Peristaltic Pump Assembly for Self-Inflating Tire Pressure Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Normal air diffusion leads to tire pressure reduction over time, requiring frequent driver intervention to maintain recommended pressure, affecting fuel economy, tire life, and vehicle performance.
Innovation Solution
A self-inflating tire system with a peristaltic pump assembly, including an annular air tube with an inlet device featuring a cellular air filtration sleeve and an outlet device, positioned within a U-shaped groove in the tire carcass, allowing for automatic air intake and pressure regulation without driver intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a self-inflating tire system is implemented, then tire pressure maintenance is automated and fuel economy improves, but device complexity increases due to the pump assembly and filtration components
Solution Approach 1:
The tire system performs self-inflation automatically without driver intervention. The peristaltic pump assembly draws air from the environment through the inlet device and filters it via the cellular air filtration sleeve before injecting into the tire cavity, enabling the system to service itself by compensating for pressure loss from air diffusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet device incorporates a cellular air filtration sleeve that utilizes porous material structure to filter ambient air while allowing air molecules to pass through. This porous filtration mechanism enables automatic air intake with particle removal, resolving the contradiction by providing necessary filtration function without excessive structural complexity.
2Device complexity
If air diffusion is allowed to occur naturally, then tire structure remains simple, but tire pressure decreases over time requiring frequent driver intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The peristaltic pump assembly is pre-installed within the tire carcass wall groove, positioned to draw air from the environment and deliver it to the tire cavity. This preliminary positioning enables automatic pressure compensation to occur before significant underinflation affects vehicle performance, eliminating the need for reactive driver intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the pump assembly continuously monitors tire pressure conditions and automatically compensates for air diffusion losses. The pump operates based on pressure differential feedback, drawing air in when pressure drops and maintaining optimal pressure without driver awareness or intervention.
3Ease of operation
If a peristaltic pump assembly is installed in the tire carcass wall, then automatic air injection is achieved, but the groove structure and component integration increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly components (air tube, inlet device with filtration sleeve, and outlet device) are merged into a single integrated unit that fits within the groove structure. The air tube extends through the groove with the inlet device positioned at the groove opening and the outlet device directing air into the tire cavity, combining multiple functions into one manufacturable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure serves multiple functions: it provides the structural pathway for the air tube, defines the mounting location for the pump assembly, and facilitates the integration of the inlet and outlet devices. This multi-functional groove design simplifies manufacturing by combining structural support and component mounting into a single feature.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains optimal tire pressure by automatically inflating the tire, enhancing fuel efficiency, tire longevity, and vehicle handling performance by reducing the need for frequent driver adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
The inlet device further includes an air filtering sleeve at least partially surrounding the inlet opening of the inlet device, the sleeve having a tubular sleeve body at least partially surrounding and in co-axial relationship the tubular inlet body. In another preferred aspect, the tubular sleeve is composed of a cellular air filtration material
Implementation Method 2
A self-inflating tire system with a peristaltic pump assembly, including an annular air tube with an inlet device featuring a cellular air filtration sleeve and an outlet device
Data Source
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AI summary
A tire comprising a tire carcass having a tire cavity defined by a tire inner liner, first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region; an air tube-receiving groove formed within a tire carcass wall at a prescribed radial location; a pump assembly comprising an air tube having an axial air passageway positioned within the air tube-receiving groove; and an inlet device positioned along the air tube is disclosed. The inlet device has a tubular inlet body having an internal air passageway aligned in-line with the air tube and at least one inlet opening (58) extending through the tubular inlet body for admitting air into the tubular inlet body. The inlet device further has an air filtering sleeve (60) at least partially surrounding the inlet opening (58) of the inlet device. The filtering sleeve (60) has a tubular sleeve body at least partially surrounding and in co-axial relationship the tubular inlet body.