SELF-INFLATING TIRE AND PRESSURE REGULATOR

摘要

A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a regulator device. The regulator device regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.

主权项

1. A self-inflating tire assembly comprising:
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; an air passageway having an inlet end and an outlet end, the air passageway being composed of a flexible material operative to open and close when the tire rotates, wherein the inlet end is connected to an outlet port of a regulator device, and the outlet end is in fluid communication with the tire cavity; the regulator device having a regulator body having an interior chamber; a pressure membrane is mounted in the interior chamber and positioned to open and close the outlet port mounted in the interior chamber, wherein the pressure membrane is in fluid communication with the tire cavity pressure; wherein the body of the regulator device is connected to a first flexible duct having an internal passageway; wherein the first flexible duct has a first end connected to an inlet filter assembly, wherein the inlet filter assembly is in fluid communication with the outside air supply; wherein a second end of the first flexible duct is connected to an opening of the interior chamber of the regulator device.