Abstract:
A connector with a screw valve is described that attaches to the end of the outlet tube, remains closed unless it is completely screwed onto a tire valve and then opens when it is screwed directly onto a valve, such as a tire valve.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a fluid and/or air dispensing device in which a valve can be used to control whether gas or liquid are allowed to exit from the device. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Several designs exist for injecting air and liquid into a object, such as a tire, through a valve, such as a tire valve. For example, sealant fluid may be injected with pressurized air into a tire to seal and repair the tire. Most designs pressurize a sealant container which forces the sealant fluid through an outlet tube. Commonly, a connector is attached between the outlet tube and a valve of the item being repaired and inflated using the device. In more devices, fluid and/or air is forced through the valve under pressure so that the tire, when inflated, is pressurized above atmospheric pressure. The sealant container is also pressurized to above atmospheric pressure. When the device is disconnected from the tire valve, the pressure equalizes and usually fluid sprays from the connector which is undesirable. 
         [0003]    At other times, a user may improperly connect or even neglect to connect the tire valve before pressurizing the sealant container which results in sealant spraying onto the user, the tire, the vehicle, and the ground which is also very undesirable. No existing device currently provides a solution to this problem. Thus, it is desirable to provide a screw valve that overcomes these problems and it is to this end that the present invention is directed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A screw valve is provided that is a connector that attaches to the end of the outlet tube. The screw valve remains closed unless it is completely screwed into a valve of the item and then, once properly screwed into the valve of the item, the screw valve opens. In an exemplary embodiment, the screw valve may be used for a sealant system that is used to repair and inflate a tire, such as a automobile tire, where the screw valve prevents a user from getting sprayed with sealant fluid if the user improperly connects or neglects to connect the sealant outlet hose connector to the tire valve. Once the screw valve on the sealant system is properly connected to the tire valve, the screw valve opens and permits the air and/or sealant fluid to flow into the tire. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of a connector with a screw valve on the end of a hose; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates more details of the connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the connector shown in  FIG. 2  when the connector is closed; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  shows the connector of  FIGS. 1-3  when the connector is open; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of the connector shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the connector with a screw valve; and 
           [0011]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side cross sectional views of the connector of  FIG. 6  showing the connector in the open and closed positions, respectively. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    The screw valve is particularly applicable to a sealant system with sealant fluid and a compressed air source that is used to repair and/or inflate a tire, such as an automobile tire, by injecting sealant fluid and/or air/compressed air into the tire and it is in this context that the screw valve will be described. It will be appreciated, however, that the screw valve can be used in any system/device/mechanism in which it is desirable to keep a fluid and/or a gas from exiting the system/device/mechanism until a connector is properly seated. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first embodiment of a connector  10  with a screw valve on the end of a hose  12  wherein the hose may be used to transmit pressurized air and/or liquid from a sealant container into a tire. In this figure, the hose is not yet connected to the tire valve.  FIG. 2  illustrates more details of the connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1  wherein the connector further comprises a cap  14  and a barb  16 .  FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2  wherein the barb  16  is screwed into the cap  14  using a set of threads  17 . The cap  14  may further include one more sealing elements  18 ,  20 , such as known O-rings in an exemplary embodiment, that seal the connector  10  and prevent the fluid and/or air in the hose  12  (when connected to a fluid and/or gas source) from exiting the connector  10  via the threads  17 . The connector  10  may also have a connecting mechanism  19 , such as a snap ring or crimp, that releasably or permanently connects the barb  16  to the connector  10 . The cap  14  may have a seat  22  in which an upper portion of the barb  16  seats when the barb is coupled to the connector  10 . The barb  16  may also have a sealing element  24 , such as a known O-ring. An upper portion of the cap  14  may further comprise a sealing element  26 , such as a rubber washer, a core actuator  28  and a set of threads  30  wherein a tire valve is screwed into the set of threads so that the front of the tire valve rests against the sealing element  26  to seal the connecting between the tire valve and the connector and the core actuator  28  opens the valve in the connector  10  when the connector  10  is properly seated with the tire valve. This ensures that the liquid and/or fluid in a container attached to the hose  12  does not exit the connector  10  until the tire valve and the connector are properly seated. 
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows the connector of  FIGS. 1-3  when the connector is open and  FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of the connector shown in  FIG. 4  when the connector is screwed onto a tire valve so that the screw valve is open when the cap  14  has been screwed upward separating the barb o-ring  18 ,  20  from the seat  22 . When the connector  10  is not attached to a tire, the barb o-ring  18 ,  20  is pressed against the cap seat  22  that prevents any liquid and/or gas from passing out from the hose through the connector. When the connector is screwed onto a tire, the cap seat  22  moves away from the barb o-ring  18 ,  20  allowing gas or liquid to pass out through the connector and into the tire. A flow  32  of fluid/air from the hose through the barb  16 , connector  10  and core actuator  28  (a conduit) when the connector is open is shown the arrows in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the connector  10  with the screw valve and  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side cross sectional views of the connector of  FIG. 6  showing the connector in the open and closed positions, respectively. The connector  10  in this embodiment has a sealing mechanism  40 , such as a washer, that seals the connection between the connector and the barb to prevents leaks. The cap  14  may further include an inner cap  42  that has an upper opening  44  and also has a sealing device  46 , such as a rubber ball, and a bias member  48 , such as a spring within a cylindrical portion of the barb. The cap has the set of threads  30  that permit the user to thread a tire valve onto the connector. The connector  10  also has a plunger  50  that is freely contained inside the cap, but it is able to move axially inside the cap. The sealing mechanism  26 , such as a rubber washer, is against the tire valve side of the plunger and seals the assembly when attached to the tire valve. The connector  10  may also have a sealing device  52 , such as an O-ring, that is on the lower flange side of the plunger  50  as shown. The sealing device  46  is pushing against the plunger  50  and is contained inside an inner cap. The inner cap  42  is press-fit over a cylindrical extension of the barb  16 . 
         [0016]    The spring  48  and rubber ball  46  form a simple check valve with the barb  16  and inner cap  42 . The washer  40  is press-fit onto both the barb and the cap to hold the assembly together. Alternatively, the cap can be crimped around the washer. In the closed position (when the connector is not attached to a tire) as shown in  FIG. 7A , the sealing device  46  is pressed against the upper opening  44  of the inner cap  42  and seals the connector to prevent gas and/or liquid from passing from the hose through the connector. In the open position (when the connector is screwed onto a tire valve) as shown in  FIG. 7B , the tire valve presses against the sealing device  26  that pushes the plunger  50  towards the rubber ball. The plunger  50  in turn pushes the rubber ball  46  away from the inner cap opening  44  and an opening  54  in the plunger  50  is below the opening  44  (shown in  FIG. 7B ) which forms a conduit and allows gas and/or liquid to pass from the hose through the connector and into a tire valve. 
         [0017]    While the foregoing has been with reference to a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes in this embodiment may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.