Dynamic rotary inflation system
Method and apparatus for dynamic inflation control in a vehicle rotary environment. A supply conduit supplies pressurized fluid from a source to a hub assembly having a rotary union and a hub, with the supply conduit passing through the rotary union to the hub. The hub includes a diaphragm disposed between the supply conduit and a lead conduit coupled to an inflatable member. The diaphragm is normally biased against a sealing surface using a biasing mechanism, such as a spring. The biasing mechanism facilitates selective bi-directional fluid flow between the supply conduit and the lead conduit during inflation and deflation of the inflatable member. A supply reservoir and at least one condensation recess may be placed adjacent the diaphragm. The rotary union may be coupled to the hub using a pin and a circumferentially extending slot.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a supply conduit coupled to a source of pressurized fluid; and
a hub assembly comprising a rotary union and a hub, the supply conduit passing through the rotary union to the hub, the hub comprising a diaphragm, a sealing surface, a biasing mechanism, and a lead conduit, the biasing mechanism biased against the sealing surface by the biasing mechanism, the diaphragm separating the supply conduit from the lead conduit, the lead conduit coupled to an inflatable member, the biasing mechanism facilitating bi-directional fluid flow between the supply conduit and the lead conduit in response to a pressure of the pressurized fluid and a predetermined threshold pressure, wherein the supply conduit comprises a supply reservoir proximal the diaphragm, the supply reservoir having a greater cross-sectional diameter than the supply conduit and comprising a pair of outlets and a pair of fluid features, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the supply conduit is positioned between the pair of outlets and the pair of fluid features.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inflatable member is a vehicle tire.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotary union passes through a vehicle wheel.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each fluid feature is disposed between the longitudinal axis of the supply conduit and a selected one of the pair of outlets.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each outlet is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of the supply conduit.
7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein each fluid feature comprises a recess with a curvilinearly extending shape to direct fluid passing from a selected outlet to the supply conduit.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pair of outlets and the pair of fluid features are collectively arranged in axial symmetry about the longitudinal axis of the supply conduit.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotary union comprises a slot and the hub comprises a pin positioned to engage the slot.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the slot is configured to position the hub so that the lead conduit is aligned with a valve stem of the inflatable member.
11 . A method comprising:
connecting a tire to a hub using a lead conduit;
setting the hub to a first threshold pressure;
pressurizing a supply conduit to a predetermined fluid pressure, the supply conduit passing through a rotary union to the hub, the hub comprising a diaphragm, a sealing surface, and a biasing mechanism, the supply conduit separated from the lead conduit by the diaphragm, the rotary union coupled to the hub using a pin that extends into a circumferentially extending slot;
flowing fluid from the supply conduit to the tire in response to fluid pressure in the tire dropping below the first threshold pressure and moving the diaphragm with respect to the sealing surface; and
flowing fluid from the tire to the supply conduit in response to fluid pressure in the tire elevating above the first threshold pressure and moving the diaphragm with respect to the sealing surface.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising adjusting the predetermined fluid pressure by manipulating the hub, the adjusting of the predetermined fluid pressure lowering the pressure at which the diaphragm flexes to allow fluid flow between the supply conduit and the first lead conduit.
13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising disassembling the hub and subsequently assembling the hub after replacing the diaphragm.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the slot extends into the rotary union, the pin extends from the hub, and the hub is rotated relative to the rotary union to align the tire with the hub.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the supply conduit is fluidly connected to multiple separate tires using separate lead conduits.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hub is a first hub of a vehicle, and the method further comprises connecting the supply conduit to a second hub.
17 . An apparatus, comprising:
a supply conduit coupled to a source of pressurized fluid; and
a hub assembly comprising a rotary union and a hub, the supply conduit passing through the rotary union to the hub, the hub comprising a diaphragm, a sealing surface and a biasing mechanism, the diaphragm biased against the sealing surface by the biasing mechanism, the diaphragm separating the supply conduit from a lead conduit which extends from the hub to an inflatable member, the biasing mechanism facilitating bi-directional fluid flow between the supply conduit and the lead conduit in response to a pressure of the pressurized fluid and a predetermined threshold pressure, the rotary union coupled to the hub using a pin that extends into a circumferentially extending slot to facilitate rotational alignment of the hub with a port of the inflatable member.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the pin extends from the hub and the circumferentially extending slot extends into the rotary union.
19 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply conduit is axially aligned with a central rotation axis of the inflatable member, and wherein the lead conduit extends radially away from the central rotation axis in a direction toward the inflatable member.
20 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the supply conduit is cylindrically shaped with a first outermost diameter along a portion that passes through the rotary union and terminates at a supply reservoir in facing relation to the diaphragm having a second outermost diameter larger than the first outermost diameter.