Tire inflation system
First Claim
1. A tire inflation system that couples to a wheel of a vehicle, the tire inflation system comprising:
- a pumping ring that rotates with the wheel;
a positioning system with a center of rotation, rotatably coupled to the wheel, the pumping ring and positioning system defining an annular channel therebetween, the positioning system comprising;
a positioning mechanism with a first bearing surface, wherein the center of rotation of the positioning system is the center of rotation of the positioning mechanism; and
,an eccentric mass, coupled to the positioning mechanism, that offsets the center of mass of the positioning system from the center of rotation of the positioning system;
a planetary roller disposed within the annular channel in non-slip contact with the first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface being a radial surface of the pumping ring proximal the positioning mechanism;
a flexible diaphragm disposed along a radial surface of the pumping ring and defining a pump cavity, wherein successive sections of the pump cavity are occluded by deformation of the diaphragm by the pumping ring.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire inflation system that couples to the wheel of a vehicle, the tire inflation system including a pumping ring that rotates with the wheel; a positioning system rotatably coupled to the wheel, the positioning system including a positioning mechanism and an eccentric mass; a planetary roller disposed in non-slip contact with the pumping ring and the positioning system; and a flexible diaphragm that defines a pump cavity, wherein relative motion between the pumping ring and positioning system is translated by the planetary roller into an occluding force that deforms the diaphragm to occlude the pump cavity. Relative motion between the pumping ring and the positioning system is achieved by coupling the eccentric mass to the positioning mechanism to offset the center of mass of the positioning system from the center of rotation of the positioning system.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A tire inflation system that couples to a wheel of a vehicle, the tire inflation system comprising:
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a pumping ring that rotates with the wheel; a positioning system with a center of rotation, rotatably coupled to the wheel, the pumping ring and positioning system defining an annular channel therebetween, the positioning system comprising; a positioning mechanism with a first bearing surface, wherein the center of rotation of the positioning system is the center of rotation of the positioning mechanism; and
,an eccentric mass, coupled to the positioning mechanism, that offsets the center of mass of the positioning system from the center of rotation of the positioning system; a planetary roller disposed within the annular channel in non-slip contact with the first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface being a radial surface of the pumping ring proximal the positioning mechanism; a flexible diaphragm disposed along a radial surface of the pumping ring and defining a pump cavity, wherein successive sections of the pump cavity are occluded by deformation of the diaphragm by the pumping ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A tire inflation system, couplable to a wheel of a vehicle, wherein the wheel rotates to roll along a road surface, the tire inflation system comprising:
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a cylindrical positioning mechanism rotatably coupled to the wheel, the positioning mechanism having a first bearing surface; an eccentric mass, coupled by a lever arm to the longitudinal axis of the positioning mechanism, wherein the eccentric mass maintains a constant angular position of the positioning mechanism relative to the road surface during wheel rotation; a pumping ring that rotates with the wheel, wherein the pumping ring is concentric about the positioning mechanism; a planetary roller in non-slip contact with the first bearing surface and a second bearing surface, wherein the second bearing surface is an inner radial surface of the pumping ring; a flexible diaphragm disposed along the second bearing surface and defining a pump cavity, wherein the planetary roller applies an occluding force against the diaphragm, wherein the occluding force deforms the diaphragm against the pumping ring and occludes the pump cavity; an actuator strip, disposed between the flexible diaphragm and the planetary roller, that distributes the occluding force over a section of the diaphragm, wherein the portion of the actuator strip contacting the diaphragm substantially compliments a pump cavity groove profile.
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Specification