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US 12,384,201 B2Granted
Fuel efficiency system for a vehicle
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorRichard Bryan Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vehicle systems and components are set forth, which aim to reduce rolling friction caused in part by the contact between the vehicle's tires and the ground surface over which the vehicle is traversing. These systems and/or components thereof may increase the overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle. In the examples provided, the systems and/or components change the tread contact patch of one or more tires during movement of the vehicle.
Claims16
A wheel, comprising:
- a rim;
- a tire mounted on the rim and having tread;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator positioned within the interior cavity and extending entirely across the interior cavity from the rim to the tire and being offset from lateral sidewalls of the tire, the actuator having a gas-sealed cavity and being adjustable in height between at least a first configuration and a second configuration with the actuator remaining in contact with an interior surface of the tire located opposite of the tread of the tire in each of the first configuration and the second configuration during normal pressurization of the tire, and the actuator comprising a first plate coupled to the rim, a second plate coupled to the interior surface of the tire, and a bellows coupled to the first plate and the second plate;
- a first air valve in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the tire;
- and
- a second air valve in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator.
4 more elements
A wheel, comprising:
- a rim;
- a tire mounted on the rim and having tread;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator positioned within the interior cavity and extending entirely across the interior cavity from the rim to the tire and being offset from lateral sidewalls of the tire, the actuator having a gas-sealed cavity and being adjustable in height between at least a first configuration and a second configuration with the actuator remaining in contact with an interior surface of the tire located opposite of the tread of the tire in each of the first configuration and the second configuration during normal pressurization of the tire;
- a first air valve in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the tire;
- and
- a second air valve in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, and wherein the tire further comprises a slit at the interior surface of the tire that is aligned with the actuator.
4 more elements
A wheel, comprising:
- a rim;
- a tire mounted on the rim and having tread;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator positioned within the interior cavity and extending entirely across the interior cavity from the rim to the tire and being offset from lateral sidewalls of the tire, the actuator having a gas-sealed cavity and being adjustable in height between at least a first configuration and a second configuration with the actuator remaining in contact with an interior surface of the tire located opposite of the tread of the tire in each of the first configuration and the second configuration during normal pressurization of the tire;
- a first air valve in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the tire;
- and
- a second air valve in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, and wherein:
- the first air valve further comprises:
- a first air fitting that extends through the rim to be in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator;
- and
- an inflation and deflation port at an end of the first air fitting and in the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, the inflation and deflation port configured to inflate and deflate the actuator;
- the second air valve further comprises:
- a second air fitting that extends through the rim and through the actuator to be in fluid communication with the interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- and
- a port at an end of the second air fitting and in the interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.