Patent ID: 8857484

Claim:
A self-inflating tire assembly comprising: a tire mounted to a rim, the tire having a tire cavity, first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region; a first and second air tube connected to the tire, wherein each air tube defines an air passageway, each air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow a portion of the air tube segment to substantially open and close the annular passageway, an inlet regulator device connected to an inlet end of each air tube, the inlet regulator device includes a regulator body mounted in the tire sidewall, the regulator body having an outer duct having a distal end located within the tire cavity, wherein the duct has an internal bore that is in fluid communication with the tire cavity and an internal chamber of the regulator body; the internal chamber being connected to two opposed passageways in the regulator body that are connected to an inlet end of the first and second air tubes, a pressure membrane mounted within the internal chamber of the regulator body; an insert mounted within the internal chamber of the regulator body and having a flanged end engageable with the pressure membrane, wherein the flanged end surrounds an internal cavity, the insert has an upper surface having one or more air holes that are in fluid communication with the internal cavity, said insert further comprising two transverse conduits that are in fluid communication with the internal cavity.