An inflation viewing device has a main body which is externally provided with a transparent viewing portion and internally provided with an inner passage where an air path assembly is arranged. An air entrance connector is operatively connected to an external air source and to a first end of the main body. An air exit connector is connected to a second, opposed end of the main body and to an inflation valve. A guide spacer is provided between the air entrance connector and the main body. The guide spacer has an inner passage having a wider section in communication with the inner passage of the main body and a reduced section defining a communication opening with the air entrance connector. A filter is arranged in the communication opening. A plunger, biased by a spring, is slidably arranged within the inner passage of the guide spacer and guide section of the main body inner passage.

A rotary joint is configured to transfer a fluid between two entities, one of which is in rotary motion with respect to the other. The rotary joint comprises a cylindrical internal element, apt to be fixed to the entity in rotary motion, and a plurality of annular external elements. The external elements comprise at least two head elements, at least two housing elements of respective gaskets, two bearing elements, and at least one fluid inlet. The fluid inlet is placed between said two bearing elements. Housing elements of respective gaskets are arranged externally to the bearing elements, and head elements are arranged externally to the housing elements. The gaskets define an annular shaped sealed area. The sealed area is accessible on one side through said fluid inlet and on the other side through at least one fluid passage channel passing through the body of said internal element.

Rotary seal systems and apparatus communicate a working fluid between first and second associated machine components that are rotatable relative to each other. A rotary seal apparatus includes annular inner and outer sleeve members for engaging the associated machine components, and a sealing system disposed between the inner and outer sleeve members. The sleeve members each define respective passageways extending through sleeve bodies thereof, and the sealing system forms a fluid chamber between the sleeve bodies defining an annular fluid channel operable to communicate the working fluid between fluid ports of the associated machine components via the passageways of the sleeve members. The rotary seal system may be provided in combination with an axle having a radial passageway opening outside of axially spaced apart first and second bearings carrying the axle.

A rotary joint assembly for a tire inflation system includes a rotating portion. The rotating portion is attached to a wheel rim for rotation therewith. The rotating portion includes a center portion which has an air passageway formed therein. The rotary joint assembly also includes a non-rotating portion. The non-rotating portion has a non-rotating portion air passageway formed therein. The non-rotating portion air passageway is in fluid communication with the air passageway formed in the rotating portion via a chamber. A pair of annular sealing members are attached to the rotating portion and sealingly contact a sealing surface of the non-rotating portion. The annular sealing members define an inboard end and an outboard end of the chamber.

An on-board centralized system for regulating pressure of tyres of a vehicle includes a pressurized air source, a circuit communicating the source with a plenum of each wheel, and an arrangement for connecting the plenum of each wheel to the inner chamber of the respective tyre that includes first and second connection lines for deflation and inflation, respectively, of the tyre, and first and second one-way valves interposed, respectively, in the first and second connection lines to allow only a flow of air respectively from and to the inner chamber. The first valve includes a spring having a pre-set load so as to isolate the inner chamber from a part of the circuit upstream of the first valve when said upstream part is at atmospheric pressure, and to guarantee a pre-set minimum value of pressure in the inner chamber when the upstream part is at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

A pressure equalization valve assembly may include a valve body forming fluid chamber configured to receive pressurized fluid from a fluid pressure source, a first port configured for sealed communication with a first vehicle tire, and a second port configured for sealed communication with a second vehicle tire; a first one-way valve disposed in the valve body between the fluid chamber and the first port so as to allow one-way fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the first port when the first one-way valve opens; a second one-way valve disposed in the valve body between the fluid chamber and the second port so as to allow one-way fluid communication from the fluid chamber to the second port when the second one-way valve opens; and a two-way valve disposed in the valve body between the first port and the second port so as to allow two-way fluid communication between the first port and the second port when the two-way valve opens.

A tire pressure regulating system is disclosed for adjusting tire pressures of pneumatic tires of vehicle wheels of a plurality of vehicle axles of a motor vehicle while driving. The tire pressure regulating system comprises: at least one switchover valve, an axle valve, a wheel valve and a valve. A motor vehicle comprising the tire pressure regulating system is also disclosed.

A tire inflation viewing device that enables to view the proper operation of the inflation arrangements and that, in turn, enables to determine which of all of the tires is being inflated and has an air leak.

A novel valve that may include a self-energizing seal member with a lobe extending toward a valve seat surface, a radially outwardly extending skirt, an axially extending nose, solenoid-operated three-position valve member, a pressure sense port, and/or a pressure pick-up opening. The features of the valve may allow the valve to operate at higher flow rates while requiring less energy to operate, may have a wider pressure and/or temperature operation range, may allow bidirectional fluid flow, may be less expensive to manufacture, and/or may enable a simple and compact assembly of the valve with a pressure sensor. The self-energizing seal member may include a base portion and the lobe extending may extend at an angle from the base portion relative to a longitudinal axis. The lobe may reduce energy requirements to operate the valve compared to larger sealing contact area seals. For example, the lobe may have a small sealing area to allow the valve to be better balanced.

An assembly for a tire inflation system includes a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a housing. The housing includes a base portion (56) and a cap portion (58). The base portion has a base perforation (90). The base perforation (90) is in fluid communication with a base cavity. The cap portion (58) is attached to the base portion (56). The cap portion (58) has a cap perforation (54) formed therein. The cap perforation (54) is in selective fluid communication with the base cavity. A piston (62) is disposed in the base cavity. A first area (A1) is defined by the base perforation (90), a second area (A2) is defined by the lateral area of a cylindrical space between the piston (62) and the cap portion (58), and a third area (A3) is defined by the cap perforation (54). The second area (A2) is greater than the first area (A1) and the third area (A3).