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US 2022/0144016 A1Published application
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.
Claims20
A wheel, comprising:
- a rim;
- a tire mounted on the rim;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator within the interior cavity, the actuator having a gas-sealed cavity;
- 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 including a tire mount surface;
- a tire on the tire mount surface of the rim and mounted on the rim, the tire including:
- an interior surface;
- an exterior surface opposite to the interior surface;
- and
- a tread that extends along the exterior surface of the tire, the tread including:
- an unactivated ground contact patch surface area;
- and
- an activated ground contact patch surface area less than the unactivated ground contact patch surface area;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator within the interior cavity, the actuator includes a gas-sealed cavity, and the actuator is configured to, in operation, expand to move the tread from the unactivated ground contact patch surface area to the activated ground contact patch surface area and to deflate to move the tread from the activated ground contact patch surface area to the unactivated ground contact patch surface area;
- and
- an air valve extends through the rim and through the bellows to be in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, the air valve is configured to deflate and inflate the actuator.
10 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- a wheel including:
- a rim;
- a tire mounted on the rim;
- an interior cavity defined by the tire and the rim;
- an actuator within the interior cavity, the actuator having a gas-sealed cavity;
- an air valve in fluid communication with the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, the air valve includes a inflation and deflation port within the gas-sealed cavity of the actuator, and the inflation and deflation port is configured to inflate and deflate the actuator between an activated state and an unactivated state;
- a controller in electrical communication with the air valve to inflate and deflate the actuator through the inflation and deflation port of the air valve, the controller is configured to, in operation, inflate the actuator when a speed of the vehicle is larger than a threshold speed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.