Tire inflator of a vehicle

• US 9,365,191 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Joon-Chai
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/306,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20150306923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 152/416, 152/415, 152/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/10 Arrangement of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 5/046 using electrical or electronical means

Abstract

An inflator 300 for pumping compressed air supplied from a compressor 200 provided in a motor vehicle into a tire mounted to the motor vehicle, the inflator may include: an inflator port L6 to which compressed air supplied from the compressor 200 is entered; a control unit 320 provided with a pressure switch 321 which is actuated according to an internal pressure of the inflator port L6; and a supplying unit 310 coupled detachably with the inflator port L6 for pumping compressed air into the tire, wherein the control unit 320 is equipped with an ON/OFF switch 322 transmitting a signal to electronic control unit E according to an operation of the pressure switch 321.

Claims

1. An air supplying system in a motor vehicle comprising:

a compressor comprising an air suspension port and a tire inflation port, the air suspension port connected to an air suspension system of the motor vehicle, the tire inflation port connected to a tire inflator;

the tire inflator comprising an inflator port, a pressure switch and an air supplying hose;

the inflator port connected to the tire inflation port of the compressor for receiving compressed air from the compressor;

the pressure switch configured to generate a signal requesting initiation of the compressor when air pressure at the inflator port is lower than a predetermined value; and

the air supplying hose with a terminal configured to connect to a tire for supplying compressed air into the tire,

wherein the compressor is configured to operate in response to the signal from the pressure switch for supplying compressed air to the tire inflator.

2. The air supplying system of claim 1, wherein the tire inflator further comprises a relief valve for releasing air from the tire inflator.

3. The air supplying system of claim 1, wherein the compressor further comprises a compressing device configured for compressing air and an inhaling passage configured for receiving air from surroundings into the compressing device.

4. The air supplying system of claim 3, wherein the compressor further comprises a pressure release valve configured to discharge excessive compressed air from the compressor, and wherein the compressor further comprises a cock valve installed between the tire inflation port of the compressor and the inflator port of the tire inflator.

5. The air supplying system of claim 4, wherein tire inflator further comprises an ON/OFF switch connected to the pressure switch, wherein the pressure switch is configured to generate the signal when air pressure at the inflator port is lower than the predetermined value while the ON/OFF switch is on.

6. The air supplying system of claim 1, wherein the ON/OFF switch is a magnetic switch.

7. The air supplying system of claim 1, wherein the air supplying hose comprises an air-pressure gauge configured to measure the air pressure at the inflator port and a stop valve configured to control a flow of compressed air through the air supplying hose.

8. A vehicle comprising:

an air suspension;

a compressor comprising an air suspension port and a tire inflation port, the air suspension port connected to the air suspension of the vehicle, the tire inflation port connected to a tire inflator;

the tire inflator comprising an inflator port and an air supplying hose, wherein the inflator port is connected to the tire inflation port of the compressor for receiving compressed air from the compressor;

a pressure detector configured to detect air pressure at the inflator port; and

a controller configured to operate the compressor based on the detected air pressure so as to maintain the air pressure at the inflator port above a predetermined value.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to maintain the air pressure at the air suspension port above another predetermined value.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle does not comprise an additional pressure detector other than the pressure detector connected to the controller and configured to detect the air pressure at the air suspension port.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the pressure detector comprises a pressure switch connected to the controller and configured to generate a signal requesting initiation of the compressor when air pressure at the inflator port is lower than the predetermined value.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the air supplying hose of the tire inflator comprises a first port configured to be in fluid communication with the inflator port and an outlet configured to connect to a tire for supplying compressed air into the tire.