Tire inflation device

Abstract

A tire inflation device and a method using the device. The device includes a piston in a housing and a bladder attached to the end of the housing. The device is configured to compress air between the cap, housing, and piston by the compression of the bladder. Air enters the tire through a valve in the piston. When the bladder returns to its original position, the piston seals the air inside the tire, thereby allowing the air to pass through the valve in the cap. The device includes a method for maintaining tire pressure. The method includes a device for inflating a tire as the tire rotates on a road surface.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Citation of prior application This application claims priority granted to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 466,796, “TIRE INFLATION APPARATUS,” filed on 16 May 2023. That Provisional Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0002] Technical field This disclosure relates to the field of tire valve stems, and more specifically to tire air inflation devices and methods.

[0003] Description of related technologies A tire is a pneumatically inflated structure mounted on a vehicle. When filled with optimal air pressure, a tire provides a flexible cushion that can absorb shocks as the vehicle travels along the road. However, over time, tires gradually lose air and flatten. Flat tires can cause serious damage to the tire itself, the vehicle, and the occupants. Manually refilling tires with air is time-consuming and may be impossible without special equipment. Therefore, there is a need for an automatic tire inflation system. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Novel aspects of this disclosure are directed to tire inflation devices and methods. The device includes a piston having one or more chambers arranged within a housing. One or more bladders are attached to one end of the housing, and a cap is attached to the other end of the housing, protruding outward from the tire. The device is configured to compress air and inflate a tire when the tire deforms due to insufficient air pressure while rotating on a road surface.

[0005] In non-limiting exemplary embodiments, a tire inflation device may comprise a housing configured to be embedded inside a tire, a piston disposed within the housing, a spring disposed within the housing, and a bladder coupled to a second end of the housing. The housing may comprise one or more apertures, and the piston may comprise one or more chambers. One or more chambers may be configured to fluidly communicate with one or more apertures of the housing. The spring may extend from a first end of the housing to a first end of the piston and may be configured to position the piston between the first and second ends of the housing. The bladder may be coupled to a second end of the housing, which is located opposite the first end. The volume of the bladder is configured to fluidly communicate with one or more chambers of the piston.

[0006] In another non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method for maintaining tire pressure using a tire pressure inflator. This method includes embedding a tire pressure inflator inside a tire and sealing air in the bladder when the bladder and one or more chambers have the same air pressure. When air is injected into the tire, a spring may position the piston in a first position. The method may further include supplying air to the tire from one or more chambers when the tire loses air pressure. When air is supplied to the tire, a spring may position the piston in a second position. The method may further include supplying air into the housing through an exposed end of the housing, thereby allowing air to be supplied to the tire when the piston is subsequently positioned in the second position. When air is supplied to the housing, a spring may position the piston in a third position.

