Method of preventing or reducing water ingress into a tire inflation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445625-B2
Application number	US-202016789258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2020
Priority date	Feb 12, 2019
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

A method and system of preventing or reducing water ingress into a tire inflation system is provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of preventing or reducing water ingress into a tire inflation system, comprising:
providing a control unit, the control unit having at least one of a valve assembly, a pressure transducer, and an electronic control portion located within a housing;
measuring a cavity pressure of the housing; and
if the cavity pressure increases to a predetermined amount above atmospheric pressure, then providing one or more pulses of air into the housing,
wherein the cavity pressure is compared to a last measured atmospheric pressure before or upon entering a fording operation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tire inflation system utilizes a single pressure sensor to sense tire pressure, atmospheric pressure, and enclosure pressure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the tire inflation system to automatically inflate and/or deflate a tire in response to measured tire pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in response to the comparison, one or more pulses are provided at a first frequency until a degradation is detected.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the degradation includes a reduced battery voltage.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the degradation includes a reduced supply pressure.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the degradation includes a stopped engine ignition.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein valves of the valve assembly are de-energized by default.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a degree of air provided into the housing is responsive to operating conditions.

10. A method of operating an automatic tire inflation system of a vehicle, comprising:
during a non-fording mode, and responsive to atmospheric pressure, adjusting a valve of the automatic tire inflation system to measure tire pressure and/or provide an increase or decrease of pressure within a tire of the vehicle; and
during a user-selected fording mode, providing one or more pulses of air into a cavity of a housing of a control unit, the cavity housing valves and electronics of the automatic tire inflation system, in response to a cavity pressure of the housing being above a threshold relative to atmospheric pressure.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing pulses of air into the control unit includes adjusting a valve within the housing.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising, during the fording mode, decreasing a frequency of pulses in response to a degradation.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the degradation includes a reduced battery voltage.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the degradation includes stopped engine ignition.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the degradation includes a reduced supply pressure.

16. A method of operating an automatic tire inflation system of a vehicle, comprising:
during a non-fording mode, and responsive to atmospheric pressure, adjusting a valve of the automatic tire inflation system to measure atmospheric pressure and tire pressure with a single pressure sensor, and further to provide an increase or decrease of pressure within a tire of the vehicle responsive thereto; and
during a user-selected fording mode, measuring enclosure pressure with the sensor and providing one or more pulses of air into a cavity of a housing of a control unit, the cavity housing valves and electronics of the automatic tire inflation system, in response to a comparison of the enclosure pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure measured during the non-fording mode.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, during the fording mode, decreasing a frequency of pulses in response to a first degree of degradation.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising, during the fording mode, further decreasing the frequency of pulses in response to a second, greater, degree of degradation.

Assignees

• Dana Heavy Vehicle Sys Group

Inventors

• Gillen Kurt P
• Kona Venkata Ramakanth
• Molloy Philip M

Classifications

• B60C23/00372 Primary

  characterised by fluid diagrams · CPC title

• H05K5/0213 Primary

  Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof · CPC title

• B60C23/004 Primary

  the control being done on the wheel, e.g. using a wheel-mounted reservoir · CPC title

• F16K24/06

  for aerating only (F16K24/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60C23/002

  by monitoring conditions other than tyre pressure or deformation · CPC title