System and method using a pressure reduction valve

• US 9,346,330 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pressure Systems International LLC
• Original Assignee: Equalaire Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Musgrave, Tim, Sonzala, Frank, Hennig, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Application Number:
  US14/116,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20140196812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 152/415, 152/416, 152/417, 152/427, 137/223, 137/224, 137/226, 137/228, 137/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00318 on the wheels or the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00336 on the axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00354 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00363 Details of sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/043 characterised by the inflation control means or the drive of the air pressure system

Abstract

An automatic tire inflation system or wheel end assembly may be provided with a pressure reduction valve to allow rapid deflation of a tire. A method of rapidly reducing tire pressure may include use of a pressure reduction valve.

Claims

1. A wheel end assembly, comprising a hubcap mounted to a wheel rotatable on an axle on a vehicle,

an air pressure supply positioned inside the axle and connected to a pressure source on the vehicle,

a rotary union mounted to the hubcap and in fluid communication with the air pressure supply,

a valve stem mounted to the wheel, the valve stem comprising a normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve and an auxiliary port,

an air hose connected at a first end to the rotary union and at a second end to the valve stem so as to allow air to flow from the air pressure supply through the air hose to the valve stem and through the normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve, and

a manually-operable pressure reduction valve connected to the auxiliary port.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the manually-operable pressure reduction valve comprises one of a metering, timed or deceleration valve.

3. A wheel end assembly, comprising

a hubcap mounted to a wheel rotatable on an axle on a vehicle,

an air pressure supply positioned inside the axle and connected to a pressure source on the vehicle,

a rotary union mounted to the hubcap and in fluid communication with the air pressure supply,

a valve stem mounted to the wheel, the valve stem comprising a normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve,

an air hose connected at a first end to the rotary union and at a second end to the valve stem so as to allow air to flow from the air pressure supply through the air hose to the valve stem and through the normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve, and

a manually-operable pressure reduction valve connected to the rotary union.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 3, wherein the manually-operable pressure reduction valve comprises one of a metering, timed or deceleration valve.

5. A wheel end assembly, comprising

a hubcap mounted to a wheel rotatable on an axle on a vehicle,

an air pressure supply positioned inside the axle and connected to a pressure source on the vehicle,

a rotary union mounted to the hubcap and in fluid communication with the air pressure supply,

a first valve stem mounted to the wheel, the valve stem comprising a first normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve,

a second valve stem mounted to the wheel, the second valve stem comprising a second normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve and an auxiliary port,

an air hose connected at a first end to the rotary union and at a second end to the first valve stem so as to allow air to flow from the air pressure supply through the air hose to the first normally-closed pressure-actuatable valve stem, and

a manually-operable pressure reduction valve connected to the auxiliary port of the second valve stem.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 5, wherein the manually-operable pressure reduction valve comprises one of a metering, timed or deceleration valve.

7. In a vehicle comprising one or more tires, an automatic tire inflation system configured to automatically inflate the one or more tires to a desired pressure upon activation, and a pressure reduction valve configured to rapidly release air from the one or more tires, a method of equalizing air pressure in vehicle tires, the method comprising:

while the automatic tire inflation system is de-activated, opening a pressure reduction valve to release air from the one or more tires at a substantially higher air flow volume than the air flow volume than the automatic tire inflation system provides for tire inflation, so as to reduce the tire pressure below a desired air pressure; and

after releasing air, activating the automatic tire inflation system to substantially equally inflate the one or more tires to the desired air pressure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the pressure reduction valve comprises one of a metering, timed or deceleration valve.