[0007] Other aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following embodiments for carrying out the invention, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0008] Prior aspects of this technology and many associated advantages will be more readily understood by referring to the embodiments for carrying out the invention described below, when read in conjunction with the accompanying simplified drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings described below are provided for the sake of clarity and do not limit the subject matter of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1A] This is an illustration of a tire inflation device in its initial manual tire inflation state, illustrating an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 1B] This is an illustration of a tire inflation device in a second tire inflation state, according to an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 1C] This is an illustration of a tire inflation device in a third tire inflation state, according to an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates how a tire inflation device inflates a tire, based on an embodiment that is helpful in the explanation. [Figure 3A] This diagram illustrates a tire inflation device with an adjustable cap in an air inflation configuration, illustrating an embodiment that is helpful for explanation. [Figure 3B] This diagram illustrates a tire inflation device with an adjustable cap in a steady-state configuration, illustrating an embodiment that is helpful in the explanation. [Figure 3C] This diagram illustrates a tire air pump with an adjustable cap in a compressed state configuration, illustrating an embodiment that is helpful in the explanation. [Figure 3D] This diagram illustrates a tire inflation device with an adjustable cap in a volume-increasing state, illustrating an embodiment that is helpful for explanation. [Figure 4] A flowchart illustrating a method for inflating a tire is provided, based on an embodiment that is helpful for explanation. [Figure 5] Caps according to various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. [Figure 6] The housings in various embodiments of this disclosure are shown. [Figure 7] Shows pistons according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 8A] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a tire air injection device including a valve-less piston in a first tire air injection state according to an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8 is a diagram of a tire air injection device including a valve-less piston in a second tire air injection state according to an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 8C] FIG. 11 is a diagram of a tire air injection device including a valve-less piston in a third tire air injection state according to an embodiment useful for explanation. [Figure 8D] FIG. 14 is a diagram of a tire air injection device including a valve-less piston in a fourth tire air injection state according to an embodiment useful for explanation.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a state where the tire air injection device 100 is in a tire air injection state (for example, an initial manual tire air injection state). This device can include a housing 102, a piston 104, a bladder 106, a cap 108, and a spring 110. The piston 104 is disposed within the housing 102. The cap 108 is attached to the first end of the housing 102. The bladder 106 is disposed at the second end located opposite to the first end of the housing 102. The spring 110 is disposed within the housing 102 between the first end of the piston 104 and the first end of the housing 102. The tire air injection device 100 is configured to inject air into the tire when the tire rotates.

[0011] The tire inflator 100 can be configured to be embedded in the wheel rim or inside the tire for inflating the tire. The housing 102 may be sized to fit standardized valve stem hole sizes found in many passenger car wheels and can function as a valve stem for those wheels. In at least one example, the housing 102 is configured to fit into a 0.453-inch diameter hole in the wheel. Using a standardized valve stem size is advantageous for simplifying the installation of the tire inflator 100 on other wheels without requiring the fabrication of a dedicated wheel or tire for the device 100 to function. However, hole configurations with larger or smaller diameters are also applicable.

[0012] As illustrated in the embodiments helpful for explanation, the cap 108 may form a cap chamber 130 together with the housing 102. The cap 130 may be configured to house an intake valve 114 that allows air to flow into the cap chamber 130 but not out. In at least one example, the intake valve 114 is a poppet valve. As described later (e.g., Figures 3A, 3B), the cap 108 is precisely mounted on the housing 102 to form a desired volume of the cap chamber 130, thereby enabling the configuration of the total volume of air inside the tire and the desired tire pressure. In an alternative embodiment, the cap 108 is mounted on the end of the housing 102 and has no cap volume. In such a configuration, air may flow through the cap 108 into the housing chamber, but the housing chamber may be the volume within the housing 102 occupied by the spring 110.

[0013] The housing 102 may have a first aperture 120 that fluidly connects to the cap chamber 130 when the piston 104 is positioned away from the first end of the housing 102, as shown in Figure 1A. In this configuration, the cap chamber 130 is surrounded by the cap 108, the housing 102, and the piston 104. Air flowing in through the one-way valve 114 can exit the first aperture 120 by passing through a fourth aperture 126 of the housing 102. A spring 110 may be located inside the housing 102, between the first end of the housing 102 and the piston 104. The spring 110 may be configured to fully extend to allow air to flow into the tire for initial tire inflation after the device 100 has been installed in the wheel.

