Tire deflation device

US6854553B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ford Global Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Brent R. Sovoda · Dearborn, US
• Kenneth Jerome Rottet · Troy, US
• Laurie Call · Beverly Hills, US
• Paul Culbertson · Farmington Hills, US
• Paul Lawrence Lipinski · Canton, US
• Phillip Przybylo · Williamston, US
• Robert Bruce · San Jose, US
• Richard Moss · Green Bay, US
• Syed Imam · Schreiber, CA
• Sohail Jamal · Canton, US
• Tim Rush · Ann Arbor, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 22, 2003
• Grant date: Feb 15, 2005
• Expiry date: Jul 13, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T83/04
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The tire deflation device (30) includes a rail member (34) having a support portion (38) and a piercing portion (44). The piercing portion (44) of the rail member (34) extends toward a tire (20) and is located between the tire (20) and a protected portion (44) of the automotive vehicle (10). The piercing portion (44) is intended to puncture and deflate the tire (20) when a crush zone (18) is deformed inwardly so as to force the tire (20) into the piercing portion (44) of the rail member (34). The support portion (38) has at least one anchor member (32) fixedly attached thereto for securely mounting the rail member (34) to a side mount (12) of the automotive vehicle (10) within a middle rigid zone (14) thereof.