Filter assembly for air maintenance tire

摘要

A tire (12) having a tread portion (38), a pair of sidewalls (32) extending radially inward from the tread portion to join with a respective bead (34), a tire cavity (40), a supporting carcass for the tread portion and sidewalls and a pump passageway (42) positioned within a bending region of the tire (12) is disclosed. The pump passageway is operative to open and close as the tire rotates and has an inlet end (42a, 42b) and an outlet end (44a, 44b). The outlet end is in fluid communication with the tire cavity (40). A valve assembly (200) is in fluid communication with the inlet end of the pump passageway. The tire (12) further comprises: (i) a filter assembly (500) formed of a housing (502) having an interior or first cavity (506) for receiving a filter media (503), the interior or first cavity (506) having an inlet in fluid communication with the outside air and an outlet in fluid communication with a valve assembly port (202), the housing (502) further comprising a second cavity (504), wherein the second cavity (504) is in fluid communication with the pump inlet and a valve assembly outlet (206); or (ii) a filter assembly (600) formed of a housing (602) having a single interior cavity (604) for receiving a filter media (605), the interior cavity having an outlet (608) in fluid communication with a valve assembly port (202), and an inlet in fluid communication with the outside air, wherein the outlet end of the pump passageway (42) is in fluid communication with the tire cavity (40); or (iii) a filter conduit (204) mounted in the tire (12), the filter conduit having a first end in air flow communication with the outside air and a second end connected to a valve assembly port (202), wherein the filter conduit (204) further includes filter media (230).