Air maintenance tire and relief valve assembly

摘要

An air maintenance tire and pump assembly includes a tire having a tire cavity, first and second sidewalls extending from first and second tire bead regions, respectively, to a tire tread region, an elongate substantially annular air passageway enclosed within a bending region of the sidewalls, the air passageway operatively closing and opening, segment by segment, as the bending region of the sidewalls passes adjacent a rolling tire footprint to pump air along the air passageway, an air inlet port assembly coupled to, and in air flow communication with, the air passageway, the air inlet port assembly being operable to channel inlet air from outside of the tire into the air passageway, the air inlet port assembly including an inlet control valve and an outlet tee structure positioned 180° opposite the inlet control valve in the air passageway for moving air into the tire cavity, the inlet control valve including two inlet check valves for ensuring air flow only into, and not out of, the inlet control valve, the air passageway, a corresponding plain tee inlet structure, and the tire cavity, and a pressure relief valve for relieving a volume equal to a last segment volume of the air passageway plus a volume of the outlet tee structure.

主权项

1. An air maintenance tire and pump assembly comprising:
a tire having a tire cavity, first and second sidewalls extending from first and second tire bead regions, respectively, to a tire tread region; an elongate substantially annular air passageway enclosed within a bending region of the sidewalls, the air passageway operatively closing and opening, segment by segment, as the bending region of the sidewalls passes adjacent a rolling tire footprint to pump air along the air passageway; an air inlet port assembly coupled to, and in air flow communication with, the air passageway, the air inlet port assembly being operable to channel inlet air from outside of the tire into the air passageway, the air inlet port assembly including an inlet control valve and an outlet tee structure positioned 180° opposite the inlet control valve in the air passageway for moving air into the tire cavity, the inlet control valve including two inlet check valves for ensuring air flow only into, and not out of, the inlet control valve, the air passageway, a corresponding plain tee inlet structure, and the tire cavity; and a pressure relief valve for relieving a volume equal to a last segment volume of the air passageway plus a volume of the outlet tee structure.