Patent ID: 9415640
Filing Date: 2016-08-16
CPC Classification: B60C

Claim Text:
1. An air maintenance tire assembly comprising: a tire having a tire cavity bounded by first and second sidewalls extending to a tire tread region; a tire-mounted air pumping means for pumping pressurized air into the tire cavity to maintain air pressure within the tire cavity at a preferred pressure level; a tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity, the valve stem having an internal valve stem air passageway in communication with the tire cavity operative to direct pressurized air from the valve stem air passageway into the cavity; a pressure control assembly positioned at a control location proximate the valve stem and operative to selectively control a flow of pressurized air from the tire-mounted air pumping means into the tire cavity responsive to a detected air pressure level within the tire cavity; wherein the pressure control assembly comprises a bi-directional air distribution block having a plurality of air pathways, each air pathway coupled to a respective conduit connected to the tire-mounted air pumping means, wherein the plurality of conduits alternatively operating to deliver ambient non-pressurized air to the air pumping means in response to directional tire rotation against a ground surface.