Inflation and deflation of a tire in rotation

• US 4,922,984 A
• Filed: 07/13/1988
• Issued: 05/08/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
• Original Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
• Inventors: Lescoffit, Claude, Dosjoub, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Ball, Michael W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/218,557
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 152/415, 152/418, 152/419, 152/420, 152/421, 152/422, 152/423, 152/427, 152/509, 152/510, 152/511, 417/229, 417/231, 417/233, 417/474, 417/476, 418/45
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/126 the pumps being mounted on the wheel rims
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/135 activated due to tyre deformation
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 45/08 having peristaltic action

Abstract

To assure inflation of a tire 2 during its rotation, a hose 3 is placed onhe inside periphery of rim 1. A pressure roller 5, solid with the wheel carrier and therefore non-rotatable, causes a local reduction in the section of hose 3. During rotation of tire 2, air is forced from an orifice 31 forming an air intake, to an inside volume 20 of tire 2, via a check valve 4. To provide deflation, a roller rests on a pusher which controls the opening of valve 4.

Claims

1. A device for inflating a rotating tire, comprising:

a deformable hose mounted for rotation with a tire, said hose being arranged at least in part substantially along an arc of a circle and coaxial with the tire, said hose having one open end in communication with atmospheric pressure and another open end in communication with a gas pressure of a volume inside the tire;

means activatable for selectively locally reducing the sectional area of the hose when the tire is mounted on a vehicle, said reducing means being stationary relative to the rotation of the tire; and

check valve means connected between said another end for said hose and the volume inside the tire for permitting gas flow only from said hose to the volume inside the tire,

whereby a rotation of the tire causes a local reduction in the sectional area of said hose to move along the length of said hose and compress air therein when said reducing means is active, the compressed air pressure being transferrable to the volume inside the tire via said another open end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the tire is mounted on a rim and said hose is at least partially fastened to a radially inside periphery of the rim.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for locally reducing comprise a presser roller and means for moving said presser roller between an active position in contact with said hose for locally reducing the sectional area thereof and a rest position out of contact with said hose.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the tire is mounted on a rim having an annular support element which extends into the volume inside the tire, wherein said hose is fixed adjacent a radially outer surface of the support element, whereby an inner surface of the tread locally reduces the sectional area of the hose when the tire is deflated.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said means for locally reducing comprise a presser roller and means for moving said presser roller between an active position in contact with said hose for locally reducing the sectional area thereof and a rest position out of contact with said hose.

6. A device for inflating and deflating a rotating tire mounted on a rim, comprising:

a deformable hose fastened to a radially inside periphery of the rim, said hose being arranged at least in part substantially along an arc of a circle and coaxial with the tire, said hose having one open end in communication with atmospheric pressure and another open end in communication with a gas pressure of a volume inside the tire;

means activatable for selectively locally reducing the sectional area of the hose when the tire is mounted on a vehicle, said reducing means being stationary relative to the rotation of the tire; and

check valve means connected between said another end of said hose and the volume inside the tire for permitting gas flow only from said hose to the volume inside the tire, whereby a rotation of the tire causes a local reduction in the sectional area of said hose to move along the length of said hose and compress air therein when said reducing means is active, the compressed air pressure being transferable to the volume inside the tire via said another open end;

an orifice formed in the rim at said another open end for communicating said volume inside the tire with said hose;

a pusher element extending through said rim in a gas tight manner, said pusher element having one end communicating with the volume inside the tire and including means for selectively closing said orifice, said pusher element being mounted to the rim for movement between a first position wherein said means for selectively closing closes said orifice and a second position wherein said means for selectively closing opens said orifice, said pusher element having another end outside the tire;

a cam mounted to said another end of the pusher element; and

presser means mounted stationarily relative to the rotation of the tire and activatable for selectively engaging said cam and moving said pusher element to said second position to deflate the tire;

wherein said check valve comprises said means for selectively closing said orifice.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said means for locally reducing comprise a presser roller and means for moving said presser roller between an active position in contact with said hose for locally reducing the sectional area thereof and a rest position out of contact with said hose.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein said cam comprises a resilient blade having ends resting on the rim, said blade comprising means for biasing said pusher element into said first position.