Automated vehicle tire pressurization system
First Claim
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1. A system for automated pressurization of pneumatic tires for a vehicle comprising:
- pump means, operatively connected to and energized by the vehicle, for providing a continuous output of pressurized air;
mode selector means, having a first, second and third selectable operating modes corresponding to charging, pressure maintenance and venting of the tires, respectively, for permitting operator selection of the system operating mode;
pneumatic control circuit means, interconnected among the pump means, the mode selector means and the vehicle tires and responsive to the selected operating mode of the mode selector means, for enabling tire charging in the first mode, and tire ventilation in the third mode; and
wherein said mode selector means comprises means for diverting said continuous output to bypass said pneumatic control circuit means and closing said pneumatic control circuit means in said second mode, whereby the vehicle tires and the pneumatic control circuit means are pneumatically isolated from said continuous output of said pump in said second mode.
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Abstract
A system for automated pressurization of pneumatic tires includes an air pump which is driven by the vehicle engine and provides a continuous output of pressurized air. The pressurized air can either be routed to the tires or vented to the atmosphere under control of a manually-actuated selector valve having inflate, neutral and deflate modes of operation. A second selector valve can be set to designate which of the vehicle tires are to be inflated or deflated.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for automated pressurization of pneumatic tires for a vehicle comprising:
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pump means, operatively connected to and energized by the vehicle, for providing a continuous output of pressurized air; mode selector means, having a first, second and third selectable operating modes corresponding to charging, pressure maintenance and venting of the tires, respectively, for permitting operator selection of the system operating mode; pneumatic control circuit means, interconnected among the pump means, the mode selector means and the vehicle tires and responsive to the selected operating mode of the mode selector means, for enabling tire charging in the first mode, and tire ventilation in the third mode; and wherein said mode selector means comprises means for diverting said continuous output to bypass said pneumatic control circuit means and closing said pneumatic control circuit means in said second mode, whereby the vehicle tires and the pneumatic control circuit means are pneumatically isolated from said continuous output of said pump in said second mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for automated pressurization of pneumatic tires for a vehicle comprising:
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pump means, operatively connected to and energized by the vehicle, for providing a continuous output of pressurized air; mechanically actuated, pneumatic mode selector means, having first, second and third selectable operating modes corresponding to charging, pressure maintenance and venting of the tires, respectively, for permitting operator selection of the system operating mode; wholly pneumatic control circuit means, interconnected among the pump means, the mode selector means and the vehicle tires and responsive to the selected operating mode of the mode selector means, for enabling tire charging in the first mode, and tire ventilation in the third mode; and conduit means for coupling said mode selector means in fluid communication with said control circuit means through a single passageway. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification