further alternative embodiment of the device in
accordance with the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] In the embodiment of the present disclosure in accordance
with FIG. 1, a device 10 for the sealing of inflatable objects, in
particular tires, comprises a gas pressure source 12 and a pressure
hose 14 wound onto the jacket of the gas pressure source 12.
[0028] As can in particular be seen from FIG. 2, the housing 16 of
the gas pressure source 12 consists of a substantially cylindrical
body having a wide recess 18 on its jacket surface which serves for
the acceptance of the spirally wound-on pressure hose 14. In FIG.
1, the pressure hose 14 is shown in the wound-on state and in FIG.
2 in the unwound state.
[0029] The lower side of the housing 16 is made as a standing leg
20. The upper side of the housing 16 has a gas manometer 22 via
which the pressure is indicated of the inflatable object not shown
in any more detail here, for example, the tire, to which the gas
pressure source can be connected via the pressure hose 14.
[0030] A narrower recess 26 is provided next to the recess 18 and
is arranged in parallel to recess 18. Further, recess 26 is
separated by a partition wall 24 from recess 18. Finally, an
electrical connecting cable can be wound up within recess 26, which
is not shown in more detail here.
[0031] The pressure source is generally designed in a known manner.
Reference can be made in this respect, for example, to EP 1 121
32481.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows the pressure hose 14 in a sectional
representation. The pressure hose has a connection piece 28 at its
end, connectable to the gas pressure source 12. A connection piece
30 is arranged at the oppositely disposed end connectable to the
inflatable object. The pressure hose 14 is extended in
cross-section over its main length with respect to the two end
regions 32 and 34, as can be seen schematically from FIG. 3. The
pressure hose 14 is filled with a sealing agent which can have a
composition known per se from the prior art. Reference is made in
this respect to the sealing agent named, for example, in DE 196 52
548 A 1.
[0033] A closing membrane 36 which can be opened in the use of the
sealing device is arranged in the region of the connection piece
28.
[0034] The connection pieces 28 and 30 can be closed by means of
closing caps 38 and 40.
[0035] A check valve 42 is arranged in the end region 34 of the
pressure hose 14. The filling direction in which the sealing agent
can be filled is shown by the arrow 44. The compressed air is also
introduced in this direction to fill the sealing agent into the
inflatable object as is shown in FIG. 2. The pressure hose 14 is
directly connected to the gas pressure source 12 in the embodiment
shown here. No cover cap 38 is to be provided in this embodiment
variant.
[0036] The gas pressure source 12 is made for the provision of
compressed air in this embodiment and can be made, for example, as
a small compressor, a central motor vehicle compressor, a
stationary compressed air supply unit or as a portable pressure
storage container such as are available at filling stations or as a
hand-operated air pump or as a foot-operated air pump. The maximum
pressure to be generated by the gas pressure source 12 does not
need to be larger than the pressure required for at least emergency
operation of a tire.
[0037] An alternative embodiment variant is shown in FIG. 4, with
the gas pressure source to which the pressure hose 14 is connected
being schematically indicated here by 12. The pressure hose 14 is
in turn connected to a tire 50 which is to be repaired. In its
middle region, the pressure hose 14 has a region 52 of increased
diameter in which a correspondingly larger volume of sealing agent
can be accepted. A membrane slider, which is designated by 54,
facilitates the pushing out of the sealing agent. The slider 54 is
displaceable by the compressed air being discharged from the gas
pressure source and thus presses the sealing agent in the direction
of the tire 50. A blade, which is designed by 56, cuts the membrane
slider on the reaching of the end position of said membrane slider
such that the compressed air can pass from the gas pressure source
12 through the membrane slider 54 and can penetrate into the
further pressure hose system 14.
[0038] A modified embodiment variant of the present disclosure
results from FIG. 5 in which the pressure hose has a ball slider 58
which, in a similar manner to the membrane slider in accordance
with FIG. 4, serves the pressing out of the sealant mass from the
pressure hose 14. A corresponding recess 60 is provided in the end
region of the hose and a bounding element 62 is additionally
provided. When the end position is reached, the ball slider 58 is
stopped by the bounding element 62 so that it falls into the recess
60 and thus releases the volume of the pressure hose 14. In the
embodiment shown here, an additional pressure hose 64 which does
not contain any sealing agent, that is which only serves the
pressure charging of a tire 50 by means of the gas pressure source
12, is connected to the compressed air source 12.
[0039] A further aspect of the present disclosure is shown in FIG.
6 in which the pressure hose 14 is wound in the manner of a spiral.
It is hereby ensured that the sealant mass can collect in each case
in the lower windings of the spiral and can be acted on by the
compressed air from the pressure source 12.
* * * * *