Patent Publication Number: US-10760708-B1

Title: Valve-coupler actuating system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/621,046, entitled Valve-Coupler Actuating System, filed on Jan. 24, 2018 and currently pending; the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a valve-coupler system that enables one-hand operation including coupling to and sealing to a valve stem. 
     Background 
     Attaching a valve-coupler to a valve stem takes two hands, one to press and hold the valve-coupler over the valve stem and one to actuate a lever to produce a seal with the valve stem. This operation requiring two hands is cumbersome. For example, when coupling a valve-coupler to a bicycle tire, one hand may be required for holding the tire or the bicycle, thereby making it difficult to secure the valve coupler to the valve stem. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a valve-coupler system comprising a valve body and a seal actuator that incorporates a lever for one-hand operation. The lever extends below the valve body from a rocker end to a handle end. The handle end is proximal to the inlet end of the valve body and the rocker end is proximal to the valve-coupler opening in the valve body for attachment over a valve stem. The valve-coupler opening, or opening as used herein, is configured substantially orthogonally to the length axis of the valve coupler body, such as within about 70 to 110 degrees from the length axis. This unique configuration of the lever and valve-coupler opening enables attachment and sealing of the valve-coupler to a valve e with one hand. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a gas inlet valve is configured along the gas conduit extending through the valve coupler body from the inlet end to the opening for placement over a valve stem. An exemplary gas inlet valve, such as a lever or body-valve, enables opening of said valve by simple pressing on the valve actuator. A body-valve may be configured on the top or side of the valve body to allow pressing and opening of the body-valve with the same hand that is used to located and seal the valve-coupler to a valve stem. One hand may be used to squeeze the lever to actuate the seal around the valve stem and the thumb may be used to press the body-valve to allow compressed air to flow through the gas conduit, through the valve stem and into a receiving body, such as an inflatable body. A lever-valve is configured on the valve body in a location such that the lever will actuate the lever-valve when rotated past a sealing angle. A lever-valve may be configured on the bottom of the valve body, below the length axis of the valve body, for example A user may use one hand to locate the opening of the valve body over the valve-stem and then squeeze the lever to actuate the seal around the valve stem. The user may then squeeze the lever further to actuate the lever-valve to allow compressed gas to flow through the gas conduit, through the valve stem and into the receiving body. When the user has filled the receiving body with a desired amount of gas, the lever can be released to rotate it back to close the lever-valve. The lever can be rotated further back to release the seal from around the valve stem to allow removal of the valve-coupler from the valve stem. 
     The exemplary valve-coupler of the present invention can also be used with pumps, such as hand pumps, wherein no additional valve along the gas conduit is required. The gas conduit may extend through the valve body with no valve to block the flow of gas through the gas conduit. In an exemplary embodiment, a gas inlet valve, may have an actuation mechanism or actuator that does not require continuous pressure to be applied, such as a lever or knob for example. A user may open the gas inlet valve such as by manipulating the actuator to open the gas inlet valve. The user may then inflate a receiving body with a pump, such as a hand or floor pump. 
     A receiving body is any reservoir for receiving air through the valve-coupler and may be a tank that is rigid or an inflatable body, such as a tire that inflates with air or gas received through the exemplary valve-coupler as described herein. Any suitable gas may be passed through the valve-couple and into a receiving body including air, noble gases such as argon, or nitrogen that is commonly used for tire inflation, hydrocarbons such as natural gas, methane or butane and the like. 
     A valve stem may be any suitable type of valve stem for receiving gas into a receiving body. In an exemplary embodiment, the valve-coupler is configured to seal around a Presta valve (also called Sclaverand valve or French valve). A Presta valve is a valve commonly found in high pressure road style and some mountain bicycle inner tubes. It comprises an outer valve stem and an inner valve body. A Presta valve also has a small screw and captive nut on the top of the valve body that permits the valve to be screwed shut and ensure that it remains tightly closed. The nut must be unscrewed to permit airflow in either direction. A Presta valve requires a greater pressure from the valve-coupler to open the valve within the Presta valve to allow gas to flow into the Presta valve. An exemplary valve-coupler may be configured to seal to Schrader valve, having a pin that must be pressed to open the valve to allow air flow into the Schrader valve. An exemplary seal actuator of a valve-coupler comprises a post for pressing on the pin of Schrader valve. 
     The summary of the invention is provided as a general introduction to some of the embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to be limiting. Additional example embodiments including variations and alternative configurations of the invention are provided herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system having a lever configured for one hand operation. 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled to a valve stem of a receiving body. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled to a valve stem of a receiving body and the lever rotated to open the lever valve to allow a flow of gas through the valve coupler and into the receiving body. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side view of an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled to a valve stem of a receiving body and a person squeezing the lever to secure the seal around the valve stem and their thumb over the body-valve. 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view of an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled to a valve stem of a receiving body and a person pressing a body-valve to with their thumb to open the body-valve to allow a flow of gas through the valve coupler and into the receiving body. 
         FIG. 6  shows an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled with a compressed tank of gas with the valve coupler attached to the valve stem of a tire. 
         FIG. 7  shows an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system coupled with hand-pump. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise. 
     Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system  10  comprises a valve body  30 , and a seal actuator  15 . The seal actuator comprises a lever  50  configured for one-hand operation. The valve coupler  20  has a valve body  30  that extends a length  23  along a length axis  21  from and inlet end  22  to a valve end  24 . A gas conduit  34  extends from the inlet end to the valve-coupler opening  32  configured to fit over a valve stem  80 . The lever extends below the valve body  30  and has a length from the rocker end  52  to the handle end  54 , along the lever axis  51  that extends through the pivot  56 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lever is in an open position with an angular offset distance  57  that is large. The lever actuation arc  59  is the distance the lever can move from an open position to a completely closed position. In a closed position, the lever may be in contact with the lever-valve  72  to open the valve to allow gas to flow through the valve-coupler and into the valve stem. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the handle end  54  of the lever is rotated about the pivot  56  to a seal position, wherein the seal  40  is pressed down over and around the valve stem. The movement of the lever about the lever actuation arc moves the plunger portion  58  of the lever to press and secure the seal  40  around a valve stem. The seal may be an elastomeric material having a cylindrical recess for receiving a valve stem  80 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lever is rotated further along the lever actuation arc to press on a gas inlet valve, a lever-valve  72 . The angular offset distance  57  is further reduced from the open position shown in  FIG. 1  and the seal position shown in  FIG. 2 . The lever-valve may be coupled with the gas conduit  34  and may require activation to allow a flow of gas through the gas conduit and into a receiving body  82 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , an exemplary valve coupler  20  is coupled to a valve stem  80  with one hand  100  and a person has positioned their thumb  102  over a gas inlet valve, a body-valve  74 . The lever is in a seal position, wherein a seal is made with the valve stem  80  but the lever-valve is not opened. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the body-valve is activated by pressing on the body-valve to allow a flow of compressed gas to flow through the gas conduit and into a receiving body  82 . A gas inlet valve may be a self-closing valve, requiring pressure on the button or actuator to maintain the valve in an open state. A gas inlet valve may comprise an actuator  76 , such as a lever or knob, that can be actuated to open or close the valve and does not require continual pressure on the valve to keep it open. The actuator of a gas inlet valve may be used when a pump, such as a manual pump, is used as the gas source instead of a compressed tank gas source, or compressor. It is to be noted that a gas inlet valve, such as the lever-valve or body-valve, may be required to be activated for a flow of gas to flow through the gas conduit and into a receiving body; such as when a hand pump is coupled with the valve coupler. An exemplary valve-coupler may comprise a gas conduit extending through the valve coupler without any additional gas inlet valves, for example. A valve-coupler may comprise a post  28  for opening a valve on a valve stem. The post may be coupled with the plunger portion and may move with the seal  40  when the lever  50  is rotated toward the length axis of the valve body. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system  10  is coupled with a compressed gas tank  84  gas source. The valve coupler  20  is attached to the valve stem  80  of a receiving body  82 , a tire. The compressed gas tank may be coupled with a compressor  85  and a gas line  88  may extend from the compressor or compressed gas tank to the valve coupler  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , an exemplary valve-coupler actuating system  10  is coupled with hand-pump  86  gas source. In this embodiment the gas is compressed by manual manipulation of the pump. As described herein, the valve-coupler  20  may comprise a gas inlet valve actuator to allow air from the pump to flow through the valve coupler or may not comprise a gas inlet valve, whereby gas may flow freely into and out of the valve coupler based on pressure differentials. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner, Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.