FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates generally to caps for protecting the exposed ends of air valves on pneumatic tires, and in particular, to a valve cap assembly that removably attaches the cap to the air valve.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

An air valve for a pneumatic tire of a bicycle, automobile, or other wheeled vehicle is used to inflate the tire through a hollow stem extending from the tire to an exposed end. A valve disposed in the end of the stem is opened to flow pressurized air into the tire and then re-closed to retain tire pressure.

An air valve is provided with a removable cap placed over the upper end of the stem to protect the valve during use of the wheeled vehicle. The cap also prevents road dirt and debris from interfering with proper operation of the valve.

Some bicycle tires are typically inflated to 5.5-9.0 Bar (80-130 PSI), which requires at least weekly filling during the riding season. The cap must be removed to inflate the tire. Loss of the cap after inflating the tire is common, whether by misplacing the cap or by forgetting to place the cap back on the air valve.

Caps that are tethered to a wheel spoke or to the air valve of a bicycle are available that reduce the risk of loss of the cap after inflating the tire. See, for example, the tethered cap device disclosed in Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,561. The Wilson cap has protrusions that interact with external threads on the air valve. Protrusions can extend into the valleys between adjacent threads and so make the cap difficult to remove from the air valve.

Yet other known caps may come off the valve stem while the bicycle is being ridden, or have tethers that are too short and stretching the tether requires so much force that the entire cap device may be pulled off the air valve. Thus there is a need for an improved removable valve cap assembly that more reliably retains the cap and the valve cap assembly on the valve stem when riding the bicycle, while still allowing easy placement of the cap on the air valve and easy removal of the cap off the air valve.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Disclosed is a valve cap assembly that is attached to an air valve and includes a cap that removably covers an end of the air valve of a pneumatic wheeled vehicle, a hoop that attaches to the air valve, and a tether joining the cap and the hoop. Both the cap and the hoop include interference features that dependably retain the hoop and cap on the air valve.

The cap includes protrusions that form interference fits with the air valve while the cap is over the end of the air valve. The protrusions extend in a longitudinal direction along the air valve for a distance substantially greater than the interference.

The interference features are deformed by the valve stem to generate forces applied by the cap and the hoop to the stem that resist axial movement of the cap and hoop along the valve stem.

Embodiments of the tether include an arch or curved portion that extends along a side of the air valve when the cap is placed over the end of the air valve but can be stretched or “flattened” to enable the cap to be removed from the air valve or reinstalled onto the air valve.

Other objects and features of the disclosure will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing sheets illustrating one or more illustrative embodiments.

