Patent ID: 8726958
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
1. A tire inflation system comprising: a pressure source; a pressure controller in communication with the pressure source; a rotational fluid passage arranged between a tire and a vehicle axle and in fluid communication with the pressure source, the rotational fluid passage configured to rotate about a rotational axis of a tire and including an inertia valve configured to operate between a normally closed valve arrangement and an open valve arrangement, the valve including a first compressible biasing member and a second compressible biasing member each arranged in communication with a mass displaceable in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis, each first and second compressible biasing member being configured to operate between an expanded arrangement and a compressed arrangement and the mass being configured to translate in the radial direction between a valve closed position and a valve open position, where in the closed valve arrangement each first and second compressible biasing member is in the expanded arrangement and the mass in the valve closed position and where in the open valve arrangement each first and second compressible biasing member is in the compressed arrangement and the mass in the valve open position, the valve open position of the mass being located a greater distance from the rotational axis than the valve closed position and the mass being configured to translate from the valve closed position to the valve open position when centrifugal forces acting on the mass are sufficient to overcome a combined spring force of the first and second compressible biasing members, the centrifugal forces arising as the valve rotates about the rotational axis at a desired rotational speed during tire rotation, where: the valve further comprises: