High volume air valve for a tire bead tool
A valve assembly includes a body structure having a proximal inlet tube and a distal outlet tube separated by a valve cylinder portion, a flow control valve situated in the valve cylinder portion, the flow control valve including a valve plug and an actuator shaft, and an actuation control pivotally mounted to the body structure, wherein rotational movement of the actuation control exerts an axial force against the actuator shaft to move the valve plug through the valve cylinder portion and open fluid communication between the proximal inlet tube and the distal outlet tube. A bead seating system includes means for establishing fluid communication between a container of pressurized fluid and a valve assembly, means for transferring rotational movement of a actuation control pivotally mounted on the valve assembly into an axial force, means for establishing fluid communication between the container and a bead seating tool via the valve assembly.
1. A valve assembly comprising:
a body structure including a proximal inlet tube and a distal outlet tube separated by a valve cylinder portion;
a flow control valve situated in the valve cylinder portion, the flow control valve including a valve plug and an actuator shaft; and
an actuation control pivotally mounted to the body structure, wherein rotational movement of the actuation control exerts an axial force against the actuator shaft to move the valve plug through the valve cylinder portion and open fluid communication between the proximal inlet tube and the distal outlet tube,
wherein the flow control valve is positioned so that an angle formed between a central longitudinal axis of the flow control valve and a central longitudinal axis defined by the proximal inlet tube is less than 90 degrees; and wherein the distal outlet tube defines a second central axis, the central longitudinal axis and the second central axis being parallel and offset from each other in a longitudinal direction.
2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a container for storage of a pressurized fluid, the container configured to communicate with the proximal inlet tube.
3. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a force generator; and
a valve cap, wherein the force generator is mounted between the valve plug and the valve cap and exerts a closing force on the valve plug to prevent fluid communication between the proximal inlet tube and the distal outlet tube except when the axial force against the actuator shaft due to the rotational movement of the actuation control exceeds a predetermined threshold.
4. The valve assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the valve cylinder portion has a threaded upper portion for receiving an externally threaded portion of the valve cap.
5. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the valve cylinder portion includes an upper valve chamber having a first internal diameter and a lower valve chamber having a second internal diameter smaller than the first internal diameter of the upper valve chamber, a step being formed at a junction of the concentrically arranged upper and lower valve chambers.
6. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the valve plug is slidably arranged inside the upper valve chamber and the actuator shaft extends through the lower valve chamber to abut the actuation control.
7. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the step is beveled and the valve plug has a beveled lower surface for creating an air tight seal when seated against the beveled step.
8. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal inlet tube has a first end and a second end, the first end formed with an expanded, internally threaded female portion and the second end opening into the valve cylinder portion.
9. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the distal outlet tube has an open outlet end and an opposite end, the open outlet end formed with an expanded, internally threaded female portion and the opposite end opening into the valve cylinder portion.
10. The valve assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the opposite end of the distal outlet tube opens into the valve cylinder at a diametrically opposed side of the valve cylinder portion from where the second end of the proximal inlet tube opens into the valve cylinder.
11. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the valve cylinder portion is integrally formed at an angle to the substantially parallel and offset first and second axes so that the actuator shaft extends from the valve cylinder portion to abut the actuation control near where the actuation control is pivotally mounted to the body structure.
12. The valve assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the body structure includes a frame extension resembling a D-bracket, the frame extension being connected near an open end of each of the proximal inlet tube distal outlet tube.
13. The valve assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the frame extension has a first end connected near the open end of the proximal inlet tube and a second end connected near the open end of the distal outlet tube, and wherein the actuation control is an s-shaped handle having a distal portion, a middle portion, and a rear grip portion, the distal portion being pivotally mounted to the second end of the frame extension.
14. The valve assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the rear grip portion of the handle is received in a recess formed in the first end of the frame extension.