Inflation/deflation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11787239-B2
Application number	US-201916762529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2019
Priority date	Jan 25, 2018
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An inflation/deflation system for a tire in tire systems such as those having an inner bladder and an outer ground engaging tire is provided in which the inflation/deflation system is adapted to inflate/deflate a tire, inflate a bladder, and inflate a tire utilizing pressurized air from the bladder. The system utilizes a specialized valve and passageway system which utilizes pressurized fluid to operate a timer wheel valve to inflate the tire and/or bladder without requiring electric power at the wheel and utilizes a low power function to inflate the tire from the bladder. The utilization of the bladder to provide a quick tire inflation is particularly useful in agricultural applications utilizing tire with large volumes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflation/deflation system for a vehicle having a tire/wheel assembly including a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber, the vehicle having a source of pressurized fluid separate from the tire/wheel assembly and a connection to atmosphere separate from the tire/wheel assembly, the inflation/deflation system comprising:
a valve and fluid passageway arrangement attached to the to the tire/wheel assembly;
a single first fluid passageway extending to the valve and fluid passageway arrangement through a rotary union, the first fluid passageway selectively (1) closed to fluid flow, (2) coupled to the source of pressurized fluid, and (3) coupled to the connection to atmosphere;
the valve and fluid passageway arrangement having a first state coupling the first fluid passageway to the first pressure chamber without coupling the first fluid passageway to the second pressure chamber; a second state coupling the first fluid passageway to the second pressure chamber without coupling the first fluid passageway to the first pressure chamber; and a third state coupling the second pressure chamber to the first pressure chamber.

2. An inflation/deflation system for a vehicle having a tire/wheel assembly including a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber, the vehicle having a source of pressurized fluid separate from the tire/wheel assembly and a connection to atmosphere separate from the tire/wheel assembly, the inflation/deflation system comprising:
a valve and fluid passageway arrangement attached to the to the tire/wheel assembly;
a single first fluid passageway extending to the valve and fluid passageway arrangement through a rotary union, the first fluid passageway selectively (1) closed to fluid flow, (2) coupled to the source of pressurized fluid, and (3) coupled to the connection to atmosphere;
the valve and fluid passageway arrangement having a first state coupling the first fluid passageway to the first pressure chamber; a second state coupling the first fluid passageway to the second pressure chamber; and a third state coupling the second pressure chamber to the first pressure chamber;

wherein the valve and fluid passageway arrangement further comprises:
a first valve having a first inlet/outlet port and a second inlet/outlet port;
the first fluid passageway fluidly connected to the first inlet/outlet of the first valve, the first valve having a first position preventing flow from the first inlet/outlet to the second inlet/outlet, a second position preventing flow from the first inlet/outlet to the second inlet/outlet, and a third position allowing flow from the first inlet/outlet to the second inlet/outlet, the first valve transitioning from the first position to the second position when the first inlet/outlet of the first valve is at an initialization pressure, the first valve transitioning from the second position to the third position when the pressure at the first inlet/outlet of the first valve is lowered from the initialization pressure, the first valve transitioning from the third position to the first position after a predetermined time;
a second fluid passageway fluidly connecting the second inlet/outlet port of the first valve to the first pressure chamber;
a third fluid passageway connecting the first fluid passageway to the second pressure chamber;
a pressure relief valve or a first check valve in the third fluid passageway preventing flow through the pressure relief valve or first check valve unless the pressurized fluid entering the third fluid passageway from the first fluid passageway is above a predetermined valve pressure threshold;
a fourth fluid passageway connecting the second fluid passageway to the third fluid passageway;
a second check valve in the fourth fluid passageway preventing flow from the third fluid passageway to the second fluid passageway.

3. The inflation/deflation system of claim 2 , wherein the first state is achieved when the first valve is in the third position.

4. The inflation/deflation system of claim 2 , wherein the second state is achieved when:
i.) the first valve is in the second position,
ii.) the first passageway is fluidly coupled to the source of pressurized fluid, and
iii.) the source of pressurized fluid is at a pressure above the predetermined valve pressure threshold of the pressure relief valve or the first check valve.

5. The inflation/deflation system of claim 2 , wherein the first pressure chamber is automatically connected to the second pressure chamber through the second check valve whenever the pressure in the first pressure chamber is higher that the pressure in the second pressure chamber.

6. The inflation/deflation system of claim 2 , wherein the valve and fluid passageway arrangement further comprises:
a fifth fluid passageway connecting the third fluid passageway to the second fluid passageway;
a second valve in the fifth fluid passageway having a first position preventing flow through the second valve and a second position allowing flow through the second valve.

7. The inflation/deflation system of claim 6 , wherein the valve and fluid passageway arrangement further comprises:
a sixth fluid passageway connecting the fourth fluid passageway to the second valve, the second valve being a pressure operated valve having a predetermined actuation pressure to move the second valve from the first position to the second position;
a third valve in the fourth fluid passageway having a first position preventing flow through the third valve and a second position allowing flow through the third valve.

8. The inflation/deflation system of claim 7 , wherein the third state is achieved when:
i.) the first valve is in the second position,
ii.) the first passageway is fluidly coupled to the source of pressurized fluid,
iii.) the source of pressurized fluid is at above the predetermined actuation pressure of the second valve,
iv.) the second valve is in the second position, and
v.) the third valve is in the second position.

9. The inflation/deflation system of claim 7 , further comprising a remote control for operating the third valve.

10. The inflation/deflation system of claim 9 , wherein the remote control is provided by a radio frequency receiver.

11. The inflation/deflation system of claim 10 , wherein the third valve is a solenoid operated valve.

12. The inflation/deflation system of claim 11 , wherein the third valve is powered by a battery.

13. The inflation/deflation system of claim 11 , wherein the third valve is the only valve of the valve and fluid passageway arrangement that is an electrically actuated valve.

14. The inflation/deflation system of claim 1 , wherein a tire of the tire/wheel assembly mounted on the rim defines the first pressure chamber and a bladder mounted on the rim defines the second pressure chamber.

15. The inflation/deflation system of claim 2 , wherein the third fluid passageway is connected to the first fluid passageway at a first inlet/outlet of a third valve.

16. An inflation/deflation system for a vehicle having a tire/wheel assembly including a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber, the vehicle having a source of pressurized fluid separate from the tire/wheel assembly and a connection to atmosphere separate from the tire/wheel assembly, the inflation/deflation system comprising:
a valve and fluid passageway arrangement attached to the to the tire/wheel assembly;
a single first fluid passageway extending to the valve and fluid passageway arrangement through a rotary union, the first fluid passageway selectively (

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Beverly James Alden

Classifications

• B60C23/00354 Primary

  Details of valves · CPC title

• G05D16/204

  the plurality of throttling means being arranged in parallel · CPC title

• B60C23/003 Primary

  comprising rotational joints between vehicle-mounted pressure sources and the tyres · CPC title

• B60C23/004

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