Wheel Having a Controlled Pressure and a Pressure Reservoir

A method of controlling the inner pressure of a tyre mounted on a rim, comprising the steps of:

• inflating an inner volume of the tyre to an operating pressure and at a reference temperature;
• admitting a fluid compressed to a first pressure into a tank associated with the rim, said first pressure being higher than the operating pressure of the tyre at the reference temperature;
• establishing a communication between the inner volume of said tyre and said tank when the inner pressure of said tyre is lower than said operating pressure;
• and
• stopping the communication between said inner volume and said tank when said inner pressure of the tyre is substantially the same as said operating pressure,
• wherein said step of establishing a communication between the inner volume of the tyre and the tank is carried out by at least one valve assembly comprising a command valve, an exhaust valve and a compensation valve operatively associated with each other and comprising the steps of:
• transmitting a pressure reduction of the tyre to the exhaust valve;
• and
• generating a pressure reduction within the command valve through the exhaust valve so as to operate the command valve and bring said inner pressure to a value substantially equal to the operating pressure;
• said step of stopping said communication comprising the steps of:
• transmitting the inner pressure of the tyre, substantially equal to the operating pressure, to the exhaust valve and the compensation valve;
• and
• generating a pressure increase within the command valve through the compensation valve so as to operate the command valve to stop said communication.

A wheel having a controlled pressure, comprising:

• a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure;
• a tyre mounted on said rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure at a reference temperature, said operating pressure being lower than said first pressure;
• at least one valve assembly adapted to establish a communication between said tank, the inner volume of said tyre and the external environment, wherein said valve assembly comprises a command valve, an exhaust valve and a compensation valve operatively associated with each other;
• and wherein:
• said command valve controls communication between said tank and said inner volume of the tyre;
• and
• said exhaust valve is connected to the external environment, to said inner volume, to said command valve and to said compensation valve,
• said compensation valve being connected with said exhaust valve and said command valve, wherein said command valve comprises an inner chamber connected to said exhaust valve and said compensation valve in such a manner that said command valve is operated by said exhaust valve and said compensation valve through a pressure variation of said inner chamber in response to a variation of the inner pressure of the tyre.