Big Inflation Valve

[markchatwin]

Just had a chance to pump up the 2013 Zephyr with Ozone's inflation system. While it was certainly easier than my 2010 Zephyr with the normal small valve I preferred the 2014 North system as it's an even bigger stream of air going through the end of the hose plus the hose end locks in whereas with Ozone you just shove the hose adaptor in and it can blow out...

[zerogee_ca]

The Core Speed valves use camlocks for the pump connection and cap. It provides a secure connection to the pump and cap with no threads to strip. Just connect the pump hose directly to the nozzle without a tip. No tips to lose. I just use it with a Cabrinha pump too. No issues with use in our powder fine sand or our coarse sand beaches. Both the cap and the valve need to fail in order for this nozzle to fail.

It does require the use of an attached deflate thingy to hold open the valve for deflation. There is a minor drawback with their setup in colder temperatures. If you don't remove the deflate thingy after packing, the valve keeps that shape in the colder air and no longer seals making pumping up more difficult. However, the seal does return to shape once warmed up with the thingy removed.

[Megabear]

Assuming they have to spend time designing one and then making up injection molds... yes. If they're buying the rights to use a patented item... yes.

Seing as price doesn´t seem to be a large issue for Dimitri M (Epic kites) what do you base this on ?

What would the cost of buying the rights to use a patented item be? (Dimitri feel free to answer as well)

[Kamikuza]

Assuming they have to spend time designing one and then making up injection molds... yes. If they're buying the rights to use a patented item... yes.

Seing as price doesn´t seem to be a large issue for Dimitri M (Epic kites) what do you base this on ?

What would the cost of buying the rights to use a patented item be? (Dimitri feel free to answer as well)

My fertile imagination...

The following is versus just buying the regular ol' stick-on valves that surely cost a couple of bucks in bulk.

Assuming that "high flow" valves ARE patented then you'll have to research and design your own unique product, prototype and test, then put into production. I seem to remember the cost of setting up injection molding parts as being exceptionally expensive, although the cost per unit is very low... long ago, I had a chat with a guy in the business and he said that it cost $20,000 to set up the mold but the actual cost of the finished product was only 5 cents. That's a completely random and unrelated example though.

I guess buying rights to use a patent would be between the companies, but I don't imagine it would be any cheaper...

Time for a collective? A bunch of companies design an item of exceptional quality and functionality, spread the costs and put it on multiple brands...? Rather than just peeking over shoulders at The Factory in China....

[Tiago1973]

would be surprised if there is not an off-the-shelf version of these valves from some chinese maker

[Caesar]

would be surprised if there is not an off-the-shelf version of these valves from some chinese maker

There are plenty of them...
Just have a look at rubber dinghies. Don't believe they all do their own mold.
Those valves are widely available.

Cheers
Caesar

[Johnny Rotten]

The physicists and engineers out there can correct me if I'm wrong, but the amount of air you are moving inside the pump cylinder is exactly the same regardless of the nozzle size.

So a kite that takes 60 strokes to pump up with a small valve will still take 60 strokes with a large valve. May take less effort, but the same amount of pumping.

Right?

Not to worry, the sales and marketing guys will surely correct you even though you are RIGHT...

[kitenico]

I acctualy prefer small valves, personally i think big valves let sand enter to the bladder, also taking air out when doing self rescues is more difficult

[saltire]

I acctualy prefer small valves, personally i think big valves let sand enter to the bladder, also taking air out when doing self rescues is more difficult

Why would bigger valves let sand into the bladder;s , well they might if you dont watch what you are doing , and as for taking air out whilst doing self rescue's it aint a problem the pro's for big valves far outweigh the negatives.

[Kamikuza]

would be surprised if there is not an off-the-shelf version of these valves from some chinese maker

There are plenty of them...
Just have a look at rubber dinghies. Don't believe they all do their own mold.
Those valves are widely available.

Cheers
Caesar

There we go then... so what's the hold up?