Tyre Pressurisation Device with Integrated Safety Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tire pressure application devices face challenges in detecting leaks or tears in hoses, preventing compressed air loss, and ensuring consistent tire pressure, especially when the rim connection element is removed or when contamination occurs, and they lack reliable mechanisms for maintaining defined opening pressures without spring-loaded overflow or non-return valve elements.
Innovation Solution
The tire pressure application device incorporates a rim connection element with a mechanical actuating element and a non-return valve that opens with minimal pressure difference, and an axle body rotary bushing with pressure safety valves that automatically close when a leak is detected, ensuring compressed air is not lost and maintaining consistent tire pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a pipe or hose is used to supply compressed air from the axle body rotary union to the rim connection element, then compressed air can be transmitted over a distance, but leaks or tears in the pipe or hose cause loss of compressed air and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses flow sensors to continuously monitor compressed air flow through the pipe or hose and provides feedback to the control device. When a leak or tear is detected through abnormal flow patterns, the control device can respond by closing valves to prevent further compressed air loss, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining supply and detecting failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects and responds to leaks or tears in the pipe or hose through integrated flow monitoring and control mechanisms. The control device autonomously identifies leaks via flow analysis and activates protective measures without external intervention, enabling the system to self-protect against compressed air loss while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of repair
If the rim connection element is removed from the rim, then maintenance and replacement are facilitated, but compressed air may escape through the open connection
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs check valves and controllable shut-off valves that automatically close or prevent backflow when the rim connection element is removed. This preliminary protective action is built into the system design to prevent compressed air escape during maintenance operations, allowing easy replacement while maintaining air pressure integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses valve elements as intermediaries between the compressed air supply and the rim connection point. These valves act as mediators that can selectively open or close the air path, enabling safe removal and installation of the rim connection element without direct exposure of the compressed air line, thus preventing air escape while facilitating maintenance.
3Loss of energy
If spring-loaded overflow valve elements or non-return valve elements are used in the rim connection element, then compressed air loss is prevented, but the opening pressure becomes inconsistent and fluctuates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces spring-loaded mechanical valve elements with alternative valve mechanisms that do not rely on spring tension for operation. This substitution eliminates the variability inherent in spring characteristics, providing consistent opening pressure while maintaining the function of preventing compressed air loss through more reliable valve design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating parameters of the valve elements by eliminating spring-loaded mechanisms and non-return valve elements that cause pressure fluctuations. By using different valve technologies with stable pressure characteristics, the system achieves both compressed air loss prevention and consistent opening pressure, resolving the contradiction between energy conservation and manufacturing precision.
4Device complexity
If compressed air is supplied to multiple wheels via a common central line, then system complexity is reduced, but pressure fluctuations occur across different wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the compressed air supply by providing individual flow sensors and control mechanisms for each wheel or rim connection element, even though they share a common central supply line. This segmentation allows independent monitoring and control of each wheel's air pressure, maintaining consistency across all wheels while using a simplified common supply infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses individual flow sensors at each wheel to provide feedback about compressed air flow conditions to central or distributed control devices. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect and correct pressure variations across different wheels, maintaining consistent tire pressure while utilizing a common central supply line, thus resolving the contradiction between system simplicity and pressure stability.
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
This configuration allows for reliable detection of leaks, prevention of compressed air loss, and consistent tire pressure maintenance, even when the rim connection element is not coupled to the rim, and ensures that tires can be refilled efficiently without fluctuations in pressure across different wheels.
Implementation Method 1
the rim connection element also has a non-return valve. This is preferably not spring-loaded, so that it opens when there is a very small pressure difference between the input and output sides of the check valve
Implementation Method 2
The opening and closing characteristic of the pressure safety valve is such that it automatically assumes its blocking position when the pressure difference between the input port and the output port of the axle body rotary feedthrough exceeds a threshold value
Implementation Method 3
The mechanical actuating element protrudes into a coupling area of the rim connecting element in such a way that the mechanical actuating element is actuated in a movement-controlled manner with a (direct or indirect) connection to the rim
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a tire inflation device (1). The tire inflation device (1) has an axle-type rotary feedthrough (6) and a rim connection element (7) which are pneumatically connected to each other via a hose (8). To prevent an undesired escape of compressed air in the event of a rupture or defect of the hose (8), the axle-type rotary feedthrough (6) has an integrated pressure relief valve, preferably with an upstream filter element. However, in a closed position, the pressure relief valve only closes one passage cross-section, while another, possibly significantly restricted, passage cross-section remains permanently open. On the other hand, the escape of compressed air from the tire in the event of a defect of the hose (8) can be prevented by arranging a mechanically actuated shut-off valve and a check valve in a fluidic series connection in the rim connection element (7).The invention is preferably applicable to a vehicle such as a commercial vehicle, an agricultural vehicle or a work vehicle.