Inflatable wheel assembly

• US 20050081973A1
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Big Dutchman International GmbH (CAL GmbH & Co. KG), Messier-Bugatti (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Messier-Bugatti (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Marin-Martinod, Thierry
• Application Number:
  US10/500,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/415
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/004 the control being done on the wheel, e.g. using a wheel-mounted reservoir

Abstract

A wheel assembly for a vehicle, includes a wheel rim (16) and a tire (18) defining a closed space (30) therebetween which is filled with a pressurized gas. The inventive wheel assembly also includes a pressurized-gas reservoir (40) and elements (50) for selectively connecting the pressurized-gas reservoir (40) to the closed space (30) defined between the wheel rim (16) and the tire (18). The pressurized-gas reservoir (40) is rotationally fixed to the wheel rim (16).

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A vehicle wheel assembly comprising a rim (16) and a tire (18) defining between them a closed space (30) filled with gas under pressure, a reservoir (40) of gas under pressure, and means (50) for selectively connecting the reservoir (40) of gas under pressure to the closed space (30) defined between the rim (16) and the tire (18), wherein the reservoir (40) of gas under pressure is constrained to rotate with the rim (16), and wherein the reservoir (40) is disposed in the annular space (30) defined between the tire (18) and the rim (16).

13. A wheel assembly according to claim 12, wherein the reservoir (40) is filled with nitrogen.

14. A wheel assembly according to claim 12, including a control unit (54) connected to the means (50) for selectively connecting the gas reservoir (40) to the closed space (30) to switch them between an open state and a closed state.

15. A wheel assembly according to claim 14, including a sensor (80) for measuring the pressure inside said closed space (30), and wherein said control unit (54) is adapted to switch said connection means (50) as a function of the pressure in said closed space (30).

16. A wheel assembly according to claim 14, including a temperature sensor (82), and wherein said control unit (54) is adapted to switch said connection means (50) as a function of the temperature measured by the sensor (82).

17. A wheel assembly according to claim 12, wherein said control unit (54) comprises:

a remote data processor unit (68) that does not rotate with the rim (16);

a controller (62) for controlling the means (50) for selectively connecting the reservoir (40) to the closed space (30), said controller (62) being constrained to rotate with the rim (16); and

complementary wireless communications means (64, 66, 72, 74;

122, 124) connected firstly to said data processor unit (68) and secondly to said controller (62) to transmit commands from said data processor unit (68) to the controller (62).

18. A wheel assembly according to claim 17, including a pressure and/or temperature sensor (80, 82) inside said closed space and complementary wireless communications means (64, 66, 72, 74;

122, 124) connected firstly to the or each sensor (80, 82) and secondly to said data processor unit (68) for transmitting the measured values from the or each sensor (80, 82) to said data processor unit (68).

19. A wheel assembly according to claim 17, wherein said complementary communications means comprise a rotary transformer (120) comprising two windings (122, 124) mounted to rotate relative to each other, one of the windings (122) being constrained to rotate with-the rim (16).

20. A wheel assembly according to claim 17, wherein said complementary communications means comprise two antennas (66, 74) one of which is constrained to rotate with the rim (16) and the other of which is connected to the data processor unit (68) and does not rotate with the rim (16), being situated remotely therefrom.

21. A wheel assembly according to claim 14, including means (56) for selectively venting said closed space (30), said means being connected to said control unit (54) to cause them to switch between an open state and a closed state.

22. A wheel assembly according to claim 21, wherein said means (50) for selectively connecting the reservoir (40) to said closed space (30) and said means (56) for selectively venting said closed space (30) comprise a three-port valve (100) with a first port (102) connected to said closed space (30), a second port (104) connected to the reservoir (40), and the third port (106) connected to the atmosphere, the valve (100) including a selector (108) movable between a first position in which all three ports are closed, a second position in which the first and second ports (102, 104) are put into communication, while the third port (106) is closed, and a third position in which the first and third ports (102, 106) are put into communication, while the second port (104) is closed.