Central tire inflation system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9884522-B2
Application number	US-201515312537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	May 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

A central tire inflation system for a tire. The system includes one or more pneumatic control valves for controlling inflation of a respective tire. A first compressed air source is provided for supplying compressed air to inflate the tire. A second compressed air source is provided for supplying compressed air to control the at one or more pneumatic control valves. A control means is provided for controlling the supply of compressed air from the second compressed air source to generate a pneumatic control signal to control the one or more pneumatic control valves. The first compressed air source can be a compressor configured to provide compressed air to inflate the tires. The second compressed air source can form part of an air suspension system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A central tire inflation system for a vehicle comprising:
at least one pneumatic control valve for controlling inflation of a respective tire;
a first compressed air source for supplying compressed air to inflate the tire;
a second compressed air source for supplying compressed air at a higher pressure than the first compressed air source to control said at least one pneumatic control valve; and
control means for controlling the supply of compressed air from the second compressed air source to generate a pneumatic control signal comprising a pulse of air to control said at least one pneumatic control valve;
wherein the at least one pneumatic control valve is a latching valve having a plurality of operating states and the at least one pneumatic control valve is operative to toggle between operating states, or to cycle through operating states in dependence on the pneumatic control signal.

2. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second compressed air source comprises a compressed air reservoir of an air suspension system.

3. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first compressed air source supplies compressed air at a higher flow rate than the second compressed air source.

4. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a first inlet valve for controlling the supply of compressed air from the first compressed air source.

5. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the control means comprises a second inlet valve for controlling the supply of compressed air from the second compressed air source.

6. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the control means comprises a controller for controlling operation of the second inlet valve to generate said pneumatic control signal.

7. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first and second inlet valves control the supply of compressed air from the respective first and second compressed air sources to a fluid gallery.

8. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 7 comprising an outlet valve for controlling the supply of compressed air from the fluid gallery to a tire supply line.

9. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the tire supply line is in fluid communication with the pneumatic control valve.

10. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the tire supply line is operative to supply compressed air from said first compressed air source and/or from said second compressed air source.

11. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 9 comprising a plurality of said pneumatic control valves each for controlling a flow of compressed air to a respective tire of the vehicle, wherein each pneumatic control valve is operably coupled to a respective tire supply line and a respective outlet valve.

12. A central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein, in use, more than one of said plurality of pneumatic control valves can be controlled simultaneously by the same pneumatic control signal.

13. A method of operating a central tire inflation system to inflate a tire of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
using a first compressed air source, providing a first supply of compressed air for inflating the tire;
using a second compressed air source for supplying compressed air at a higher pressure than the first compressed air source, generating a pneumatic control signal comprising a pulse of air to control operation of a pneumatic control valve for controlling inflation of the tire, the pneumatic control valve being a latching valve having a plurality of operating states and being operative to toggle between operating states, or to cycle through operating states in dependence on the pneumatic control signal.

14. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code, wherein the computer readable program code when executed causes a central tire inflation system to inflate a tire of a vehicle according to the method of claim 13 .

15. A vehicle comprising a central tire inflation system as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• King Paul
• Dunning Emma Claire
• Lesbirel Robbie
• Dodu Maelle
• Tran Thuy Yung

Classifications

• B60C23/0408 Primary

  transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver · CPC title

• B60C23/003

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

• F16K31/16

  with a mechanism, other than pulling-or pushing-rod, between fluid motor and closure member (with float F16K31/18) · CPC title

• B60C23/00372

  characterised by fluid diagrams · CPC title

• B60C23/00354

  Details of valves · CPC title