FAILURE TOLERANT TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A failure tolerant tire inflation system for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure in one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system, the system comprising:
- a tire inflation valve communicable with a source of pressurized air;
a tire selector valve assembly communicating with said tire inflation valve for selectively communicating air from said tire inflation valve with the vehicle tires;
a plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies, each of said assemblies communicating with at least one of the tires and selectively communicating with said tire selector valve assembly;
a controller for selectively activating and deactivating said tire inflation valve to open and close said valve, said tire selector valve assembly and said plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies to sequentially check the air pressure in the tires and direct air from said tire inflation valve to any tire in which the checked air pressure was below said predetermined target level; and
means operatively connected to said controller for detecting the pressure level within a tire upon the opening of a pressure difference reduction valve assembly communicating with said tire and communicating said pressure level to said controller.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A failure tolerant tire inflation system for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a pressure drop in one or more of the tires below a predetermined level. The system includes a tire inflation valve communicable with the source of pressurized air, a tire selector valve assembly for selectively communicating air from the tire inflation valve with the vehicle tires, a plurality of valve assemblies each communicating with at least one tire and selectively communicating with the tire selector valve assembly. A controller selectively activates and deactivates the tire inflation valve and valve assemblies to sequentially check the pressure in the tires and direct air to any underinflated tire. A transducer is provided for detecting the tire pressure levels upon the opening of the valve assembly communicating with that tire and communicating the underinflated condition to the controller.
23 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A failure tolerant tire inflation system for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure in one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system, the system comprising:
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a tire inflation valve communicable with a source of pressurized air; a tire selector valve assembly communicating with said tire inflation valve for selectively communicating air from said tire inflation valve with the vehicle tires; a plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies, each of said assemblies communicating with at least one of the tires and selectively communicating with said tire selector valve assembly; a controller for selectively activating and deactivating said tire inflation valve to open and close said valve, said tire selector valve assembly and said plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies to sequentially check the air pressure in the tires and direct air from said tire inflation valve to any tire in which the checked air pressure was below said predetermined target level; and means operatively connected to said controller for detecting the pressure level within a tire upon the opening of a pressure difference reduction valve assembly communicating with said tire and communicating said pressure level to said controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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19. A failure tolerant tire inflation system for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure in one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system, the system comprising:
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a tire inflation valve communicable with a source of pressurized air; a first valve assembly communicating with said tire inflation valve for selectively communicating air from said tire inflation valve with said tires; a plurality of second valve assemblies, each of said assemblies communicating with at least one of the tires and selectively communicating with said first valve assembly; means for detecting the pressure level within a tire upon the opening of a second valve assembly communicating with said tire; and a controller operatively connected to said tire inflation valve, said first valve assembly and to said pressure level detecting means, said controller activating said tire inflation valve and said first valve assembly to open and close said plurality of second valve assemblies and sequentially communicating said means with each of said tires to detect the air pressure levels therein and upon said means detecting an air pressure in one or more of said tires below said predetermined target level, and identifying said one or more tires to said controller, said controller communicates said tire inflation valve with said one or more tires to effect air flow from said tire inflation valve to said one or more tires to inflate said one or more tires to said predetermined target level.
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21. A failure tolerant tire inflation system for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure in one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system and wherein the vehicle tires are comprised of a plurality of pairs of tandem tires, the system comprising:
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a tire inflation valve communicable with a source of pressurized air; a tire selector valve assembly communicating with said tire inflation valve for selectively communicating air from said tire inflation valve with the vehicle tires; a plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies, each of said assemblies communicating with at least one of the tires and selectively communicating with at least one tire selector valve assembly; a plurality of rotary union assemblies, each of said rotary union assembly selectively communicating with a tire selector valve assembly and with a pair of said pressure difference reduction valve assemblies, said pressure difference reduction valve assembly in each of said pairs thereof selectively communicating with one tire in each of said pair of tandem tires; a controller for selectively activating and deactivating said tire inflation valve to open and close said valve, said tire selector valve assembly and said plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies to sequentially check the air pressure in the tires and direct air from said tire inflation valve to any tire in which the checked air pressure was below said predetermined target level; and means operatively connected to said controller for detecting the pressure level within a tire upon the opening of a pressure difference reduction valve assembly communicating with said tire and communicating said pressure level to said controller. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure of one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system, the method comprising:
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delivering air at a first predetermined pressure level to a tire inflation valve; sequentially communicating a pressure level detecting means with each said tire; selectively communicating the tire inflation valve with any tire in which the air pressure level was detected by said means was to be below said predetermined target level and activating the tire inflation valve to inflate the tire to the predetermined target level; and closing the tire inflation valve and communicating a tire deflation valve with any tire in which the air pressure level was detected by said means to be above said predetermined target level and activating the tire deflation valve to deflate the tire to the predetermined target level.
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26. A method for supplying pressurized air from an onboard source to the vehicle tires in the event of a drop in pressure of one or more of the tires below a predetermined target level or a failure of the system, the method comprising:
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delivering air at a first predetermined pressure level to a tire inflation valve; selectively communicating the tire inflation valve with a tire selector valve assembly; sequentially communicating the tire selector valve assembly with said tires through one of a plurality of pressure difference reduction valve assemblies; sequentially opening and closing each of said pressure difference reduction valve assemblies and checking the pressure level within the tires while the pressure difference reduction valve assembly communicating with the tire being checked is in an open disposition; communicating the tire selector valve assembly with said tire inflation valve and with any tire in which the air pressure level therein was detected by said means to be below said predetermined target level; and activating the tire inflation valve to direct air from said tire inflation valve to said any tire detected by said means to be below said predetermined target level and inflating said any tire to said predetermined target level. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification