Inflation circuit, in particular for a tire mounted on a wheel, and corresponding wheel
View Patent ↗An automatic inflation and deflation circuit for a tube ( 3 ) is produced with a single compressed fluid supply conduit ( 5 ). The inflation results from subjecting a non-return valve (VA) in series on the conduit to excess pressure. Deflation is provided by subjecting the non-return valve for a brief moment to excess pressure and then in producing (EVDG) a calibrated leak ( 11 ) in the conduit. Evidence is provided that the pressure in the conduit is such that it enables to maintain the non-return valve open, although the pressure on the side of the tube is higher than the pressure in the conduit during deflation.
1. An inflation circuit comprising a compressed fluid source, a compressed fluid supply line connected to the source, a non-return valve interposed in the supply line between a reception chamber and the fluid source, a branch connected to the supply line between the non-return valve and the source, a calibrated leak device communicable with the supply line in order to form a calibrated leak of compressed fluid from the supply line, wherein the reception chamber is defined by a wheel intended to be equipped with a tire, and further comprising an adjustable choke disposed in the wheel between the non-return valve and the compressed fluid reception chamber of the wheel.
2. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the non-return valve is springless and includes a differential valve.
3. The circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the differential valve is mounted in a hub of the wheel along a rotary axis of the wheel.
4. The circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the differential valve comprises a hollow ferrule surmounted by a cap and a stopper floating in an inner space of the cap at the top of the ferrule.
5. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the non-return valve comprises a circular cylindrical plate with a first diametric perforation communicating with a second perforation intersecting a circular face of the plate, a differential valve being mounted opposite to the second perforation.
6. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the non-return valve comprises a circular cylindrical plate equipped with a circular groove formed in its peripheral face and two toric joints bordering this groove.
7. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising an actuated slide valve (EVGF) for isolating the fluid source from the calibrated leak.
8. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a slide valve (EVDG) interposed between the calibrated leak and the supply line.
9. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure or output measuring device (CP 1 ) connected to the supply line.
10. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment circuit for controlling the calibrated leak device from a signal issued by a pressure or output measuring device.
11. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising on the supply line a plurality of branches mounted between respective non-return valves (VA, VB, VC, VD) of plural reception chambers and the fluid source, and a set (EVA, EVB, EVC, EVD) of slide valves mounted on respective distribution lines connected to the branches.
12. The circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the non-return valves can be controlled independently of one another.
13. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the leak is calibrated to permit total deflation of the chamber in more than 50 seconds.
14. The circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the differential valve includes a floating stopper.