Small trailer tire inflation system
AssigneeEqualaire Systems, Inc.
InventorMark Kevin Hennig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire inflation system for a small trailer may include a fluid pressure source mountable to the trailer, and fluid conduits providing sealed fluid communication between the fluid pressure source and the small trailer's pneumatic tires. The system may further include a fluid connector configured for connection to an external fluid power source.
Claims10
A tire inflation system for a small trailer comprising an axle and a pneumatic tire mounted at each end of the axle, the system comprising:
- a first rotary fluid connection mounted at a first end of the trailer axle and in sealed fluid communication with a first pneumatic tire mounted at the first end of the trailer axle;
- a second rotary fluid connection mounted at a second end of the trailer axle and in sealed fluid communication with a second pneumatic tire mounted at the second end of the trailer axle;
- a fluid connector configured for sealed connection to an fluid pressure source external to the small trailer, the first rotary fluid connection and the second rotary fluid connection being in sealed fluid communication with the fluid connector such that fluid flowing into the fluid connector from the stationary fluid pressure source may flow substantially simultaneously into the first and second pneumatic tires;
- a first one-way valve in sealed fluid communication with the fluid connector and the first pneumatic tire, the first one-way valve disposed so as to allow fluid to flow to the first pneumatic tire and not from the first pneumatic tire to the fluid connector or to the second pneumatic tire;
- a second one-way valve disposed between and in sealed fluid communication with the fluid connector and the second pneumatic tire, the second one-way valve disposed so as to allow fluid to flow to the second pneumatic tire and not from the second pneumatic tire to the fluid connector or to the first pneumatic tire.
A tire inflation system for a small trailer comprising an axle and a pneumatic tire mounted at each end of the axle, the system comprising:
- a fluid pressure source mounted to the small trailer, the fluid pressure source powerable by energy provided by a small-trailer tow vehicle;
- a fluid conduit providing sealed fluid communication between the fluid pressure source and each pneumatic tire so as to allow pressurized fluid from the trailer-mounted fluid pressure source to flow from the fluid pressure source to each pneumatic tire;
- and
- a fluid connector providing sealed fluid communication with the pneumatic tires, the fluid connector comprising a one-way valve configured for sealed fluid communication with an external fluid pressure source so as to allow fluid to flow from the external fluid pressure source to each pneumatic tire.
A method of inflating small trailer pneumatic tires, the small trailer comprising an axle and a pneumatic tire mounted at each end of the axle, the method comprising:
- mounting to the trailer a fluid connector comprising a one-way valve configured for sealed fluid communication with an external fluid pressure source not mounted to the small trailer or to a tow vehicle;
- providing sealed fluid communication between the fluid connector and each pneumatic tire;
- and
- connecting the fluid connector to the external fluid pressure source so as to allow pressurized fluid to flow from the fluid pressure source to each pneumatic tire substantially simultaneously.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.