Air maintenance tire system component protector
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsSagar Dilip Bafana, Robin Lamgaday, Cheng-Hsiung Lin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air maintenance tire system component protector is provided. An air maintenance tire system includes at least one connecting tube extending between and being in fluid communication with an annular air tube and a valve housing. The protector includes a first end disposed proximate the connection of the at least one connecting tube to the annular tube, and a second end disposed proximate the valve housing. A mid-portion of the protector is disposed between the first and second ends. The protector covers an outboard surface of the at least one connecting tube and the valve housing, and includes means for engaging the at least one connecting tube to secure the position of the tube.
Claims19
An air maintenance tire system component protector, the air maintenance tire system including an annular air tube being mounted to a tire, a mounting member being secured to a sidewall of the tire, at least one connecting tube being attached to the mounting member, the at least one connecting tube extending between and being in fluid communication with the annular air tube and a valve housing, the protector comprising:
- a first end disposed proximate a connection of the at least one connecting tube to the annular tube and being secured to the mounting member;
- a second end disposed proximate the valve housing and being secured to the valve housing;
- and
- a mid-portion disposed between the first and second ends, whereby the protector covers an outboard surface of the at least one connecting tube.
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
An air maintenance tire system component protector, the air maintenance tire system including at least one connecting tube extending between and being in fluid communication with an annular air tube and a valve housing, the protector comprising:
- a first end disposed proximate a connection of the at least one connecting tube to the annular tube;
- a second end disposed proximate the valve housing and being secured to the valve housing, wherein an opening is formed in the second end for receiving a bolt of the valve housing, a lip is formed on an inner circumference of the opening, and a nut engages the lip;
- and
- a mid-portion disposed between the first and second ends, whereby the protector covers an outboard surface of the at least one connecting tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.