An air maintenance system includes a rotating inner ring secured to a vehicle wheel, a stationary outer ring maintaining a constant angular position relative to a ground surface, a stationary mass secured to the stationary outer ring, a cylinder secured to the rotating inner ring, and a piston secured to the cylinder for linear motion relative to the cylinder and the rotating inner ring. The piston reciprocates axially back and forth as determined by a cam groove on an outer surface of the stationary outer ring operatively engaging one end of the piston such that the piston and cylinder pump air into a tire cavity of a pneumatic tire mounted to the vehicle wheel.

A tool attachable to a valve stem of a tire grips and removes the valve core from the valve stem prior to introduction of sealant through the tool into the tire. Subsequently, the valve core, which has been stored in the tool, may be reinserted into the valve stem. An external pressurized gas source may then be attached to the tool so that gas may be injected through the tool and the valve stem of the tire into the tire.

A manifold for inflating tubeless tires that efficiently directs pressurized air to a void between a tire bead and a rim edge. Manifold is fan shaped with a center face and angled side faces. Side faces have a first plurality of apertures at a predetermined centerline and the center face has a second plurality of apertures that are offset from the predetermined centerline. The offset second plurality of air flow apertures are directed to the widest void between the tire bead and rim edge while the first plurality of air flow apertures are directed to the narrow void on either side of the widest void. A two contact point stop or rest assembly is used to abut against two points on the rim edge to provide and maintain a predetermined distance between the center face and the widest void and to provide an optimum angle of the manifold for inflation.

A connector (1) for transferring a fluid or for applying a pneumatic pressure from an inlet conduit (2) to an outlet conduit (3) that may rotate with respect to the inlet conduit (2), in which the connector (1) comprises a rotating shaft (17) defining the outlet conduit (3) therein, which has an inlet opening (70), said rotating shaft (17) defining a rotational axis (S-S) and comprising a sealing disc (19) extending radially from said rotating shaft; an insertion chamber (5) to which said inlet conduit (2) is sealingly securable, said chamber leading towards said inlet opening (70) of the outlet conduit (3); at least one first cylinder-piston unit (100) comprising a cylinder (9) and a piston (21) slidable in said cylinder (9), said piston (21) having a sealing surface (22) facing the sealing disc (19), and said cylinder (9) being fluidically connected or connectable to said insertion chamber (5); said piston (21) being configured to be selectively actuated between a sealing position in which the sealing surface (22) is at a minimum distance or in contact with the sealing disc (19), in which a fluidic seal is carried out between said insertion chamber (5) and said inlet opening (70) of the outlet conduit (3) of the rotating shaft (17), and a non-sealing position in which the sealing surface (19) is moved away from the sealing disc (19), in which a fluidic seal is absent between said insertion chamber (5) and said inlet opening (70) of the rotating shaft of the outlet conduit (3) of the rotating shaft (17).

A connector (1) for transferring a fluid or for applying a pneumatic pressure from an inlet conduit (2) to an outlet conduit (3) that may rotate with respect to the inlet conduit (2), in which the connector (1) comprises a rotating shaft (17) defining the outlet conduit (3) therein, which has an inlet opening (70), said rotating shaft (17) defining a rotational axis (S-S) and comprising a sealing disc (19) extending radially from said rotating shaft; an insertion chamber (5) to which said inlet conduit (2) is sealingly securable, said chamber leading towards said inlet opening (70) of the outlet conduit (3); at least one first cylinder-piston unit (100) comprising a cylinder (9) and a piston (21) slidable in said cylinder (9), said piston (21) having a sealing surface (22) facing the sealing disc (19), and said cylinder (9) being fluidically connected or connectable to said insertion chamber (5); said piston (21) being configured to be selectively actuated between a sealing position in which the sealing surface (22) is at a minimum distance or in contact with the sealing disc (19), in which a fluidic seal is carried out between said insertion chamber (5) and said inlet opening (70) of the outlet conduit (3) of the rotating shaft (17), and a non-sealing position in which the sealing surface (19) is moved away from the sealing disc (19), in which a fluidic seal is absent between said insertion chamber (5) and said inlet opening (70) of the rotating shaft of the outlet conduit (3) of the rotating shaft (17).

An apparatus and method for mounting and inflating tires is described that is suitable for quickly sealing the beads of a tire to the rim of a wheel. The present invention delivers a high volume of pressurized air to an interior of a tire through a nozzle. The apparatus of the invention is particularly well suited for tire changing machines and tire mounting subsystems. The apparatus includes a tire changing station, an air supply controller, and a nozzle capable of delivering a high volume of pressurized fluid into an interior of a tire through a valve stem hole of the wheel rim.

An apparatus and method for mounting and inflating tires is described that is suitable for quickly sealing the beads of a tire to the rim of a wheel. The present invention delivers a high volume of pressurized air to an interior of a tire through a nozzle. The apparatus of the invention is particularly well suited for tire changing machines and tire mounting subsystems. The apparatus includes a tire changing station, an air supply controller, and a nozzle capable of delivering a high volume of pressurized fluid into an interior of a tire through a valve stem hole of the wheel rim.

A pumping system configured to pump fluid from the ambient environment to a target reservoir, the pumping system including: a fluid pump configured to statically mount to a rotating surface, the pump configured to rotate about an axis of rotation; a pump reservoir statically coupled to the fluid pump and configured to fluidly couple to the target reservoir, the pump reservoir including a collection area defined along a portion of the pump reservoir radially outward of the axis of rotation; and a liquid separation member arranged along a portion of the collection area, the liquid separation member including a membrane configured to preferentially permit liquid flow therethrough.

A flexible nozzle head for an inflator includes a head-end housing, having an accommodating space for accommodating a nozzle head component; a pump-end housing, being fixedly connected to one end of a pump body of the inflator; and a hose, having one end airtightly overmolded with the head-end housing as an integer and having an opposite end airtightly connected to the pump-end housing. The head-end housing has a through hole communicated with the accommodating space and an axial channel of the hose. The pump-end housing has an interior thereof communicated with the axial channel of the hose.

A flexible nozzle head for an inflator includes a head-end housing, having an accommodating space for accommodating a nozzle head component; a pump-end housing, being fixedly connected to one end of a pump body of the inflator; and a hose, having one end airtightly overmolded with the head-end housing as an integer and having an opposite end airtightly connected to the pump-end housing. The head-end housing has a through hole communicated with the accommodating space and an axial channel of the hose. The pump-end housing has an interior thereof communicated with the axial channel of the hose.