An inflator disposed within a tubeless tire for inflating the tubeless tire. A rechargeable electric storage disposed within a tubeless for providing electricity. An electric air compressor is mounted on an inside surface of the rim of the tubeless tire within the pressure cavity of the tubeless tire. The electric air compressor and an air pressure sensor disposed within the tubeless tire runs by a controller. The electric air compressor has a compressed air inlet vented to atmosphere in a custom valve stem through a conventional hole of a valve stem in the rim of the tubeless tire. A motion activated power generator recharges the rechargeable electric storage. A short-range radio transmits measured pressure data for each tire to a central OBD module plugged into in the vehicle. The central OBD module connects through a smartphone indirectly or directly to a central server via a networked cellular radio tower.

A new system a comprising a balanced belt that forms a ring around a wheel rim and enables smart wheel functionalities as positioning, sensing, actuation and communication hub is presented. The belt can be implemented as a removable apparatus locked around the wheel rim or as an integrate apparatus embedded in the wheel rim by a proper wheel rim manufacturing modification. The belt contains a tank filled with a sealing foam, which, in the event of a punctured tire, can be expelled out of the tank and injected into the inner part of the tire to repair the hole. With respect to the state-of-the-art systems, the proposed self-repairing tire solution, allows to avoid the cumbersome manual tire repairing operations, to save driver stress and time and to enhance car safety. Moreover, the proposed apparatus, by preserving punctured tire damaging, is very cost-effective respect to competitor solutions and contributes to carbon dioxide emission reduction. Finally, the proposed system is easy assembling, adaptable to different wheel rim sizes and reusable in case of car replacement.

A system for tire inflation including a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, including an eccentric mass that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector; a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, including a chamber defining a chamber lumen, and a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis; a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element; a torque regulation mechanism; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism; wherein the system is operable between at least a first mode and a second mode by the torque regulation mechanism in cooperation with the controller.

A self-inflation device for maintaining pressure in a tire includes a piston compartment, a piston, and an intake opening for fluidically connecting the piston compartment to ambient atmosphere. A valve controls airflow between the piston compartment and the inner space of the tire. Airflow between the piston compartment and the inner space is allowed when the valve is opened and prevented when the valve is closed. The piston is movable within the piston compartment between an air intake position, in which the intake opening fluidically connects the piston compartment and the ambient atmosphere, and a compression position, in which the piston fluidically seals the piston compartment from the intake opening, thereby creating a compression chamber. The piston opens and closes the valve, and cycles between the air intake and the compression positions, through application of centrifugal force onto the self-inflation device by rotation of the tire.

The present invention relates to an inflationdeflation system comprising a reserve of air and a valve carried on board the wheel, the air being confined to the reserve under pressure higher than that of the tyre, the valve is in communication with the reserve and the tyre and comprises control means able to adopt: a rest position in which they ensure stable and hermetic communication between the tyre and the valve; an inflation position in which they provide communication between the tyre and the reserve, by being moved by air injected by means of an inflation electrically operated valve connected to the reserve; a deflation position in which they provide communication between the tyre and the external air, by being moved by air injected by a deflation electrically operated valve connected to the reserve.

The inflation system includes a pump and a dehumidifier fluidly connected between the pump and a reservoir, such as a tire.

A pumping mechanism in accordance with the present invention is used with a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel to keep the pneumatic tire from becoming underinflated. The pumping mechanism includes a frame having a first chamber and a pump chamber, a strike plate positioned in the first chamber and being connected to a plunger plate, said plunger plate having a nose for engagement with a diaphragm mounted in the pump chamber; said pump chamber being in fluid communication with a pump inlet and a pump outlet; wherein actuation of the strike plate in the first chamber causes engagement of the nose with the diaphragm. Preferably the strike plate is actuated by a permanent magnet mounted on a stationary part, or the strike plate is actuated by an electrically driven magnet.

A system for tire inflation including a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, including an eccentric mass that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector; a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, including a chamber defining a chamber lumen, and a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis; a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element; a torque regulation mechanism; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism; wherein the system is operable between at least a first mode and a second mode by the torque regulation mechanism in cooperation with the controller.

An inlet control valve suitable for use with a tire and pump assembly is described that controls the flow of air from the pump into the tire. The inlet control valve includes an optional bi-directional feature. The pathways alternatively operate to deliver ambient non-pressurized air to the air pumping tube in response to directional tire rotation against a ground surface.

An onboard inflation system for a vehicle such as an agricultural vehicle is disclosed, including a tire mounted on a wheel to form a wheel and tire assembly. The tire includes a tread portion and a tire cavity including an inflation chamber adjacent the tread portion of the tire. A storage chamber is carried by at least one of the wheel and the tire. A compressor arrangement is communicated with both the storage chamber and the inflation chamber. The compressor arrangement is configured to transfer air between the storage chamber and the inflation chamber.