Inflation valve for tubeless tires

Abstract

A tire inflation valve having anti-rotation features has an external valve seat, and includes a valve body, a valve stem extending through the length of the valve body, and anti-rotation features disposed interior to the valve body. The valve stem is configured to move relative to the valve body, such that a resilient seating surface disposed at a proximal end of the valve stem is displaced relative to a valve seat formed by an exterior surface of a proximal end of the valve body. The anti-rotation features may include a complementary slot and protrusion, a keyway and complementary protruding ridge, and/or complementary channels and lateral protrusions.

1 . An inflation valve for a tubeless tire, the valve comprising:
 a valve body having a proximal end and an open distal end, and defining an internal cavity; and   a valve stem extending continuously through the internal cavity, such that a threaded end of the valve stem protrudes beyond the open distal end of the valve body;   wherein the proximal end of the valve body comprises a valve seat having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the valve body and a recessed keyway, and a corresponding proximal end of the valve stem includes a valve plug including a resilient seating surface and an elongate protruding ridge configured to be received by the keyway;   wherein the valve is configured to be transitionable between:
 (a) a closed position, in which the resilient seating surface mates with the valve seat and seals the proximal end of the valve body, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a first distance, and 
 (b) an open position, in which the resilient seating surface is spaced from the valve seat, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a second distance less than the first distance; and 
   wherein the keyway and the elongate protruding ridge are configured to collectively restrict rotation of the valve stem when the valve is in use.   
     
     
         2 . The inflation valve of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate protruding ridge is disposed interior to the resilient seating surface. 
     
     
         3 . The inflation valve of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed keyway is disposed interior to the valve seat. 
     
     
         4 . The inflation valve of  claim 3 , wherein the protruding ridge and the keyway are configured to collectively restrict orientation of the valve stem to two positions: (a) a first position, and (b) a second position oriented at a 180° angle with respect to the first position. 
     
     
         5 . The inflation valve of  claim 4 , wherein the protruding ridge has a bulging elliptical profile. 
     
     
         6 . The inflation valve of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient seating surface comprises an O-ring. 
     
     
         7 . The inflation valve of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient seating surface comprises a gasket. 
     
     
         8 . An inflation valve for a tubeless tire, the valve comprising:
 a valve body having a proximal end and an open distal end, defining an internal cavity, and including an elongate recess disposed within the valve body; and   a valve stem extending continuously through the internal cavity, such that a threaded end of the valve stem protrudes beyond the open distal end of the valve body, the valve stem having a radial protrusion extending from the valve stem configured to be received by the elongate recess;   wherein the proximal end of the valve body comprises a valve seat having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the valve body and a circumferential channel receiving a c-clip, and a corresponding proximal end of the valve stem includes a valve plug including a resilient seating surface;   wherein the valve is configured to be transitionable between:
 (a) a closed position, in which the resilient seating surface mates with the valve seat and seals the proximal end of the valve body, the radial protrusion is received by the elongate recess, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a first distance, and 
 (b) an open position, in which the resilient seating surface is spaced from the valve seat, the radial protrusion is directly contacting the c-clip, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a second distance less than the first distance; 
   wherein the elongate recess and the radial protrusion are configured to collectively restrict rotation of the valve stem when the valve is in use; and   wherein the radial protrusion, the elongate recess, and the c-clip are configured to collectively restrict axial movement of the valve stem when the valve is in use.   
     
     
         9 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the circumferential channel is disposed interior to the valve seat. 
     
     
         10 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the radial protrusion and the elongate recess have no more than two axes of symmetry. 
     
     
         11 . The inflation valve of  claim 10 , wherein the radial protrusion and the elongate recess collectively restrict orientation of the valve stem to two positions: (a) a first position, and (b) a second position oriented at a 180° angle with respect to the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the elongate recess has a stadium-shaped profile. 
     
     
         13 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the radial protrusion has a pointed side profile. 
     
     
         14 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the resilient seating surface comprises an O-ring. 
     
     
         15 . The inflation valve of  claim 8 , wherein the resilient seating surface comprises a gasket. 
     
     
         16 . An inflation valve for a tubeless tire, the valve comprising:
 a valve body having a proximal end and an open distal end, and defining an internal cavity, and including at least one interior channel extending a length of the valve body; and   a valve stem extending continuously through the internal cavity, such that a threaded end of the valve stem protrudes beyond the open distal end of the valve body, and including at least one lateral protrusion coupled to an elongate valve shaft of the valve stem;   wherein the proximal end of the valve body comprises a valve seat having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the valve body and a corresponding proximal end of the valve stem includes a resilient seating surface;   wherein the valve is configured to be transitionable between:
 (a) a closed position, in which the resilient seating surface mates with the valve seat and seals the proximal end of the valve body, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a first distance, and 
 (b) an open position, in which the resilient seating surface is spaced from the valve seat, and the threaded end of the valve stem extends beyond the distal end of the valve body by a second distance less than the first distance; 
   wherein the at least one lateral protrusion is configured to be slidably received by the at least one channel; and   wherein the at least one channel and the at least one protrusion are configured to collectively restrict rotation of the valve stem when the valve is in use.   
     
     
         17 . The inflation valve of  claim 16 , wherein the valve stem includes at least two lateral protrusions, and wherein the valve body includes at least two interior channels. 
     
     
         18 . The inflation valve of  claim 17 , wherein each protrusion is equally spaced around the valve stem. 
     
     
         19 . The inflation valve of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one lateral protrusion has an elongate shape, and wherein a long axis of the at least one lateral protrusion extends parallel to an axis defined by the valve stem. 
     
     
         20 . The inflation valve of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one protrusion is disposed closer to the threaded end of the valve stem than to the proximal end of the valve stem.