ASSEMBLY FOR A CENTRAL TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM

• US 20160288589A1
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2014
• Status: Active Application

• 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., FOOR, WILLIAM J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,259,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00354 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00363 Details of sealings
• 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 137/36 With pressure-responsive pressure-control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7808 Apertured reactor surface surrounds flow line

Abstract

An assembly for a central tire inflation system includes a first housing having a first end and a hose member provided in the first end. A valve assembly is in fluid communication with the hose member via the first housing. The valve assembly includes a second housing and a valve positioned within the second housing. The second housing includes a base portion which comprises a lower wall portion. The valve is biased towards the lower wall portion by a biasing member to open the valve assembly.

Claims

1. An assembly for a central tire inflation system, comprising:

a first housing having a first end;

a hose member provided in the first end; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the hose member via the first housing, the valve assembly comprises a second housing and a valve positioned within the second housing, the second housing includes a base portion which comprises a lower wall portion, the valve is biased towards the lower wall portion by a biasing member to open the valve assembly.

2. The assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the second housing also includes a cap portion, which is attached to the base portion via a locking member disposed in a first annular groove formed in the cap portion, and a sealing member, which is disposed in a second annular groove formed in the cap portion to provide a seal between the cap portion and the base portion.

3. The assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a shuttle and a plug member attached to the shuttle.

4. The assembly defined by claim 1, wherein a second end portion of the first housing is directly attached to a cap portion of the second housing.

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

6. The assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the valve is moveable from a closed position to a fully open position and vice versa.

7. The assembly defined by claim 1, wherein the hose member comprises a fluid conduit which is in fluid communication with a perforation formed in the valve assembly via a tube provided through the first housing.

8. The assembly defined by claim 2, wherein the cap portion comprises a wall portion and a cap perforation formed through the wall portion, the biasing member being disposed adjacent the perforation, and the cap perforation gradually increases in diameter to a ridge provided on an inboard face of the wall portion.

9. The assembly defined by claim 3, wherein the shuttle comprises a plurality of shuttle supports and the biasing member biases the valve via contact with the plurality of shuttle supports.

10. The assembly defined by claim 3, wherein the plug member comprises a circular sealing surface which is separated from an elongated cylindrical base by a retaining groove that is engaged with a portion of the shuttle.

11. The assembly defined by claim 4, wherein the second end portion of the first housing is attached to the cap portion of the second housing via a threaded connection.

12. The assembly defined by claim 4, wherein the first housing and the second housing are formed in a unitary manner.

13. The assembly defined by claim 4, wherein the cap portion has an inboard portion which is disposed within the base portion and decreases in diameter from a second diameter portion to an intermediate diameter portion and from the intermediate diameter portion to a first diameter portion.

14. The assembly defined by claim 6, wherein the valve is moveable between the closed position and the fully open position to allow fluid communication between the hose member and a wheel.

15. The assembly defined by claim 8, wherein valve is in sealing contact with the ridge and an area is defined by a surface of the valve and the ridge, wherein the area is larger than an area defined by a space positioned within the cap perforation and is of an unbroken circular shape.

16. The assembly defined by claim 9, wherein the shuttle supports are in contact with the lower wall portion when the valve is fully open.

17. An assembly for a central tire inflation system, comprising:

a first housing having first end attached to a first end portion, the first end portion has an outer diameter which is substantially constant and greater than an outer diameter of a second end portion;

a hose member provided in the first end of the first housing; and

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the hose member via the first housing, the valve assembly comprises a second housing and a valve positioned within the second housing, the second housing is attached to the first housing via the second end portion and includes a base portion which comprises a lower wall portion, the valve is biased towards the lower wall portion by a biasing member to open the valve assembly.

18. The assembly defined by claim 17, wherein the lower wall portion defines a base perforation and the base perforation has a diameter that gradually decreases from a first end of the perforation to a center portion of the perforation and gradually increases from the center portion to a second end of the perforation and wherein the second housing also includes a cap portion which comprises a wall portion and a cap perforation formed through the wall portion, and the cap perforation gradually increases in diameter to a ridge formed on an inboard face of the wall portion.

19. The assembly defined by claim 17, wherein the valve assembly further comprises a sealing member disposed in a second annular groove formed in a cap portion to provide a seal between the cap portion and the base portion and a second end of the first housing is directly attached to the cap portion.

20. The assembly defined by claim 19, wherein the cap portion has an inboard portion which is disposed within the base portion and decreases in diameter from a second diameter portion to an intermediate diameter portion and from the intermediate diameter portion to a first diameter portion.