[0014] As illustrated in the embodiments useful for explanation, the piston 104 includes a first chamber 140 and a second chamber 150. The first piston chamber 140 may also be referred to in this disclosure as the “piston chamber”. The first piston chamber 140 is located within the piston 104 and has at least one aperture 115 sealed by a one-way valve 112 and at least another aperture 116 sealed by the wall of the housing 102. The one-way valve 112 may be configured to separate the first piston chamber 140 from the housing chamber, allowing air to enter the first piston chamber 140 from the housing chamber but not from there. The second piston chamber 150 may similarly be located within the piston 104 and may include a third aperture 117 and a fourth aperture 118. As shown in Figure 1A, the second piston chamber 150 is fluidly connected to the tire chamber by the alignment of the second aperture 122 of the housing 102 with the aperture 117 of the piston 104. Aperture 118 is fluidly connected to the bladder chamber 160 of the bladder 106 via a third aperture 124 of the housing. One or more of the apertures 115-124 may be provided with a screen (or filter) to allow air to pass through while preventing unwanted substances from entering the tire chamber and / or bladder chamber 160. The tire inflation device 100 may further include one or more seals positioned between the side wall of the housing 102 and the piston 104. For example, the tire inflation device 100 may include one or more O-rings positioned between the housing 102 and the piston 104. Including one or more seals is advantageous in preventing air leakage from the compartment. For example, one or more seals may prevent air from flowing along the side walls of the housing and disturbing the air pressure in the device and tire. In at least one example, the O-ring is positioned above the third aperture 124. In another example, the O-ring is positioned below the first aperture 120. In yet another example, the O-ring is positioned above the third aperture 124 and below the first aperture 120.

[0015] One or more bladders 106 may include one or more bladder chambers 160 (defined, for example, by the internal volume of the bladder) and be coupled to a second end of the housing 102. One or more bladders 106 may be shaped or sized to fill the internal volume of the tire from which the tire inflator 100 is designed to inflate. In some examples, the tire inflator is crescent-shaped and may occupy the internal volume of the tire, or at least a portion thereof. For example, one or more bladders 106 may occupy up to 90% of the internal volume of the tire. In at least one example, multiple bladders 106 may be arranged within the internal volume of the tire and optionally positioned equidistant from other bladders 106.

[0016] After the tire inflation device 100 is installed inside the wheel and sealed inside the tire, the user inflates the tire through the device 100. Compressed air may be required first to inflate both the tire and the bladder 106. The position of the piston 104 in the initial manual inflation state (e.g., the first position) allows air to pass through the one-way valve 114 and enter the tire chamber through the cap chamber 130 and housing chamber (see, for example, 280 in Figure 2). Compressed air cannot pass through the piston chamber 140 because it is enclosed by the walls of the housing 102. Instead, the compressed air biases the piston 104 toward the second end of the housing 102, causing the housing chamber (and cap chamber 130) to be fluidly connected to the tire chamber via the first aperture 120. As air enters the tire chamber, air may also flow into the bladder chamber 160 of the bladder 106 via the second piston chamber 150. As the bladder expands, the air pressure in the bladder chamber 160 increases. The Blada 106 and the tire are filled to the same initial air pressure. The tire inflation device 100 may be configured to cycle between a second state and a third state after the initial manual tire inflation, so as not to return to the initial manual inflation state.

[0017] Referring to Figure 1B, a diagram of the tire inflation device 100 in a second state where there is no air movement is shown. The second state can be a steady state in which no compression occurs in the bladder 106. The spring 110 is also in an uncompressed position. The air pressure in the bladder chamber 160 and the housing chamber holds the piston 104, so that neither the housing chamber nor the first piston chamber 140 is fluidly connected to the tire chamber via the first aperture 120. Furthermore, the air in the tire chamber is prevented from fluidly connecting with the air in the bladder chamber 160 via the second chamber 150. The second state can represent a point in time when the tire is neither expanding nor contracting. The bladder chamber 160 has the same air pressure as the tire chamber. In this state, no air flows into the tire.

[0018] Referring to Figure 1C, a diagram of the tire air inflator 100 in a third state of bladder compression is shown. The third state can be the result of tire deformation due to air pressure loss. When a tire loses air pressure, the outer surface of the tire deforms as the tire rotates at the point where the tire surface contacts the road surface. This deformation compresses the bladder 106. The bladder 106 can occupy up to 90% of the internal volume of the tire. When the bladder 106 is compressed as a result of the deformation of the tire surface, the air pressure in the bladder chamber 160 biases the piston 104 toward the first end of the housing 102. This compresses the spring 110. The air in the housing chamber (e.g., the volume in the housing 102 occupied by the spring 110) is also compressed as a result of the reduced volume between the piston 104, housing 102, and cap 108. This compressed air increases the air pressure in the housing chamber, which may eventually exceed the air pressure in the tire chamber. When the air pressure in the housing chamber exceeds the air pressure in the tire chamber, air in the housing chamber may flow into the tire chamber through the one-way valve 112 of the first piston chamber 140. Air tends to move from the high-pressure region to the low-pressure region, and the one-way valve 112 allows air to flow into the piston chamber 140 but not out. When an equilibrium state exists between the first piston chamber 140, the housing chamber, and the tire chamber, air will no longer move through the one-way valve 112.

[0019] Looking at Figure 2, the cycle of the tire inflation device 200 inflating the tire as the tire rotates is depicted at different points in time. The tire inflation device 200 may comprise a housing 202, a piston 204, a bladder 206, a cap 208, and a spring 210. The piston 204 is located within the housing 202. The cap 208 is attached to the first end of the housing 202. The bladder 206 is located at the second end of the housing 202, opposite the first end. The spring 210 is located within the housing 202, between the first end of the piston 204 and the first end of the housing 202. An aperture 226 is provided at the first end of the housing, thereby forming a housing chamber 230 enclosed by the cap 208, the housing 202, and the first end of the piston 204. The tire inflation device 200 is embedded within the rim 282 of the wheel and is configured to inflate the tire as the tire rotates. When the tire pressure is low (as shown at time 291), as the tire rotates and the tire surface contacts the road surface, the tire surface compresses the bladder 206 as a result of deformation 284 due to the low air pressure. The air pushed out from the bladder chamber 260 biases the piston 204 toward the first end of the housing 202, compressing the air in the housing chamber 230. In another embodiment, the tire air inflator 200 may be configured without a lip at the first end of the housing 202. In this configuration, when the cap 208 is attached to the housing 202, the spring 210 (and piston 204) are held inside the housing 202.

[0020] The tire inflation device 200 may be configured so that the air pressure in the housing chamber 230 reaches a predetermined air pressure upon compression. For the tire inflation device 200 to inflate the tire, the air pressure in the housing chamber 230 must exceed the air pressure in the tire chamber 280 so that air flows into the tire chamber 280, thus inflating the tire. As described below, the tire inflation device 200 may be configured to include an adjustable cap configured to adjust the set tire pressure to a desired pressure. After the air pressure in the housing chamber 230 exceeds the air pressure in the tire chamber 280, the air passes through the one-way valve 212 in the first piston aperture 215 and flows into the piston chamber 240 and then into the tire chamber 280. This is because the second piston aperture 216, which defines the boundary of the piston chamber 240, aligns with the first housing aperture 220 at time 291.

[0021] As air enters the tire chamber 280, the wheel continues to rotate. At time 292, the tire surface with the corresponding bladder (for example, the position of the bladder where the tire contacts the road surface) is no longer in contact with the road surface and is no longer deformed by supporting the weight of the vehicle. The air pressure in the tire chamber 280 and the bladder chamber 260 pushes the tire surface outward. This causes the bladder chamber 260 to return to its original shape, forming an undeformed tire shape 285. As the bladder 206 returns to its original shape, the spring 210 returns to its original shape, biasing the piston 204 toward the second end of the housing 202. This movement isolates the tire chamber 280 from the piston chamber 240 and expands the volume of the housing chamber 230. As the volume of the housing chamber 230 expands, air is drawn into the housing chamber 230 from outside the tire through the one-way valve 214 of the cap 208. Thus, the housing chamber 230 is filled with air until it reaches the same air pressure as the air outside the tire. At time point 293, when the tire completes its rotation, the tire surface makes contact with the road surface again and deforms (in the bladder position) as a result of the added weight of the vehicle. This compresses the air in the bladder chamber 260 and pushes the piston toward the first end of the housing 202. This ultimately causes the compressed air to flow into the tire chamber 280.

[0022] Furthermore, the tire continues to rotate at point 294, which restores the spring. This traps the air inside the tire chamber 280 and draws the air outside the tire into the housing chamber 230. This cycle is repeated as the bladder 206 deforms, causing the air pressure to move the piston 204 along the length of the housing 202.

[0023] As described above in FIG. 2, after air is injected into the tire at time point 291, the tire air injection device 200 may start to circulate between the steady states 292, 294 and the bladder compression state 293. The volume of the housing chamber changes between these states, becoming smaller during the bladder compression state 293 and larger between the steady states 292, 294. Therefore, the pressure in the housing chamber also changes with the change in volume. When the pressure in the chamber volume falls below the ambient pressure (e.g., 14.7 psi), creating a pressure difference with the outside, air from the outside flows into the housing chamber through the one-way valve in the cap. The greater the pressure difference, the faster the air flows into the housing chamber to inflate the tire. The chamber pressure when the piston is in various positions within the housing can be calculated using the following mathematical formula: [Number] [Number] In the formula, P Ch_x , represents the set tire air pressure, P Ambient represents the ambient pressure outside the air injection device 200, and P Total is the sum of P Tire and P Ambient . V Ch_1 represents the volume of the housing chamber while the piston 204 is compressing the spring 210, indicating the volume at position 1 of the housing chamber (e.g., the minimum volume). For example, at position 1, the piston 204 is positioned closest to the upper end of the housing 202. V Cap represents the volume of the cap 208. V Ch_x represents the volume of the housing chamber 230 when the piston 204 is at any position along the length of the housing. P Ch_1 represents the pressure in the housing chamber at position 1 (indicating the maximum pressure at V Ch_1 ). P Ch_x is the pressure in the housing chamber at V Ch_x (e.g., any position of the piston along the housing chamber).

[0024] The size of the tire inflation device 200 (e.g., dimensions of the piston, cap, and housing) is such that the desired tire pressure (P Tire This can be estimated based on the following: As mentioned above, the tire inflation device 200 should be sized such that the pressure in the housing chamber is lower than the ambient pressure (14.7 psi) at at least one position of the piston in the housing (i.e., somewhere between the minimum spring compression and the maximum spring compression). As an example, a typical tire pressure for a car is 30-35 psi. Therefore, as shown in Table 1 below, V Cap In the case of a tire air inflation device 200 with zero volume, a device 200 with a housing chamber volume of approximately 3.5 to 4 volume units will create a sufficient pressure difference to allow ambient air to flow into the housing chamber 230. Furthermore, as will be described later, the volume ratio (V R ) refers to the ratio of the maximum volume to the minimum volume of the housing chamber. Therefore, the volume unit (e.g., mL, in) 3 (etc.) The size of the selected tire inflator 200 and the corresponding V R It depends. Specifically, if the tire pressure is 30 psi, the tire inflator 200 will begin inflating the tire as soon as the volume reaches at least 3.5 volume units, and will inflate at a faster rate once it reaches 4 volume units. The dimensions can be changed to increase the maximum housing chamber volume, thereby increasing the pressure difference and tire inflation speed. [Table 1]

[0025] Referring to Figures 3A to 3D, various configurations of the tire inflator 300 are shown. The tire inflator 300 may comprise a housing 302, a piston 304, a bladder 306, an adjustable cap 308, and a spring (not shown). The housing 302 may be configured to be fixed to the rim. The piston 304 is located within the housing 302 and may be configured to be removable from the housing 302 when the cap 308 is removed from the housing 302. The piston 304 may include a first piston chamber 316A and a second piston chamber 316B. The adjustable cap 308 is attached to the first end of the housing 302. The adjustable cap 308 may comprise a first part 308A and a second part 308B, where the first part 308A is detachably coupled to the housing 302 and the second part 308B is detachably coupled to the first part 308A. The first portion 308A may be configured to prevent the piston from being removed while the first portion 308A is attached to the housing 302. In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the surface of the first end of the housing 302 and the inner surface of the first portion 308A of the adjustable cap 308 are provided with a threaded interface 311 configured to engage the first portion 308A of the adjustable cap 308 with the housing 302. The inner surface of the second portion 308B of the adjustable cap 308 and the first portion 308A of the adjustable cap 308 are provided with a threaded interface 309 configured to engage the first portion 308A of the adjustable cap 308 with the second portion 308B of the adjustable cap 308. The second portion 308B of the adjustable cap 308 may include a one-way valve 313. The bladder 306 is located at the second end of the housing 302 opposite the first end. A spring (not shown) is positioned within the housing 302, between the first end of the piston 304 and the first end of the housing 302. Although the illustrated embodiment of the tire inflation device 300 is not shown mounted on a tire, it is understood that the bladder 306 in Figures 3C and 3D can be compressed to push the piston into the illustrated position (see, for example, 293 in Figure 2).

[0026] When the tire inflation device 300 is configured for manual inflation (e.g., initial manual inflation of a tire), the first aperture 310 of the housing 302 may be configured to fluidly connect to the housing chamber, the second aperture 312 of the housing 302 may be configured to fluidly connect directly to the second piston chamber, and the third aperture 314 of the housing 302 may be configured to fluidly communicate directly with the inside of the bladder 306, as shown in Figure 3A. Thus, in the manual tire inflation configuration, air can inflate the tire by passing through the one-way valve 313 of the adjustable cap 308 and through the first aperture 310. Air can also inflate the bladder 306 by passing through the second aperture 312, the second piston chamber, and the third aperture 314. Once the tire is inflated to a predetermined pressure, the tire inflation device 300 enters a steady-state configuration as shown in Figure 3B. In the steady-state configuration, the pressure from the bladder 306 positions the piston 304 such that the first aperture 310 and the second aperture 312 are closed. As the tire pressure begins to decrease, the pressure difference between the housing chamber and the ambient air increases, causing air to flow into the housing chamber and the tire. This pushes the piston 304 into a position where the first aperture 310 is in fluid communication with the first piston chamber 316A, as shown in Figure 3C. The adjustable cap 308 can be used to adjust the tire pressure by increasing or decreasing its volume. For example, as shown in Figure 3D, the second part 308B of the adjustable cap 308 can be turned and loosened, thereby increasing the volume of the adjustable cap 308 ("cap volume, V"). Cap The cap volume can be increased. As the cap volume increases, the set tire pressure decreases. The set tire pressure for different volumes of the adjustable cap 308 can be calculated using the following formula:

number

number

[0027] As shown in Table 2 below, V Ch_1 Increasing the volume (for example, the minimum housing chamber volume) improves the sensitivity of the adjustment to the cap volume (expressed in volume units). Therefore, V Ch_1 With larger tire inflation devices, users can select smaller pressure increments. Table 2 shows V R The image shows an air inflation device composed of 4 units, but this is just one example, and the volume ratio of the tire inflation device can be changed according to the user's needs. [Table 2]

[0028] As previously stated herein, the tire inflators (100, 200, 300) disclosed herein may be sized and configured to fit existing tires. For example, common vehicle valve stems are designed to fit 0.453-inch or 0.625-inch diameter holes on wheel rims. Passenger car valve stems vary in length, ranging from approximately 0.88 inches to approximately 2.00 inches, and accommodate pressures up to 65 pounds per square inch (PSI). Other types of wheels also use standard valve stem sizes. For example, many bicycle wheels use the 0.453-inch (5 / 16-inch) "Schrader" hole diameter commonly found on cars and motorcycles. Other bicycle wheels use 7mm "Presta" or 8mm "Dunlop" hole diameters. Thus, the tire inflators (100, 200, 300) disclosed herein may be sized according to these valve stem specifications or any other valve stem specifications known in the art. Furthermore, the hole size can be changed to accommodate various configurations.

[0029] Figure 4 shows a flowchart 400 of a method for maintaining air pressure in a tire using the tire inflation devices (devices 100, 200, and / or 300, etc.) shown in Figures 1-3. The tire device may comprise a main housing, a cap, a piston, a spring, and a bladder. The first end of the housing may protrude outside the tire, wheel, or rim. The cap may be attached to the first end of the housing. The cap may be configured to allow outside air to enter the cap but not to exit (e.g., via a one-way valve). The piston may be located within the housing and comprise a piston chamber and a one-way valve. The spring may be located within the housing between the first end of the piston and the first end of the housing. The bladder may be attached to a second end located opposite the first end of the housing and together with the second end of the housing form a bladder chamber. The cap (e.g., 308 in Figure 3A) and the first end of the housing may define a cap chamber. When the bladder chamber is compressed, the piston may be configured to bias toward the first end of the housing, thereby compressing the spring. Air may flow from the housing chamber to the first piston chamber through a one-way valve in the piston. Alternatively, when the bladder is not compressed, the spring may be configured to bias the piston toward the second end of the housing.

[0030] Method 400 may begin with step 402, in which the tire inflator is embedded in the tire. This may include embedding the tire inflator in the rim of the wheel. In some embodiments, the tire inflator replaces the tire valve stem. In step 404, the tire may be initially inflated with compressed air passing through the tire inflator. In step 406, the piston may be positioned away from the bladder, thereby sealing the air in the bladder and preventing fluid communication with other chambers.

[0031] In step 408, the tire rotates on the road surface. As a result, the tire makes contact with the road surface, and if the air pressure is insufficient, the tire deforms in step 410. In step 412, the deformed tire compresses the bladder, thereby biasing the piston toward the first end of the housing in step 414. In step 416, the spring is compressed, and in step 418, the air in the housing chamber is compressed. As a result, in step 420, the air pressure in the cap chamber becomes higher than the air pressure in the piston chamber. In step 422, the air in the cap chamber flows into the piston chamber through the one-way valve, and in step 424, the air in the piston chamber flows into the tire chamber.

[0032] In step 426, the spring returns to its original position when the bladder is released from compression. This may occur, for example, when the part of the tire corresponding to the bladder no longer makes contact with the road surface (e.g., road or pavement) and / or when sufficient air is supplied to the tire. In step 428, the piston is positioned toward the second end of the housing chamber, and in step 430, air flows into the cap chamber through the cap. Optionally, in any of the aforementioned steps, the volume of the cap can be adjusted to increase or decrease the desired pressure of the tire. This process (e.g., steps 408-430) may be continued and repeated as needed if the tire pressure is insufficient.

[0033] Further embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in Figures 5-8. The tire inflation device 800 is generally similar to the tire inflation device 100 and may include a cap 508, a housing 602, and a piston 704. Such embodiments may include other components that have been described above with reference to Figures 1-3 but are not shown in Figures 5-8.

[0034] The cap 508 includes a female threaded portion 871 configured to engage with a male threaded portion 872 of the housing 602. The housing 602 has a first end having a first aperture and a second end located substantially opposite the first end with respect to the length of the housing 602. The first and second ends may partially define the internal housing volume. The housing 602 may also have a third aperture 820 located in the side wall between the first and second ends.

[0035] The piston 704 may be configured to include a first piston aperture 815, at least one second piston aperture 816, and a piston chamber 840 positioned between them. The tire inflator 800 shown in Figure 8 is arranged and functions similarly to the tire inflator 100. The tire inflator 800 is shown in tire and bladder filling stage (8A), intake stage (8B and 8D), and air compression stage to tire (8C). This design allows for a valveless piston while still utilizing an intake valve 814 similar to the intake valve 114 of the tire inflator 100.

[0036] Section headings in this specification are provided to ensure consistency with recommendations under 37 CFR §1.77 or to provide structural cues. These headings are not intended to limit or characterize the inventions described in the claims that may arise from this disclosure. Specifically, for example, even if a heading refers to a “technical field,” the claims should not be limited by the language selected under that heading to describe the so-called field. Furthermore, descriptions of the technology as background information should not be construed as acknowledging that a particular technology is prior art to any embodiment of this disclosure. “Summary of the invention” is also not a characterization of the embodiments outlined in the resulting claims.

