Patent ID: 7686051

Claim:
A wheel assembly to be utilized on a vehicle including a central tire inflation system, the assembly comprising: a) a rim securable to a hub for a vehicle, the rim including an aperture therein extending completely through the rim, and at least one air passageway extending from the aperture through the rim to an exterior surface of the rim; and b) a valve cartridge releasably secured within the aperture to extend completely through the aperture, the cartridge including: i) a main body having a lower end positioned in sealing engagement within the aperture to align an air outlet shaft in the lower end with the at least one air passageway and an air inlet shaft in the lower end with a pressurized air inlet disposed on a hub of the vehicle, and an upper end extending outwardly from the aperture; ii) a valve mechanism disposed within the main body and comprising: a.) valve seat slidably engaged within the upper end of the main body so as to be slidably removable from the main body, the valve seat having at least one exterior passageway disposed adjacent the upper end of the main body and in communication with the air inlet shaft and a number of air flow tubes adjacent and in selective communication with the air outlet shaft the air outlet shaft; and b.) a valve stem slidably and sealingly engaged within the valve seat and configured to selectively connect the air flow tubes in the valve seat with the air outlet shaft in the lower end of the main body; and iii.) a cap releasably engageable with the main body over the valve mechanism wherein the cap directs airflow from the air inlet shaft through the exterior passageway against the valve stem.