Valve assemblies and methods of inflating or deflating a tyre

• US 9,573,428 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sidders, Jason M., Racine, Lloyd G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARUNDALE, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US14/392,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20150165846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 152/415
• 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 29/002 characterised by particular features of the valve core
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/005 characterised by particular features of the valve stem
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/02 Connection to rims
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/066 Valve caps
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/025 the valve being loaded by a spring F16K15/03 - F16K15/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/20 specially designed for inflatable bodies, e.g. tyres connecting valves to inflatable bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/36 With pressure-responsive pressure-control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3755 Valve actuating, assembling or locking means on cap
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7771 Bi-directional flow valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7869 Biased open

Abstract

A valve assembly including a base portion and a cap portion attached to the base portion. The valve assembly also includes a biasing member disposed between the base portion and the cap portion. The biasing member is adjacent a perforation formed in the cap portion. A shuttle assembly is in contact with the biasing member. The shuttle assembly includes a shuttle and a plug member. The plug member is attached to the shuttle.

Claims

1. A valve assembly, comprising:

a base portion;

a cap portion attached to the base portion;

a biasing member disposed between the base portion and the cap portion adjacent a perforation formed in the cap portion, wherein the perforation formed in the cap portion extends through a wall portion and increases in diameter to a ridge attached to the wall portion; and

a shuttle assembly in contact with the biasing member, the shuttle assembly comprising a shuttle, a plug member attached to the shuttle, and a plurality of shuttle supports, wherein the biasing member applies a force to the shuttle assembly via contact with the plurality of shuttle supports to open the valve assembly.

2. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the perforation formed in the cap portion comprises a space which defines an area of the perforation.

3. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, further comprising a fluid passage which comprises the perforation formed in the cap portion, a perforation formed in the base portion, a space between a ridge and the shuttle assembly, a space between a portion of the shuttle assembly and the cap portion, and one or more spaces between spaced apart shuttle supports.

4. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the force applied by the biasing member to the shuttle assembly biases the shuttle assembly toward the base portion and a fluid in a wheel, which is in communication with a perforation formed in the base portion, applies a force on the shuttle assembly which biases the shuttle assembly toward the cap portion.

5. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the shuttle comprises a plurality of shuttle supports which are equally spaced apart.

6. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the plug member is disposed adjacent the perforation formed in the cap portion.

7. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the plug member sealingly contacts the ridge.

8. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein when the valve assembly is in an open position a space separates the plug member from the ridge.

9. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a lower wall portion which defines a base perforation, the base perforation has a diameter that decreases from a first end of the perforation to a center portion of the perforation and increases from the center portion to a second end of the perforation.

10. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the perforation formed in the cap portion defines a first diameter and a perforation formed in the base portion defines a second diameter and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

11. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the plug member is engaged with the shuttle.

12. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the plug member is in sealing contact with the ridge and a first area is defined by a surface of the plug member and the ridge, the first area is larger than a second area defined by a space positioned within the perforation formed in the cap portion, and the first area is of a circular shape.

13. The valve assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the wall portion defining the cap portion perforation comprises a rounded portion adjacent to the ridge, and the rounded portion comprises a fixed radius.

14. A wheel assembly comprising:

a tire;

a wheel rim attached to the tire to form a wheel; and

a valve assembly comprising;

a base portion;

a cap portion attached to the base portion;

a biasing member disposed between the base portion and the cap portion adjacent a perforation formed in the cap portion, wherein the perforation formed in the cap portion extends through a wall portion and increases in diameter to a ridge attached to the wall portion; and

a shuttle assembly in contact with the biasing member, the shuttle assembly comprising a shuttle, a plug member attached to the shuttle, and a plurality of shuttle supports, wherein the biasing member applies a force to the shuttle assembly via contact with the plurality of shuttle supports to open the valve assembly

the valve assembly positioned within the wheel, wherein the cap portion has an upper wall portion that is positioned between an outer surface of the wheel rim and an inner surface of the tire.

15. The wheel assembly defined by claim 14, wherein the valve assembly is attached to the wheel rim.

16. The wheel assembly defined by claim 15, wherein the valve assembly is attached to an outer surface of the wheel rim and a seal to prevent fluid from escaping from the wheel is provided therebetween.

17. The wheel assembly defined by claim 15, wherein the valve assembly is attached to an axially extending portion of the wheel rim.

18. The wheel assembly defined by claim 14, wherein the valve assembly base portion is separated from the tire by a space filled with a pressurized fluid.

19. The wheel assembly defined by claim 14, further comprising a fluid at a first pressure and a second pressure, wherein the fluid at the first pressure communicates with the valve assembly on a surface thereof and the fluid at the second pressure communicates with the valve assembly on an opposite surface thereof.

20. The wheel assembly defined by claim 14, further comprising a conduit which is in fluid communication with the valve assembly and extends radially through the wheel rim.

21. The wheel assembly defined by claim 14, wherein the valve assembly is in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid contained within the wheel on an end and a conduit via a mounting portion on an opposite end.

22. A method of inflating or deflating a wheel, comprising:

providing a valve assembly which comprises a shuttle assembly having a shuttle and a plug member attached to the shuttle, the shuttle assembly in contact with a biasing member that is disposed between a base portion and a cap portion, wherein the biasing member applies a force to the shuttle assembly via contact with a plurality of shuttle supports to open the valve assembly;

directing a fluid through the valve assembly via a perforation in the cap portion, wherein the perforation in the cap portion extends through a wall portion and increases in diameter to a ridge attached to the wall portion, about the shuttle assembly and biasing member and via a perforation in the base portion; and

urging the shuttle assembly toward the base portion or the cap portion so as to open or close the valve assembly.

23. The method defined by claim 22, further comprising selectively providing a first pressure and a second pressure of the fluid, wherein each pressure is exerted on a separate surface of the shuttle assembly.

24. The method defined by claim 23, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

25. The method defined by claim 23, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure.

26. The method defined by claim 23, wherein the base portion, shuttle assembly, and cap portion are structured to selectively provide the second pressure of the fluid between the shuttle assembly and the base portion.

27. The method defined by claim 22, further comprising providing a wheel in fluid communication with the valve assembly via the perforation in the base portion and a conduit in fluid communication with the valve assembly via the perforation in the cap portion.

28. The method defined by claim 22, further comprising compressing the biasing member so that the shuttle assembly sealingly contacts the cap portion so as to close the valve assembly.

29. The method defined by claim 22, wherein the shuttle assembly is urged toward the base portion by the biasing member and the first pressure of the fluid to open the valve assembly.

30. The method defined by claim 22, wherein a first area defined by a space in the perforation formed in the cap portion, a second area defined by a space between the shuttle assembly and the cap portion, and a third area defined by a space in the perforation formed in the base portion are selected so that the first area is greater than the second area and the third area is greater than the second area.

31. The method defined by claim 22, further comprising providing the fluid in the valve assembly at first flow rate in the perforation formed in the cap portion, at a second flow rate between the shuttle assembly and the cap portion and at a third flow rate in the perforation formed in the base portion and urging the shuttle assembly toward the cap portion so as to close the valve assembly.

32. The method defined by claim 31, wherein the third flow rate is greater than the first flow rate and second flow rate, respectively, and the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate.

33. The method defined by claim 22, wherein the perforation in the base portion is defined by a lower wall portion and the base perforation has a diameter that decreases from a first end of the perforation to a center portion of the perforation and increases from the center portion to a second end of the perforation.

34. The method defined by claim 22, wherein the shuttle supports are equally spaced apart and the fluid is directed between the shuttle supports.