|
(11) | EP 1 033 205 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Valve core mounting and dismounting tool |
| (57) A tire air valve (core) mounting and dismounting tool (20) includes a tool head portion
(21), a shank portion (22) and a grip portion (23). The tool head portion (21) has
a slot (32) for seizing and holding a valve core head portion (16), an axial bore
(33) for accepting a valve core shaft portion (14) and its enlarged end (14a). The
tool head portion (21) also has annular groove (34) formed along a cylindrical peripheral
surface thereof. Balls (36) are retained in second bores (35) which are open to the
annular groove (34) and also communicate with the axial bore (33) through openings
(37) of a reduced diameter to allow the balls (36) to partially protrude into the
axial bore (33). A coil spring (38) is anchored and fastened in the annular groove
(34) to act to normally bias the ball (36) radially inwards and leave the balls (36)
protruding into the axial bore (33). When the balls (36) are hit and pushed down by
the valve core shaft's enlarged end (14a), the elasticity of the coil spring (38)
allows the balls (36) to move radially outwards, permitting the valve core shaft end
(14a) to move deeper beyond the balls (36) and then permitting the balls (36) to restore
their biased state, thereby holding the valve core shaft end (14a) against moving
back. Thus, the valve core is caught by the tool. |