System for tire inflation
First Claim
1. A system for tire inflation comprising:
- a housing configured to couple to a wheel;
a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, the drive mechanism comprising;
an eccentric mass, rotatable about the rotational axis, that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector;
a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, the pump comprising;
a chamber defining a chamber lumen; and
a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis normal to the rotational axis;
a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position radially distal the rotational axis and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element;
an electric motor, comprising;
a rotor connected to the eccentric mass, anda stator concentrically arranged with the rotor, the stator rotatably coupled to the rotor and statically mounted to the housing; and
a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism and configured to cooperatively, with the electric motor, operate the system between at least a pumping mode and a freewheeling mode, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electric motor to supply a first torque to the eccentric mass and thereby maintain a substantially constant angle between a gravity vector and the radial vector in the pumping mode, and is configured to operate the electric motor to supply a second torque to the eccentric mass and thereby maintain a relative angular velocity between the eccentric mass and the primary pump about the rotational axis substantially equal to zero in the freewheeling mode.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for tire inflation including a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, including an eccentric mass that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector; a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, including a chamber defining a chamber lumen, and a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis; a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element; a torque regulation mechanism; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism; wherein the system is operable between at least a first mode and a second mode by the torque regulation mechanism in cooperation with the controller.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for tire inflation comprising:
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a housing configured to couple to a wheel; a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, the drive mechanism comprising; an eccentric mass, rotatable about the rotational axis, that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector; a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, the pump comprising; a chamber defining a chamber lumen; and a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis normal to the rotational axis; a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position radially distal the rotational axis and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element; an electric motor, comprising; a rotor connected to the eccentric mass, and a stator concentrically arranged with the rotor, the stator rotatably coupled to the rotor and statically mounted to the housing; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism and configured to cooperatively, with the electric motor, operate the system between at least a pumping mode and a freewheeling mode, wherein the controller is configured to operate the electric motor to supply a first torque to the eccentric mass and thereby maintain a substantially constant angle between a gravity vector and the radial vector in the pumping mode, and is configured to operate the electric motor to supply a second torque to the eccentric mass and thereby maintain a relative angular velocity between the eccentric mass and the primary pump about the rotational axis substantially equal to zero in the freewheeling mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for tire inflation comprising:
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a housing configured to couple to a wheel; a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, comprising; an eccentric mass that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector, the eccentric mass rotatable about the rotational axis; a drive coupler having a first and second end, the first end coupled to the drive mechanism radially distal the rotational axis; a reciprocating pump coupled to the second end of the drive coupler; an electric motor statically mounted to the housing and selectively engaged with the eccentric mass and drive coupler, the electric motor configured to apply a controllable torque to the eccentric mass, the electric motor further configured to mechanically engage the eccentric mass and the drive coupler in a first mode, and mechanically disengage the eccentric mass and the drive coupler in a second mode; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the electric motor, the controller configured to operate the system between; the first mode, wherein the controller controls the electric motor to supply a first torque to the eccentric mass, such that the electric motor maintains the eccentric mass at a substantially constant non-zero angle between a gravity vector and the radial vector; and the second mode, wherein the controller controls the electric motor to supply a second torque to the eccentric mass, such that the electric motor maintains the eccentric mass at a substantially zero angle between the gravity vector and the radial vector. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification