Patent ID: 6401743
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B60C,Y10T

Abstract:
In a tire inflation system for a vehicle having at least one pneumatic tire, a source of pressurized air carried by the vehicle, a means for delivering air from the source to the rotating tire, and a means to indicate when air is being delivered to the tire by the use of an electrical circuit, the improvement comprising:a valve which includes a body having a cavity or interior which is divided by a transverse wall into a first chamber and a second chamber on opposite sides thereof, with an air inlet to the first chamber receiving air from said source and air outlet to the second chamber delivering air to said tire; said transverse wall having a passage to allow air to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; a sealing member within the valve interior yieldable urged and seated against said transverse wall and able to restrict flow through said passage from the first chamber to the second chamber; a reciprocating member within the second chamber sealably partitioning the outlet pressure from the atmosphere and its position responsive to a force resulting from the differential pressure between the outlet pressure and the atmospheric pressure; a means that biases the reciprocating member against said force and into the sealing member to actuate the sealing member away from said transverse wall to allow air to flow through said passage from the first chamber to the second chamber and increase outlet pressure until outlet pressure moves the reciprocating member by overcoming the biasing means and allows the sealing member to seat against said transverse wall and stop air flow through said passage; and a normally closed electrical switch responsive to the reciprocating member's position so that, when the outlet pressure overcomes said biasing means and moves the reciprocating member, the electrical switch opens and breaks the completion of said electrical circuit.