Peristaltic Pump Assembly for Automatic Tire Pressure Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tire pressure naturally decreases over time, leading to underinflation, which affects fuel economy, tire life, and vehicle handling, and existing systems require driver intervention for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A peristaltic pump assembly with an air tube positioned within a groove in the tire sidewall, featuring a series of projecting ridges that increase pressure and retain the tube in place, allowing for automatic air pressure maintenance by pumping air segment by segment as the tire rotates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional tire pressure monitoring system is used, then drivers are warned when tire pressure is low, but driver intervention is still required to re-inflate the tire
Solution Approach 1:
The tire incorporates a self-inflating mechanism using a peristaltic pump assembly that automatically maintains tire pressure without driver intervention. The pump uses the tire's rotation to compress an air tube positioned within a groove in the sidewall, automatically pumping air into the tire cavity when pressure drops, thereby making the system self-service and eliminating the need for manual re-inflation.
2Extent of automation
If a peristaltic pump assembly with projecting ridges is implemented, then automatic air pressure maintenance is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a groove defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the tire sidewall, an air tube positioned within the groove, and a series of projecting ridges extending from the groove sidewall. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while maintaining overall system manageability and reducing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the dynamic rotation of the tire to drive the peristaltic pumping action. As the tire rotates, the groove and its sidewalls move through the tire footprint, causing the air tube to be compressed and expanded in a rhythmic cycle. This dynamic operation converts the tire's rotational motion into pneumatic pumping without requiring additional power sources or complex control mechanisms.
3Stress or pressure
If the ridges increase in frequency and amplitude toward the outlet device, then air pressure within the tube passageway is increased, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The groove sidewall features non-uniform characteristics with projecting ridges that vary in frequency and amplitude along the length of the groove. Specifically, the ridges increase in frequency and amplitude in the direction toward the outlet device, creating localized variations in compression pressure. This local quality variation allows the system to generate the necessary pressure gradient for effective air pumping while the variations are incorporated into the tire molding process, maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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 effectively maintains tire pressure without driver intervention, enhancing fuel efficiency, tire longevity, and vehicle performance by continuously re-inflating the tire through a bi-directional peristaltic pumping mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a groove defined by groove sidewalls is positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the groove deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed constricted state response to the bending of the first sidewall bending region within the rolling tire footprint
Implementation Method 2
An air tube positioned within the sidewall groove is in contacting engagement with the groove sidewalls and resiliently squeezes and collapses segment by segment as the groove constricts segment by segment within the rolling tire footprint
Implementation Method 3
A series of adjacent projecting ridges extend from a groove sidewall segment into the groove air passageway, the projecting ridges operatively positioned to vary the applied pressure on the air tube increase the air pressure within the air tube passageway as the air tube rolls segment by segment with the tire through tire footprint
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A tire having a tire cavity and first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region is disclosed. The first sidewall has at least one bending region operatively bending within a rolling tire footprint. A sidewall groove (56) is defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the groove (56) deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed constricted state in response to the bending of the first sidewall bending region within the rolling tire footprint. An air tube (42) is positioned within the sidewall groove in contacting engagement with the groove sidewalls, the air tube (42) having an axial air passageway resiliently transfiguring segment by segment between an expanded sectional configuration and at least a partially collapsed sectional configuration responsive to respective segment by segment engagement by the groove sidewalls against the air tube (42) within the rolling tire footprint. At least one projecting ridge (66) extends from a groove sidewall segment into the groove air passageway, wherein the at least one projection ridge (66) is operatively positioned to engage a respective opposite segment of the air tube (42) and constrict a respective opposite segment of the air passageway extending through the opposite segment of the air tube (42) into a relatively smaller sectional dimension as the opposite air tube segment rolls through tire footprint.