Air Pumping Tube Assembly for Automatic Tire Pressure Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tire pressure naturally decreases over time, leading to reduced fuel economy, tire life, and vehicle performance, and existing tire pressure monitoring systems require driver intervention for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An air maintenance tire system with an air pumping tube assembly and pressure regulator, where an elongate air pumping tube is inserted into a groove in the tire sidewall, and a pressure regulator is installed to maintain desired air pressure without driver intervention, using a groove-spreading apparatus to facilitate tube insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If an air maintenance system is incorporated into the tire, then tire pressure is maintained automatically without driver intervention, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air pumping tube assembly is nested within an elongate groove in the tire sidewall, with the tube, inlet device, and outlet device forming a compact integrated unit that fits inside the tire structure. This nesting approach allows the automation system to be incorporated without significantly increasing external dimensions or overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The air maintenance system is divided into separate functional components: an air pumping tube for pressure maintenance, an inlet device for air intake, and an outlet device for air delivery. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled in a modular fashion, reducing overall system complexity while achieving automatic pressure maintenance.
2Ease of manufacture
If a groove is created in the tire sidewall for tube insertion, then the air pumping tube can be installed, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The elongate groove is pre-formed in the tire sidewall during tire manufacturing, with predetermined inlet and outlet regions. This preliminary action allows the groove to be created with standard molding precision rather than requiring high-precision post-manufacturing machining, while still providing the necessary structure for tube installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove features localized enlarged inlet and outlet regions that provide access points for the air pumping tube components. This local quality variation allows the majority of the groove to maintain simpler dimensions while specific areas provide the necessary access, reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the groove opening is enlarged for tube insertion, then the air pumping tube can be installed more easily, but the structural strength of the tire sidewall may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The groove has localized enlarged regions only at the inlet and outlet areas where tube access is needed, while the rest of the groove maintains smaller dimensions. This localized quality change provides ease of tube insertion at critical points without significantly compromising the overall structural integrity of the sidewall.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove is segmented into different functional zones: enlarged inlet/outlet regions for component access and narrower sections for structural integrity. This segmentation allows the opening to be enlarged only where necessary for operation while preserving strength in non-critical areas.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method for manufacturing an air maintenance tire includes an air pumping tube assembly station constructing an air pumping tube sub-assembly, a tire preparation station for forming passageways in the tire to accept an outlet device of the air pumping tube sub-assembly, an air pumping tube sub-assembly installation station and a pressure regulator installation station. The air pumping tube sub-assembly inserts into an elongate tire groove opening, facilitated by groove-spreading apparatus.