Wheel valve assembly for tire inflation/deflation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12522029-B2
Application number	US-202117906886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2021
Priority date	Aug 12, 2020
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

A valve assembly for a tire inflation/deflation system includes a body having a control port and a tire port, and a valve member for fluidly connecting or disconnecting the control port with the tire port. In one embodiment, the valve includes a fluid-operated damper having a damper chamber for controlling a timing of the valve member. A vent valve is provided for permitting excess fluid pressure to escape from the damper chamber. In another embodiment, the valve member includes a diaphragm separating first and second fluid chambers. A vent passage and at least one resilient fluid pressure-operated valve element are provided for enabling fluid to vent from the first chamber to the second chamber. Multiple-redundant valve elements may be provided to form an isolation gap that restricts contamination of the valve assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve for use in an inflation/deflation system, comprising:
a valve body having a first inlet/outlet port fluidly connectable to a second inlet/outlet port; a valve member movable within the valve body between a first position and a second position for fluidly connecting or disconnecting the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; and a fluid-operated damper operably connected to the valve member to dampen movement of the valve member from the second position to the first position; wherein, when in a first state, the first inlet/outlet port is fluidly disconnected from the second inlet/outlet port by the valve member; wherein the valve is configured to transition to a second state when a fluid pressure at the first inlet/outlet port is at or above a prescribed pressure threshold, and when in the second state the first inlet/outlet port is fluidly disconnected from the second inlet/outlet port; wherein, when the valve is in the second state, lowering the fluid pressure below the prescribed pressure threshold causes the valve to transition from the second state to a third state; wherein, when in the third state, the first inlet/outlet port is fluidly connected to the second inlet/outlet port while the damper dampens movement of the valve member from the second position to the first position to maintain the valve in the third state for a prescribed period of time; wherein the damper includes a damper fluid chamber; wherein the valve further includes a vent passage fluidly connected to the damper fluid chamber, and a vent valve configured to open and close the vent passage, such that when the vent passage is opened by the vent valve fluid is permitted to vent from the damper fluid chamber; wherein the valve body forms a primary chamber, the primary chamber being fluidly connectable to the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; and wherein the vent passage fluidly connects the damper fluid chamber to the primary chamber.

2 . The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the vent valve is a check valve.

3 . The valve according to claim 2 , wherein the check valve is activated to open the vent passage when fluid pressure in the damper fluid chamber is at a prescribed pressure level that is greater than a pressure level in the primary chamber.

4 . The valve according to claim 2 , wherein the vent valve is a resilient fluid pressure-energized valve element.

5 . The valve according to claim 4 , wherein the resilient fluid pressure-energized valve element is a lip seal valve element.

6 . The valve according to claim 5 , wherein the lip seal valve element is a U-cup seal valve element.

7 . The valve according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the vent passage extends through a portion of the valve member and/or a portion of the damper.

8 . The valve according to claim 7 , wherein the vent valve is disposed in a flow gap formed between a portion of the damper and a portion of the valve member.

9 . The valve according to claim 1 , wherein the vent valve is a first vent valve, the valve further including a second vent valve downstream of the first vent valve such that an isolation gap is formed between the first vent valve and second vent valve.

10 . The valve according to claim 9 , wherein each of the first vent valve and the second vent valve is a U-cup seal vent valve.

11 . The valve according to claim 1 , wherein:
the valve body forms a primary chamber, the primary chamber being fluidly connectable to the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; the damper has a portion moveable from the first position to the second position by a first force, and moveable from the second position to the first position by a second force, wherein the first force is less than the second force; the valve further comprising: a timing resilient member biasing the valve member in a first axial direction to bias the valve member in the first position; a charge member moveable within the primary chamber to move the valve member from the first position to the second position.

12 . The valve according to claim 11 ,
wherein when the valve member abuts the charge member the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port are fluidly disconnected; wherein when in the first state, the valve member and the charge member abut one another within a first portion of the primary chamber to fluidly disconnect the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; wherein when in the second state, the valve member and the charge member abut one another within a second portion of the primary chamber, the second portion of the primary chamber being axially spaced in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction from the first portion of the primary chamber; and wherein when in the third state, the valve member and the charge member are axially spaced from one another to allow fluid flow therebetween, thereby fluidly connecting the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port.

13 . The valve according to claim 11 ,
wherein the damper fluid chamber is a timing chamber, the damper including a timing piston moveable within a timing chamber, wherein the timing piston is moveable from the first position in the timing chamber to the second position in the timing chamber by the first force, and moveable from the second position to the first position by the second force; wherein the valve member is moveable with the timing piston, and moveable within the primary chamber, wherein the timing chamber is fluidly disconnected from the primary chamber; wherein the timing resilient member biases the valve member and the timing piston in the first axial direction; wherein the charge member includes a charge piston moveable within the primary chamber, the charge piston having a flow passage for fluidly connecting the first inlet/outlet port with the second inlet/outlet port, wherein when the valve member abuts the charge piston the flow passage is closed thereby fluidly disconnecting first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; the valve further including a charge resilient member that biases the charge member in the first axial direction; wherein when in the first state, the valve member and the charge piston abut one another within the first portion of the primary chamber to fluidly disconnect the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; wherein when in the second state, the valve member and the charge piston abut one another within the second portion of the primary chamber; and wherein when in the third state, the valve member and the charge piston are axially spaced from one another to allow fluid flow therebetween, thereby fluidly connecting the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port.

14 . The valve according to claim 11 , wherein the valve member and/or the damper includes a flow passage fluidly connecting the primary chamber to a variable volume chamber.

15 . A valve for use in an inflation/deflation system, comprising:
a valve body having a first inlet/outlet port fluidly connectable to a second inlet/outlet port; a valve member movable within the valve body between a first position and a second position for fluidly connecting or disconnecting the first inlet/outlet port and the second inlet/outlet port; and a fluid-operated damper operably connected to the valve member to dampen movement of the valve member from the second position to the first position; wherein, when in a first state, the first inlet/outlet port is fluidly disconnected from

Assignees

• Parker Hannifin Corp

Inventors

• Ahmed Shahed M
• O'Connell Patrick D
• Reynolds Brian A
• Mccurdy Jr William B
• Qi Yufeng

Classifications

• F16K17/34

  in which the flow-energy of the flowing medium actuates the closing mechanism · CPC title

• F16K15/207

  and combined with other valves, e.g. safety valves · CPC title

• F16K15/202

  and with flexible valve member · CPC title

• F16K15/063

  the valve being loaded by a spring · CPC title

• F16K47/0111

  the valve members comprising a plunger sliding within a fixed dashpot · CPC title