US 5,409,049 A · Tangential tire pressurizing and regulating apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for harnessing and utilizing, inter alia, gravitational and centrifugal forces generated at a location eccentric from the axis of rotation of a rolling wheel. The apparatus includes pumps that can be attached in a tangential relationship to a path of wheel rotation of an automobile wheel in order to pressurize under-inflated tires and maintain tire pressure at a preset value. A double acting unitary piston assembly is supported for antifrictional reciprocation in a pump housing along a line tangential with respect to a path of wheel rotation so that gravitational force will principally displace the piston assembly to effect working strokes for inflating a pneumatic tire. Compression ratio parameters of the pump are preselected to cause the pump to be effective at wheel rotation velocities above which gravitational forces are no longer effective to operate the pump. A device is also provided to adjust the compression ratio of the pump to thereby adjust the air pressure to be maintained in the tire.

Claims18

Dependent claims

Apparatus for pressurizing a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:

a displacement type air pump including an oscillating unitary free piston mass reciprocal along a line by forces occurring with the rotational motion of a wheel for generating air under pressure;
bearing means for antifrictional support of said piston mass during oscillation thereof within said pump when generating air under pressure;
mounting means adapted for attaching said pump to a wheel having a pneumatic tire mounted thereon with said line of piston reciprocation positioned offset from center and tangential with respect to a path of wheel rotation;
and
connection means adapted for introducing air under pressure generated from said pump into the pneumatic tire.

2 more elements

Apparatus for pressurizing a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel, said apparatus comprising:

a positive displacement pump including a housing, a unitary free floating double action piston assembly having a central enlarged piston mass with opposing pistons connected to opposite sides of said mass, said piston assembly reciprocal between stops within said housing along a line with said pistons respectively received within respective opposing cylinders for alternately effecting air pressure working strokes;
linear bearing means supporting said central piston mass for antifrictional reciprocation in said housing along said line of piston reciprocation;
mounting means adapted for attaching said pump to a wheel having a pneumatic tire mounted thereon with said line of piston reciprocation positioned offset from the center of the wheel and tangential with respect to a path of wheel rotation so that gravitational force will alternately displace said pistons into said cylinders to effect working strokes for said pump;
and
connection means adapted for introducing air under pressure generated from said pump into the tire.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tangential tire pressurizing and regulating apparatus

Life of this patent

Tangential tire pressurizing and regulating apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18