SELF-INFLATING TIRE APPARATUS

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To incorporate in a tire a self-inflating function which self-inflates the tire.SOLUTION: An apparatus 10 includes a tire 12 having a tire cavity 30 and first and second sidewalls 14, and compression actuator means 19 mounted on the tire 12 within the tire cavity 30 for delivering air to the tire cavity 30. The compression actuator means 19 includes a hollow containment body 44 formed from a resilient deformable material and containing a quantity of a non-compressible medium 48. The hollow containment body 44 reciprocally deforms or transforms between a deformed state and a non-deformed state in response to deformation and recovery of the tire 12 while the tire 12 is rotating. The hollow containment body 44 in the deformed state displaces a quantity of the non-compressible medium 48 for generating compression force from which a volume of air is delivered to the tire cavity 30. The hollow containment body 44 is shaped to facilitate pivoting during rotation of the tire 12.