Control regulator and pumping system for an air maintenance tire
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An air maintenance tire assembly comprising:
- a tire having a tire cavity bounded by first and second sidewalls extending to a tire tread region;
a tire-sidewall mounted air pumping means for pumping pressurized air into the tire cavity to maintain air pressure within the tire cavity at a preferred pressure level;
the tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity, the valve stem having an internal valve stem air passageway in communication with the tire cavity operative to direct pressurized air from the valve stem air passageway into the cavity;
a pressure control assembly positioned at a control location in proximal relationship to the valve stem and operative to selectively control a flow of pressurized air from the tire-mounted air pumping means through the valve stem air passageway and into the tire cavity responsive to a detected air pressure level within the tire cavity.
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Abstract
A pressure control assembly for an air maintenance tire includes a control valve assembly. The pressure control assembly mounts in proximal relationship to a tire valve stem and operably controls a flow of pressurized air through the tire valve stem from an ancillary tire-mounted pressurized air source. The ancillary tire-mounted pressurized air source and an external pressurized air source share the valve stem for delivery of pressurized air to the tire cavity. The pressure control assembly mounts to a surface of a wheel supporting the tire at a control location in proximal relationship with the valve stem.
145 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An air maintenance tire assembly comprising:
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a tire having a tire cavity bounded by first and second sidewalls extending to a tire tread region; a tire-sidewall mounted air pumping means for pumping pressurized air into the tire cavity to maintain air pressure within the tire cavity at a preferred pressure level; the tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity, the valve stem having an internal valve stem air passageway in communication with the tire cavity operative to direct pressurized air from the valve stem air passageway into the cavity; a pressure control assembly positioned at a control location in proximal relationship to the valve stem and operative to selectively control a flow of pressurized air from the tire-mounted air pumping means through the valve stem air passageway and into the tire cavity responsive to a detected air pressure level within the tire cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An air maintenance tire assembly comprising:
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a tire having a tire cavity bounded by first and second sidewalls extending to a tire tread region; a tire-sidewall based pressurized air pumping assembly for pumping tire-generated pressurized air into the tire cavity to maintain air pressure within the tire cavity at a preferred pressure level; the tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity, the valve stem having an internal axial valve stem air passageway in communication with the tire cavity operative to direct pressurized air from the valve stem air passageway into the cavity; a stem-based valve assembly for operably admitting a flow of pressurized air from an external pressurized air source into the valve stem air passageway; and a pressure control assembly positioned at a control location in proximal relationship to the valve stem, the pressure control assembly operative to control a flow of pressurized air from the tire-based pressurized air pumping assembly through the valve stem air passageway and into the tire cavity responsive to a detected air pressure level within the tire cavity. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A pressure control assembly for controlling flow of pressurized air from an external source into a valve stem of a tire, the pressure control assembly comprising:
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a valve housing having a first flow pathway, a second flow pathway and an air inlet port in fluid communication with ambient air, wherein the first flow pathway has a first end connected to a first conduit port and a second end in fluid communication with the valve stem, wherein the first flow pathway is in fluid communication with a relief valve; wherein the second flow pathway is in fluid communication with the air inlet port and has a first end connected to a second conduit port. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A pressure control assembly for controlling flow of pressurized air from an external source into a valve stem of a tire, the pressure control assembly comprising:
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a valve housing having a first flow pathway, a second flow pathway, wherein the first flow pathway has a first end connected to a first conduit port and a second end in fluid communication with the valve stem, wherein the second flow pathway is in fluid communication with an inlet control valve;
wherein the inlet control valve is in fluid communication with an air inlet port;wherein the second flow pathway is in fluid communication with a second conduit port. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification