Pneumatic gauge and pressure control device and pneumatic system including same

1 . A pneumatic gauge and pressure control device comprising a first body, a pneumatic gauge that is fixed to said first body, and a second body that is manually rotatable relative to said first body and said pneumatic gauge about an axis of rotation from a neutral position to either: (i) a fill position in which compressed air is communicated from an associated compressed air source into an associated destination system; (ii) a vent position in which compressed air is vented from the associated destination system,

wherein said second body rotates in a first angular direction relative to said first body and said pneumatic gauge from said neutral position to said fill position and rotates in a second angular direction relative to said first body and said pneumatic gauge from said neutral position to said vent position, and

wherein said second body activates a first switch when rotated in said first angular direction to initiate communication of compressed air into the associated destination system and activates a second switch when rotated in said second angular direction to initiate venting of compressed air from said destination system.

2 . The pneumatic gauge and pressure control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first and second switches are operably electrically connected to a flow control valve.

3 . The pneumatic gauge and pressure control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first switch is operably electrically connected to an air compressor and said second switch is operably electrically connected to a flow control valve.

4 . The pneumatic gauge and pressure control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the associated destination pneumatic system comprises an air spring and/or a tire.

5 . The pneumatic gauge and pressure control device as set forth in claim 4 , provided as part of a pneumatic system that further includes a compressed air source comprising at least one of an air tank and an air compressor.

6 . A method for controlling the flow of compressed air with respect to a pneumatic system, said method comprising:

manually rotating a second body in a first angular direction about an axis of rotation relative to a first body and relative to a pneumatic pressure gauge from a neutral position to a fill position to cause compressed air to be communicated from an associated compressed air source into the pneumatic system,

manually rotating the second body in a second angular direction about the axis of rotation relative to the first body and relative to the pneumatic pressure gauge from the neutral position or from the fill position to a vent position to cause compressed air to be vented from the pneumatic system,

wherein rotation of the second body in the first angular direction activates a first electrical switch to initiate communication of compressed air into the pneumatic system and rotation of the second body in the second angular direction activates a second electrical switch to initiate venting of compressed air from the pneumatic system.

7 . The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the first and second electrical switches are operably electrically connected to a flow control valve, and the method further comprises operating the flow control valve to be in a fill state when the first electrical switch is activated and operating the flow control valve to be in a vent state when the second electrical switch is activated.

8 . The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the first switch is operably electrically connected to an air compressor and said second switch is operably electrically connected to a flow control valve, and wherein said method further comprises activating said air compressor when the first electrical switch is activated and operating the flow control valve to be in a vent state when the second electrical switch is activated.