Device for connecting a tire of an aircraft wheel to a pneumatic unit of the aircraft

1. A device for selectively connecting a tire to a pneumatic unit of an aircraft, the tire forming part of a wheel mounted to rotate on a hollow axle of the aircraft, the device comprising:

a stator;

a rotor mounted on the stator in order to be completely received within the stator so that the rotor and the stator may be removed as a unit, the rotor being mounted to rotate inside the stator, by means of a bearing thereon, about an axis that coincides, in operation, with an axis of rotation of the wheel, and including a mechanical coupling between the wheel and rotor for enabling the wheel to drive said rotor in rotation;

a seal that extends between the rotor and the stator to close a first chamber extending between the rotor and the stator and into which a first pneumatic port opens, the port being carried by the stator for connecting the device to the pneumatic unit;

the rotor defining a second chamber into which a second pneumatic port opens for connecting the device to the tire;

the rotor carrying a valve extending through a wall of the rotor separating the first and second chambers, thereby enabling the two chambers to be put selectively into pneumatic communication by opening the valve; and

the stator carrying an actuator that acts selectively on the valve in order to switch between a closed state and an open state, the valve being normally closed;

wherein the stator is bell-shaped and adapted to be push-fit in the axle and having an end wall that carries the first pneumatic port for connection to the pneumatic unit by a pipe running inside the axle, the rotor extending substantially inside the stator.

2. A device for selectively connecting a tire to a pneumatic unit of an aircraft, the tire forming part of a wheel mounted to rotate on a hollow axle of the aircraft, the device comprising:

a stator;

a rotor mounted on the stator thereon about an axis that coincides, in operation, with an axis of rotation of the wheel, and including a coupling between the wheel and rotor for enabling the wheel to drive said rotor in rotation;

a seal that extends between the rotor and the stator to close a first chamber extending between the rotor and the stator and into which a first pneumatic port opens, the port being carried by the stator for connecting the device to the pneumatic unit;

the rotor defining a second chamber into which a second pneumatic port opens for connecting the device to the tire;

the rotor carrying a valve extending through a wall of the rotor separating the first and second chambers, thereby enabling the two chambers to be put selectively into pneumatic communication by opening the valve; and

the stator carrying an actuator that acts selectively on the valve in order to switch between a closed state and an open state, the valve being normally closed;

wherein the stator is bell-shaped and adapted to be push-fit in the axle and having an end wall that carries the first pneumatic port for connection to the pneumatic unit by a pipe running inside the axle, the rotor extending substantially inside the stator, and

wherein the seal is a lip seal extending between the rotor and a cylindrical bearing surface forming formed on an outer wall of an axial protrusion of the stator disposed inside the rotor.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the axial protrusion defines an axial housing that opens into the first chamber and that receives the actuator.

4. A device according to claim 3 , wherein the first pneumatic port is disposed axially to open into the axial housing.

5. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is of the electromechanical type.

6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the device includes a tachometer having a stationary portion carried by the stator and a rotary portion carried by the rotor.

7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the device includes a pressure sensor disposed on the rotor to measure the pressure that exists in the second chamber.

8. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator is of the electromechanical type.

9. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the device includes a tachometer having a stationary portion carried by the stator and a rotary portion carried by the rotor.

10. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the device includes a pressure sensor disposed on the rotor to measure the pressure that exists in the second chamber.