Tire comprising a filter assembly

摘要

A tire assembly comprising a tire (12) having a tread portion (38), a pair of sidewalls (32) extending radially inward from the tread portion (38) to join with a respective bead area (34) and a supporting carcass for the tread portion (38) and sidewalls (32) is disclosed. The tire assembly (10) further comprises a pump passageway (42) positioned within a bending region of the tire (12), the pump passageway (42) being operative to open and close as the tire (12) rotates, a valve assembly (200) in fluid communication with the pump passageway (42), a pocket (400) formed in the tire (12) and a filter assembly (300) mounted in the pocket (400). The filter assembly (300) is in air flow communication with the valve assembly (200). The assembly further has at least one or more of the following features: (i) the pocket (400) is an elliptical pocket formed in the tire (12), wherein the pocket minor axis is aligned with the radial direction of the tire (12), and wherein the filter assembly (300) is elliptical in shape; (ii) the filter assembly (300) is formed of a housing (304) and a cover (306), the cover having one or more holes (322) for communicating air into the housing (304), wherein the cover (306) is connected to the housing (304), the housing (304) having an interior cavity (308) having a filter media (550) housed therein, wherein the housing (304) has a hole (312) in fluid communication with the valve assembly (200), and wherein a preferably flexible collar (500) surrounds the cover (306); (iii) the pocket (400) has an area larger than the area of a filter housing (304).