| 摘要 |
A self-inflating tire assembly includes an adjustable valve having: a housing having first end and a second end, and a central bore which extends from the first end to the second end; a piston slidably mounted within the central bore at the first end of the housing, a cap mounted in the second end of the housing forming a chamber with the housing, wherein a spring is mounted within the chamber and having a first end for engagement with the piston and a second end for engagement with a bottom wall of the chamber, said cap further comprising a fluid chamber projecting from the bottom wall of the chamber, wherein the piston is movable to seal the fluid chamber, wherein the housing is made from a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the fluid chamber. |
| 主权项 |
1. A self-inflating tire assembly comprising:
a. a tire mounted to a rim, the tire having a tire cavity, first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region; b. an air tube connected to the tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow a portion of the air tube segment near a tire footprint to substantially close the annular passageway, c. a valve device connected to an inlet end of an air tube, the valve device having a housing having first end and a second end, and a central bore which extends from the first end to the second end; a piston slidably mounted within the central bore at the first end of the housing, a cap mounted in the second end of the housing forming a chamber with the housing, wherein a spring is mounted within the chamber and having a first end for engagement with the piston and a second end for engagement with a bottom wall of the chamber, the chamber having a hole for fluid communication with a pump inlet air tube, said cap further comprising a fluid port projecting from the bottom wall of the chamber, wherein the piston is movable to seal the fluid port, wherein the housing is made from a material having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the material of the fluid port. |
