COMPACT VALVE SYSTEM FOR SELF-INFLATING TIRE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tire assembly that incorporates a self-inflating feature to compensate for reduction in tire pressure over time without the need for driver intervention.SOLUTION: A self-inflating tire assembly comprises a tire and a valve device. The tire has an air passageway 42 having an inlet end 42a and an outlet end 42b. The valve device is connected to the inlet end and the outlet end of the air passageway. The valve device has a valve body 80 having a first, a second and a third chamber. The first chamber has a first hole in fluid communication with the inlet end of the passageway. The second chamber has a second hole in fluid communication with the outlet end of the passageway. The third chamber has a channel 107 in fluid communication with the outside air. A first and a second one way valve 202, 204 are positioned in the first and the second chamber. A pressure membrane 90 is received within the valve body, and positioned to open and close the channel 107. The second chamber is in fluid communication with the tire cavity.