Inflation system

• US 10,406,869 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aperia Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aperia Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Richardson, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kotter, Kip T
• Application Number:
  US16/184,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20190143765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/004 the control being done on the wheel, e.g. using a wheel-mounted reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/126 the pumps being mounted on the wheel rims
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/127 the pumps being mounted on the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/129 the pumps being mounted on wheel spokes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/1452 heat extracted from the humid air for condensing is returned to the dried air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1411 by absorbing or adsorbing water, e.g. using an hygroscopic desiccant
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/153 with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature

Abstract

The inflation system includes a pump and a dehumidifier fluidly connected between the pump and a reservoir, such as a tire.

Claims

1. An inflation system comprising:

a pump mounted on a wheel, the pump fluidly connected to a tire mounted on the wheel;

a dehumidifier mounted on the wheel and fluidly connected between the pump and the tire; and

a regeneration system mounted on the wheel and selectively fluidly connecting the dehumidifier and the tire to purge the dehumidifier with working fluid from the tire.

2. The inflation system of claim 1, wherein the dehumidifier comprises desiccant.

3. The inflation system of claim 2, wherein the regeneration system further comprises a heating element thermally connected to the dehumidifier.

4. The inflation system of claim 3, further comprising a control system connected to the regeneration system that controls dehumidifier purging and controls the heating element to heat the dehumidifier during dehumidifier purging, based on operation parameters of the dehumidifier.

5. An inflation system for a tire mounted to a wheel, the inflation system comprising:

a housing configured to mount to the wheel;

a pump mounted to the housing;

a tire connector connected to the pump by a fluid path, the tire connector mounted to the housing and configured to connect to the tire; and

a dehumidifier, arranged within the fluid path between the pump and the tire connector, that is mounted to the housing.

6. The inflation system of claim 5, wherein the dehumidifier comprises desiccant.

7. The inflation system of claim 5, further comprising a second dehumidifier, separate and distinct from the dehumidifier, that is connected to the fluid path downstream of the pump and upstream of the dehumidifier.

8. The inflation system of claim 5, further comprising a regeneration system connected to the dehumidifier, the regeneration system is configured to mount to the wheel.

9. The inflation system of claim 8, wherein the regeneration system comprises:

a regeneration valve connected between the dehumidifier and the tire connector; and

a control system that controls operation of the regeneration valve to selectively fluidly connect the dehumidifier to the tire and selectively purge the dehumidifier with working fluid from the tire.

10. The inflation system of claim 8, wherein the regeneration system comprises a heating element thermally connected to the dehumidifier.

11. The inflation system of claim 5, further comprising a condensation valve fluidly connected to the dehumidifier and arranged along a radially outward portion of the housing.

12. A method for dynamically adjusting tire pressure of a tire mounted to a wheel using an inflation system statically mounted to and configured to rotate with the wheel, the inflation system including a pump and a dehumidifier connected to the pump, the method comprising:

during pump rotation with the wheel, pressurizing a working fluid with the pump to generate pressurized working fluid;

dehumidifying the pressurized working fluid with the dehumidifier, during dehumidifier rotation with the wheel, to generate dehumidified working fluid; and

providing the dehumidified working fluid to the tire.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising regenerating the dehumidifier during pump rotation with the wheel, wherein regenerating the dehumidifier comprises purging the dehumidifier.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein regenerating the dehumidifier further comprises heating the dehumidifier with a heating element of the system, wherein the dehumidifier comprises a desiccant of the inflation system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein purging the dehumidifier comprises purging the dehumidifier with working fluid from the tire.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising cooling the working fluid from the tire prior to purging the dehumidifier.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the dehumidifier is regenerated in response to a set of operation parameters of the dehumidifier satisfying a regeneration condition.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the regeneration condition comprises an estimated humidity of dehumidified working fluid output by the dehumidifier exceeding a threshold humidity.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressurized working fluid is at a tire pressure for the tire.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

condensing liquid out of the working fluid before dehumidifying the pressurized working fluid; and

purging the liquid from the system.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising selectively partially deflating the tire prior to pressurizing the working fluid.