Tire pressure gauge

A multi-functional tire pressure gauge includes a housing, an air-guide seat, a diaphragm, a helical seat, an annular seat, a tread-measuring device, a display panel and an air-guiding device. The multi-functional tire pressure gauge can measure tire pressure and tread's depth simultaneously. Specifically, when the diaphragm moves up and down under the effect of the tire pressure, the helical seat converts the up-and-down motion of the diaphragm into circular motion, so that the index pointer can display tire pressure value. Furthermore, the probe extending in treads of the tire can obtain the depth of the tread.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-functional tire pressure gauge and, more particularly, to a multi-functional tire pressure gauge which can measure tire pressure and the tread's depth at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multi-functional tire pressure gauge that can measure tire pressure and the tread's depth simultaneously. Specifically, when the diaphragm moves up and down under the effect of the tire pressure, the helical seat converts the up-and-down motion of the diaphragm into a circular motion. Thus, the index pointer can display tire pressure value. Furthermore, the probe extending in treads of the tire can obtain the depth of the tread.

A multi-functional tire pressure gauge provided in accordance with the present invention includes a housing, an air-guide seat, a diaphragm, a helical seat, an annular seat, a tread-measuring device, a display panel and an air-guiding device.

The housing is a bowl-shaped, annular, hollow member. On the front end of the housing are mounted a bushing, a transparent piece and a rubber ring. A square hole is defined at a mid section of a peripheral wall of the housing.

The air-guide seat is an annular member having an air hole and is disposed in the housing.

The diaphragm, arranged at the front of the air-guide seat, is made of an alloy by high temperature processing.

An end of the helical seat is connected to the center of the diaphragm, and another end of the helical seat is provided with an index pointer.

The annular seat is a stepped cylindrical reducer-shaped, annular, and hollow member disposed in front of the diaphragm. A front end of the annular seat is provided for pivotally positioning the helical seat. On a peripheral surface of the annular seat is formed a square hole.

The tread-measuring device is inserted in the square hole of the housing and the square hole of the annular seat. The tread-measuring device includes a base, a probe, a slide block, a board, a drive gear, a mid gear and a driven gear.

The display panel is fixed to a front end of the annular seat. On the display panel are printed a circular scale for indicating pressure value and a vertical-arranged scale for indicating status of a tread of a tire.

The air-guide device is a tube connected to the air hole of the air-guide seat. On a mid portion of the air-guide device is disposed a pressure-relief valve which includes a seat, a moving rod, an O-shaped ring and a spring. At a lower end of the air-guide device is provided an air faucet.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1–9, a multi-functional tire pressure gauge1in accordance with the present invention is shown and comprises a housing11, an air-guide seat12, a diaphragm13, a helical seat14, an annular seat15, a tread-measuring device16, a display panel17and an air-guiding device18.

The housing11is a bowl-shaped, annular, hollow member. On the front end of the housing11are mounted a bushing111, a transparent piece112and a rubber ring113. A square hole131is defined at the mid section of the peripheral wall of the housing11.

The air-guide seat12is an annular member having a air hole121and is disposed in the housing11.

The diaphragm13, arranged at the front of the air-guide seat12, is made of an alloy by high temperature processing.

An end of the helical seat14is connected to the center of the diaphragm13, and another end of the helical seat14is provided with an index pointer141.

The annular seat15is a stepped cylindrical reducer-shaped, annular and hollow member disposed in front of the diaphragm13. A front end of the annular seat15is provided for pivotally positioning the helical seat14. On the peripheral surface of the annular seat15is formed a square hole151.

The tread-measuring device16is inserted in the square holes131,151of the housing11and the annular seat15, respectively. The tread-measuring device16includes a base161, a probe162, a slide block163, a board164, a drive gear165, a mid gear166and a driven gear167. The base161is a “L”-shaped and includes a lateral portion and a vertical portion. On the lateral portion is formed a half-round through hole1611which completely penetrates the vertical portion. On the sidewall of the rear end of the vertical portion of the base161is formed a groove1612for insertion of a limited-slip ring1613. The probe162inserts from the top into the through hole1611of the base161. The slide of the probe162in the axial direction of the through hole1611is controlled by the limited-slip ring1613. The slide block163is moveably disposed in the mid section of the through hole1611and moves adversely to the probe162. At the mid portion of the front surface of the slide block163is disposed an index pointer1631. On the side surface of the slide block163are provided a plurality of drive teeth1632. The board164is disposed below the lateral portion of the base161. The drive gear165and the mid gear166are meshed with each other and are pivotally disposed on the rear surface of the board164. The driven gear167is concentric with the mid gear166and is pivotally disposed at the rear surface of the board164. When the driven gear167rotates, the slide block163will be caused to move the index pointer1631up and down.

The display panel17is fixed to the front end of the annular seat15. On the display panel17are printed a circular scale for indicating pressure value and a vertical-arranged scale for indicating the tread status.

The air-guide device18is a tube connected to the air hole121of the air-guide seat12. On the mid portion of the air-guide device18is disposed a pressure-relief valve181which includes a seat1811, a moving rod1812, an O-shaped ring1813and a spring1814. At the lower end of the air-guide device18is provided an air faucet182.

The multi-functional tire pressure gauge1can be used to measure the tire pressure and the tread's depth at the same time. When the diaphragm13moves up and down under the effect of the tire pressure, the helical seat14converts the up-and-down motion of the diaphragm13into circular motion, so that the index pointer141can display the tire pressure value. Furthermore, the probe162extending in the treads of the tire can obtain the depth of the tread.

The multi-functional tire pressure gauge1of the present invention uses the probe162of the tread-measuring device16to insert in the tread of a tire, and then the upper surface of the lateral portion of the base161is used to flatly abut against the side surface of the tire. At the time the probe162is moving back to the base161, the slide block163will move upward under the effect of the drive gear165, the mid gear166and the driven gear167. Thus, the depth of the tread is measured. The backward motion of the probe162into the base161is slowed down by the limited-slip ring1613and thus, improving the measuring accuracy.