A device for maintaining and changing the pressure in a is provided whereby the inner pressure space of the tire is connected through a pump to a pressure accumulator which, at its input and/or output into the inner pressure space of the tire, is fitted with at least one pressure control element. The pump can be a peristaltic pump in the shape of a deformable hose placed on the perimeter of the tire, fitted with an air inlet and an air outlet, while the air inlet and the air outlet are positioned on the perimeter of the tire distant from each other by a preset length, dependent on the deformation of the tire.

Environmentally friendly electrical vehicles are presented. The electrical vehicles include electrical low speed vehicles (LSVs) that may use sensed location data to obtain one or more operational profiles. The operational profiles may govern the behavior of the LSV in a specific environment, area, or zone to ensure the LSV reduces its impact on the local terrain. The LSV may leverage locally sensed data to form a local context in which the LSV is operating. The LSV's vehicular controller may refine the operational parameters of the operational profile to ensure smooth operation based on local conditions from the local context.

A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube mounted within a tire sidewall or chafer groove. The air tube is in contacting engagement with opposite angled groove surfaces surrounding the air tube. A segment of the air tube is flattened from an expanded diameter to a flat diameter by bending and compression of the groove in a rolling tire footprint to force air evacuated from the flattened segment along a tube air passageway. A coverstrip overlays and seals the groove and provides an abrasion resistant surface on the exterior of the tire. The coverstrip is made from a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising from 50 to 80 phr of a polybutadiene, from 50 to 20 phr of natural rubber, and from 0.1 to 5 phr of a vulcanization modifier.

Provided is a tire with self-inflation device. The tube is inserted inside the side portion where the extension and contraction movements of the tire are mostly occurring in order to further enhance the efficiency of the air supply to the tire cavity during driving. The air compressed towards the driving direction is injected to the tire cavity, and the air from the outside is charged to the tube due to the negative pressure formed in the tube located in the opposite side of driving. The durability is enhanced by reducing the exposed portion of the regulator.

A wheel hub arrangement having a wheel hub for mounting a rim with an inflated tire. The wheel hub arrangement has a rotary piston compressor mounted rotatably on the wheel hub. The wheel hub arrangement has a switchable mechanical coupling device, by way of which the rotary piston compressor can be switched over between a compression mode, in which the rotary piston compressor can be actuated by way of a rotational movement relative to the mounted rim or the wheel hub, and a rest mode, in which it is passive and does not produce any compressed air on the outlet side, and the rotary piston compressor producing compressed air on the outlet side for filling the tire in the compression mode.

A compressor assembly for supplying pressure medium to a tire cavity of a vehicle wheel that can be mounted on a wheel hub which is mounted on a wheel carrier so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. A transmission, preferably a cam mechanism, is equipped, through a cooperation of a wheel mount-side transmission part with a hub-side transmission part, to convert a rotary movement between the wheel mount side and the wheel hub side into an oscillating translatory movement of the compressor component, with the translatory movement of the compressor component extending at least partially, preferably entirely, in a radial direction that is oriented orthogonally to the axis of rotation.

A self-inflating tire is provided that includes a pneumatic tire having a tread, and a casing, where the tread includes an outer riding surface, wherein the casing includes an inner inflation surface, and an elastic inflation lumen disposed between the casing and the tread, where the inflation lumen has at least one air through-port.

A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube mounted within a tire sidewall groove. The air tube is in contacting engagement with opposite angled groove surfaces surrounding the air tube. A segment of the air tube is flattened from an expanded diameter to a flat diameter by bending and compression of the groove in a rolling tire footprint to force air evacuated from the flattened segment along a tube air passageway. The sidewall groove extends into an annular, axially extending, sidewall surface such as an axially oriented surface of a tire chafer protrusion located in non-contacting relationship with the rim. The air tube is extruded from a rubber composition, the rubber composition comprising: a diene based rubber; from 0.25 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr), of a self-lubrication agent capable of migrating from the rubber composition to the groove surface and disposing on the groove surface as a liquid; and from 1 to 15 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr), of a vulcanization modifier for use in the second rubber composition include ?,?-bis(N,N-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkanes, bismaleimides, and biscitraconimides.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are arranged in connection with gravity-driven pumps configured in tires, as well as various supporting concepts, mechanisms, and approaches. As a tire rotates around an axle, the pull of gravity varies for a given point on the tire. While gravity is always pulling down, the force relative to a fixed point on the tire changes. Gravity-driven pumps exploit these changes in gravitational force to do work. The work can be driving a pump, or generating electrical power to drive a traditional electric pump or other electrical components. A gravity-driven pump is different from an automatic pump that operates using centrifugal force due to rotation of a tire. Automatic, gravity-driven pumps can be used to inflate tires to offset the natural gas leakage of modern tires, and can maintain tire pressure and inflation within a desired or optimal range.

A double acting pump mechanism is described for mounting on a wheel for inflating a pneumatic tire. The double acting pump mechanism includes a housing having a first pump chamber and a second pump chamber; wherein a diaphragm separates the first pump chamber from the second pump chamber; the housing further including an inlet port in fluid communication with the first pump chamber, and an outlet port in fluid communication with the second pump chamber, and wherein the outlet of the first pump chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet of the second pump chamber; a striker plate is positioned for reciprocation in the housing; the striker plate being connected to a diaphragm holder, wherein the diaphragm holder engages the diaphragm and actuates the diaphragm in the first and second pump chamber. Preferably the striker plate is actuated by a permanent or electro magnet mounted on a stationary part, or the striker plate is actuated by an electrically driven magnet.