Air maintenance tire assembly
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorCheng-Hsiung Lin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pumping assembly keeps a pneumatic tire from becoming underinflated. The pumping assembly includes an even number of pumps attached to the tire rim, a gravity mass for producing a pumping action, a cam fixed to the gravity mass for maintaining the cam in a fixed position relative to the gravity mass, and rollers for engaging the cam and producing the pumping action as the tire rim rotates and the gravity mass retards rotation of the cam as the tire rim rotates.
Claims20
A pumping assembly for use with a pneumatic tire mounted on a tire rim to keep the pneumatic tire from becoming underinflated, the pumping assembly comprising:
- an even number of pumps attached to the tire rim;
- a gravity mass for producing a pumping action;
- a cam fixed to the gravity mass for maintaining the cam in a fixed position relative to the gravity mass;
- and
- rollers for engaging the cam and producing the pumping action as the tire rim rotates and the gravity mass retards rotation of the cam as the tire rim rotates.
A method for maintaining pressure within a pneumatic tire, the method comprising the steps of:
- attaching an even number of pumps to a tire rim;
- producing a pumping action with a gravity mass;
- fixing a cam to the gravity mass for maintaining the cam in a fixed position relative to the gravity mass;
- and
- interfacing the pumps and the cam with rollers,
- rotating the tire rim and pumps such that the gravity mass and cam retards rotation of the cam as the tire rim rotates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.