Passive pressure regulation mechanism

• US 9,121,401 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aperia Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aperia Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Richardson, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertheaud, Peter J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Plakkoottam, Dominick L
• Application Number:
  US14/020,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20140000756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 417/211, 417/221, 417/231, 417/233
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/001 Devices for manually or automatically controlling or distributing tyre pressure whilst the vehicle is moving
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/127 the pumps being mounted on the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/137 comprising cam driven pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/043 characterised by the inflation control means or the drive of the air pressure system
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 3/06 using pendulums
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 35/01 the means being mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/08 Regulating by delivery pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/04 the means being cams, eccentrics or pin-and-slot mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/042 the means being cams
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 25/00 Adaptations of pumps for special use of pumps for elastic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/1485 the rotation being unlimited with respect to driving means with a fluid connection between inertia member and rotating driving means F16F15/167
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/08 for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion F16H23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/00 Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/18 Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g. with turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86002 Fluid pressure responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2107 Follower
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2117 Power generating-type flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2128 Damping using swinging masses, e.g., pendulum type, etc.

Abstract

A pump system including a drive mechanism that provides a pumping force, a primary pump including a first pump cavity, an actuating element in reciprocal relation with the first pump cavity, and an outlet fluidly connected to a reservoir, a force translator that facilitates pump force transfer from the drive mechanism to the actuating element, a pressure regulation mechanism including a reciprocating pump that includes a pump chamber including an inlet manifold fluidly connected to the reservoir, a valve located within the inlet manifold, and a reciprocating element in reciprocal relation with the pump chamber. The pressure regulation mechanism preferably passively ceases force transfer from the drive mechanism to the primary pump based on the pressure of the reservoir.

Claims

1. An energy extraction system that extracts energy from a rotating surface having a normal vector at a non-zero angle to a gravity vector, the system comprising:

an extraction mechanism configured to statically mount to the rotating surface;

an eccentric mass operable between;

a rotating mode, wherein the extraction mechanism rotates relative to the eccentric mass during rotating surface rotation and extracts energy from the relative rotation; and

a non-rotating mode, wherein the extraction mechanism is static relative to the eccentric mass during rotating surface rotation and ceases energy extraction.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a force element that selectively fixes an angular position of the eccentric mass in the non-rotating mode to an angular position of the extraction mechanism relative to the gravity vector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the force element comprises a friction element.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the extraction mechanism comprises a pump comprising an actuating element reciprocally coupled to a chamber, the pump operable in an extraction mode, wherein the actuating element is operable between a first position and a second position in the extraction mode.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an drive component statically connected to the eccentric mass and configured to move the actuating element between the first and second positions based on an angular position of the extraction mechanism relative to the eccentric mass.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a force element that statically fixes the eccentric mass to the extraction mechanism in the non-rotating mode.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the force element applies a radial force against the drive component in the non-rotating mode sufficient to cease eccentric mass rotation relative to the extraction mechanism.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the force element is coupled to the drive component in the rotating mode, wherein the force element is connected to the actuating element and translates the angular position of the extraction mechanism relative to the eccentric mass into a varying force applied to the actuating element in the rotating mode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the drive component comprises a cam with an arcuate bearing surface having non-uniform curvature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the force element comprises a roller having a rotation axis fixed to the actuating element, the roller configured to roll along the arcuate bearing surface, wherein the pump is further operable in a pressurized mode wherein the actuating element is operable in a third position further from a chamber end than the first and second positions, wherein the eccentric mass is placed in the non-rotating mode in response to pump operation in the pressurized mode.

11. A tire inflation system configured to mount to a wheel supporting the tire, the system comprising:

a pump configured to statically mount to the wheel and configured to rotate about a revolution axis;

a counterweight offset from the revolution axis and rotatably coupled to the pump, the counterweight operable between a rotating mode during wheel rotation, wherein the counterweight rotates relative to the pump, and a non-rotating mode during wheel rotation, wherein the counterweight is static relative to the pump; and

a force element operable between a coupled mode wherein the force element statically couples counterweight rotation to pump rotation to place the counterweight in the non-rotating mode and a decoupled mode wherein the force element decouples the counterweight rotation from the pump rotation to place the counterweight in the rotating mode.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the force element is in the coupled mode when a tire pressure exceeds a first threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the force element is in the decoupled mode when the tire pressure falls below a second threshold, the system further comprising a valve fluidly connecting the force element to a tire, the valve operable between an open mode in response to the tire pressure exceeding the first threshold and a closed mode in response to the tire pressure falling below the second threshold.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the force element comprises a friction element, wherein the force element statically couples the counterweight to the pump using friction.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the force element applies a coupling force along a vector parallel to a normal vector to the revolution axis.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the force element is fluidly connected to a tire interior, wherein the coupling force is generated by a tire pressure.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a valve fluidly connected between the force element and the tire interior, the valve operable between an open mode in response to the tire pressure exceeding the first threshold and a closed mode in response to the tire pressure falling below the second threshold.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising an drive component connected to the counterweight and configured to actuate the pump between a compressed position and a recovered position based on an angular position change of the pump relative to the counterweight.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the force element applies the coupling force to the drive component.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the force element is fixed to the actuating element, wherein the actuating element is further operable in a pressurized state, wherein the force element is operated in the coupled mode in response to the actuating element operating in the pressurized state.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the drive component comprises a cam with an angular bearing surface having a non-uniform curvature, the arcuate bearing surface coupled to a reciprocating element of the pump, wherein the actuation position of the pump is determined by the curvature of the cam proximal the pump.

22. A method of automatic tire inflation using a wheel-mounted tire inflator, the method comprising:

while a tire pressure is below a threshold;

retaining an angular position of an drive component relative to a gravitational vector;

pumping air into the tire using relative rotation between the drive component and a pump; and

in response to tire pressure exceeding the threshold, statically coupling the angular position of the drive component to an angular position of the pump.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein statically coupling an angular position of the drive component to an angular position of the pump comprises statically coupling the drive component to the pump by applying a coupling force to the drive component.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein applying the coupling force to the drive component comprises pressurizing the pump, wherein the pressurized pump applies the coupling force against the drive component.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein applying the coupling force to the drive component comprises applying a friction force to the drive component, the friction force sufficient to overcome a force retaining the angular position of the drive component relative to the gravitational vector.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein applying a friction force to the drive component comprises forcing a force translator against the drive component, wherein the force translator translates pump rotation relative to the drive component into pump reciprocation while the tire pressure is below the threshold.