[0037] Furthermore, the singular reference to “invention” in this disclosure should not be used to claim that there is only one point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple embodiments may be described in accordance with the limitations of the multiple claims arising from this disclosure. Such claims define the embodiments and equivalents thereof that are protected thereby. In any case, the scope of such claims should be considered in light of this specification on their content alone and should not be limited by the headings described herein.

[0038] Furthermore, the abstract is provided in accordance with 37 CFR §1.72(b), which requires an abstract that allows readers to quickly grasp the nature of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted on the premise that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, it can be seen that in modes for carrying out prior inventions, various features may be combined into a single embodiment to streamline the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiment requires more than the features explicitly stated in each claim. Rather, as the claims indicate, the essence of the invention lies in fewer features than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the following claims are incorporated into modes for carrying out the invention, and each claim stands alone as an independent embodiment.

Claims

1. A tire inflation device, A housing configured to be embedded inside a tire, comprising one or more apertures, and having a first end and a second end, A piston disposed within the housing, comprising one or more chambers, wherein the one or more chambers are configured to be in fluid communication with the one or more apertures, A spring disposed in a housing chamber within the housing, wherein the volume between the first end of the piston and the first end of the housing defines the housing chamber, and the spring is configured to position the piston at various positions along the length of the housing, A bladder coupled to the second end of the housing, wherein the second end is located opposite the first end, and the volume of the bladder is configured to be in fluid communication with the one or more chambers. A tire inflation device equipped with the following features.

2. The housing comprises a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture. The piston comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber being configured to communicate fluidly with the first aperture, and the second chamber being configured to communicate fluidly with the second and third apertures. The spring is configured to position the piston in a first position when the tire is initially inflated, and the first position includes the piston positioned near the second end of the housing. Air flows into the tire through the housing chamber and the first chamber of the piston via the first aperture, and air also flows into the bladder through the second and third apertures via the second chamber of the piston, thereby injecting air into the bladder. The tire inflation device according to claim 1.

3. The tire inflation device according to claim 2, wherein the first position further includes the first end of the piston positioned below the first aperture and the second end of the piston engaging with the second end of the housing, so that the first and second chambers are aligned with the first and second apertures.

4. A method for maintaining the air pressure inside a tire, The method involves embedding a tire air inflating device inside the tire, wherein the tire air inflating device is A housing having one or more apertures, the housing having a first end and a second end, A piston disposed within the housing, comprising one or more chambers, wherein the one or more chambers are configured to be in fluid communication with the one or more apertures, A spring disposed in a housing chamber within the housing, wherein the volume between the first end of the piston and the first end of the housing defines the housing chamber, and the spring is configured to hold the piston at various positions along the length of the housing, and A bladder coupled to the second end of the housing, wherein the volume of the bladder is configured to be in fluid communication with the one or more chambers. It includes embedding, The air is contained within the bladder when the bladder and the one or more chambers have the same air pressure, and the air within the bladder biases the piston to a position where the one or more chambers of the piston are not in fluid communication with the one or more apertures of the housing. When the bladder is compressed, air is supplied from the one or more chambers to the tire, thereby the compressed bladder supplying air to the chambers and biasing the piston to a position where the one or more chambers of the piston are in fluid communication with the tire through the one or more apertures of the housing. When the housing chamber has an air pressure lower than the ambient air pressure, air is supplied to the housing chamber from the exposed end of the housing, thereby enabling air to be supplied to the tire via the piston when the bladder is later compressed. A method that includes this.

5. After embedding the tire air inflation device inside the tire, air is injected into the tire through the tire air inflation device. The act of supplying air to the tire includes deforming the tire when it comes into contact with the road surface, thereby compressing the bladder. The method according to claim 4.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the tire inflation device further comprises a cap attached to the exposed end of the housing, and the cap further comprises a cap chamber that is in fluid communication with the housing chamber.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising supplying air to the cap chamber before supplying air to the housing chamber.

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