Wheel valve assembly and the tire inflation system made therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479150-B2
Application number	US-201715634570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A wheel valve assembly having a body portion coupled with a cover portion. A diaphragm disposed between the body portion and the cover portion. A first biasing member disposed between the cover portion and the diaphragm in a cover cavity defined thereby. A control cavity defined by the body portion and the diaphragm, and at least one control port defined by the body portion and in fluid communication with the control cavity. A tire port defined by the body portion and in selective fluid communication with the control cavity. A first and second conduit disposed in the body portion in fluid communication with a third and fourth conduit disposed in the cover portion. An equalization valve assembly disposed in one of the conduits to control fluid communication between the cover cavity and the control cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel valve assembly comprising:
a body portion coupled with a cover portion;
a diaphragm disposed between said body portion and said cover portion;
a first biasing member disposed between said cover portion and said diaphragm;
a control cavity defined by said body portion and said diaphragm;
a cover cavity defined by said cover portion and said diaphragm;
at least one control port defined by said body portion and in fluid communication with said control cavity;
a tire port defined by said body portion and in selective fluid communication with said control cavity;
a radially extending first conduit disposed in said body portion, wherein said first conduit is in fluid communication with said control cavity;
an axially extending second conduit disposed in said body portion, wherein said second conduit is in fluid communication with said first conduit;
an axially extending third conduit disposed in said cover portion, wherein said third conduit is in fluid communication with said second conduit;
a radially extending fourth conduit disposed in said cover portion, wherein said fourth conduit is in fluid communication with said third conduit and said cover cavity; and
an equalization valve assembly disposed in said second conduit, wherein said equalization valve assembly comprises:
a housing defining a first aperture and a second aperture;
a spring cage fully disposed within said housing, wherein said spring cage includes an end defining one or more spring cage apertures, wherein the one or more spring cage apertures are fully disposed within said housing and wherein the one or more spring cage apertures permit fluid communication between the first aperture and the second aperture;
a ball at least partially disposed within said spring cage and sealingly biased against the one or more spring cage apertures therethrough; and
a second biasing member engaged between a surface of said spring cage and said ball.

2. The wheel valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at a second position: said first biasing member seals said diaphragm against said tire port; and said ball compresses said second biasing member within said spring cage.

3. The wheel valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at a first position: said first biasing member seals said diaphragm against said tire port, and said second biasing member biases said ball against said one or more spring cage apertures.

4. The wheel valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein at a second position: said diaphragm compresses said first biasing member; and said ball compresses said second biasing member and seals against a surface of said spring cage.

Assignees

• Dana Heavy Vehicle Sys Group

Inventors

• Balistreri Lucas A
• Blessing Christopher D
• Molloy Philip M
• Sidders Jason M

Classifications

• Y10T137/3631

  Diaphragm, bellows or expansible tube · CPC title

• B60C23/001

  Devices for manually or automatically controlling or distributing tyre pressure whilst the vehicle is moving · CPC title

• F16K15/145

  the closure elements being shaped as a solids of revolution, e.g. cylindrical or conical · CPC title

• F16K17/0406

  in the form of balls · CPC title

• Y10T137/7869

  Biased open · CPC title