Tire inflation apparatus
US9434218B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 12, 2013 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 12, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF04B39/08
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A tire inflation apparatus includes a housing coupled for co-rotation with a vehicle wheel, which includes a rim and a tire. The apparatus also includes a pendulum coupled to the housing for relative rotation therewith, a mechanically actuated pump coupled to the housing and operated in response to relative rotation between the housing and the pendulum, a valve positioned downstream of the pump and movable between a closed position in which pressurized air generated by the pump is prevented from being transferred to an air chamber between the rim and the tire, and an open position in which the pressurized air may be transferred to the air chamber, an electrically powered actuator coupled to the valve for moving the valve to at least one of the open and closed positions, and a generator operable to convert rotational kinetic energy of the wheel to electrical energy to power the actuator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.