COMPACT VALVE SYSTEM FOR SELF-INFLATING TIRE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To incorporate a self-inflating mechanism for compensating the lowering of tire pressure in a tire.SOLUTION: A part near a foot print 100 of a pump passage 42 of a tire 12 having a tire cavity and a side wall 32 opens/closes the pump passage 42. To a valve housing for forming an inner chamber of a valve assembly 200 of the tire 12, a diaphragm reacting according to the pressure of the tire cavity is attached. The inner chamber has a first hole communicating with an inlet end portion of the pump passage 42, a second hole communicating with an outlet end portion of the pump passage, and a third hole communicating with outside air. The valve housing has a passage communicating with the tire cavity and the output end portion of the pump passage. A valve bottom portion of an inlet control valve of the valve assembly is above the third hole, and opens/closes the third hole. The inlet control valve has a first end portion coupled to the diaphragm. An elastic member in the inner chamber of the valve housing energizes the valve bottom portion to an open position.