TIRE INFLATION CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for controlling the pressure of a vehicle tire, comprising:
- a stationary housing having a first and second ports;
a driven member concentric with respect to said housing, said driven member including a first and second passages formed therein;
a seal assembly disposed between said housing and said driven member for placing a respective one of said first and second ports of said housing in fluid communication with a respective one of said first and second passages within said driven member; and
a valve assembly interconnected to said driven member and in fluid communication with said first and second passages for placing one of said first and second passages in fluid communication with a tire on the vehicle.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for controlling the air pressure within one or more tires on a vehicle. Means are provided for controlling air pressure dynamically or manually in response to road conditions. Instrumental in the invention is the ability to control the air pressure at each wheel from a remote location using positive control that substantially reduces the chance leaks anywhere else in the system would result in inadvertent flat tires.
65 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling the pressure of a vehicle tire, comprising:
- a stationary housing having a first and second ports;
a driven member concentric with respect to said housing, said driven member including a first and second passages formed therein;
a seal assembly disposed between said housing and said driven member for placing a respective one of said first and second ports of said housing in fluid communication with a respective one of said first and second passages within said driven member; and
a valve assembly interconnected to said driven member and in fluid communication with said first and second passages for placing one of said first and second passages in fluid communication with a tire on the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20)
- a stationary housing having a first and second ports;
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11. An apparatus for controlling a flow of fluid to and from a tire on a vehicle, comprising in combination an axle housing having a first and second fluid conduits extending through a wall thereof;
- an axle having a first and second fluid passages formed therein journaled within said axle housing;
a seal assembly disposed within said axle housing for providing fluid within said first fluid conduit to said first fluid passage though a first annular passage, and for providing fluid within said second fluid conduit to said second fluid passage through a second annular passage; and
a valve assembly interconnected to said axle and in fluid communication with said first and second passages for placing a tire in fluid communication with one of said first and second passages. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- an axle having a first and second fluid passages formed therein journaled within said axle housing;
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21. An apparatus for controlling a flow of fluid to and from a vehicle tire, comprising in combination a spindle housing having a first and second fluid conduits extending transversely through a wall thereof;
- a spindle having a first and second fluid passages formed therein journaled within said spindle housing;
a seal assembly disposed within said spindle housing for providing fluid within said first fluid conduit to said first fluid passage though a first annular passage, and for providing fluid within said second fluid conduit to said second fluid passage through a second annular passage; and
a valve assembly interconnected to said spindle and in fluid communication with said first and second passages for placing a tire in fluid communication with one of said first and second passages.
- a spindle having a first and second fluid passages formed therein journaled within said spindle housing;
Specification