Abstract: A valve assembly for a tire inflation/deflation system includes a body having a control port and a tire port, and a valve member for fluidly connecting or disconnecting the control port with the tire port. In one embodiment, the valve includes a fluid-operated damper having a damper chamber for controlling a timing of the valve member. A vent valve is provided for permitting excess fluid pressure to escape from the damper chamber. In another embodiment, the valve member includes a diaphragm separating first and second fluid chambers. A vent passage and at least one resilient fluid pressure-operated valve element are provided for enabling fluid to vent from the first chamber to the second chamber. Multiple-redundant valve elements may be provided to form an isolation gap that restricts contamination of the valve assembly.

Abstract: An exemplary valve bank and/or modular control valve having a valve body, a valve member movable in a fluid flow of the valve body to control flow of fluid, and an onboard electronic controller that is operably mounted to the valve bank or valve body. The onboard controller is operably connected to at least one actuator of the valve, which is configured to control movement of the valve member in response to commands from the onboard controller. The onboard controller may provide diagnostics, feedback and/or control of the control valve, such as via inputs from one or more sensors that may be included in the valve. The modular control valve may be used with conventional non-intelligent valve banks to thereby impart smart diagnostics and/or feedback into the valve bank in a plug-and-play manner. A communications interface may be provided in the control valve to interface and communicate with an upper-level PLC controller.

Abstract: A fluid manifold assembly for a valve bank is provided, in which the manifold assembly includes a plurality of modular fluid manifolds that are operatively coupled together, and each modular manifold includes one or more anti-rotation elements that cooperate with each other to minimize rotation of the modular manifolds relative to each other, such as during assembly. The anti-rotation elements may include anti-rotation protrusion(s) that extend outwardly from a mating face of a first modular manifold body, and anti-rotation recess(es) that extend inwardly from a corresponding mating face of a second modular manifold body, in which the anti-rotation protrusion(s) of the first body are configured to be received by the anti-rotation recess(es) of the second body. The anti-rotation elements may be configured to interface with each other with particular tolerances that facilitate ease of assembly of the fluid manifold assembly, while minimizing tolerance stack-up.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A fluid manifold assembly for a valve bank is provided, in which the manifold assembly includes a plurality of modular fluid manifolds that are operatively coupled together, and each modular manifold includes one or more anti-rotation elements that cooperate with each other to minimize rotation of the modular manifolds relative to each other, such as during assembly. The anti-rotation elements may include anti-rotation protrusion(s) that extend outwardly from a mating face of a first modular manifold body, and anti-rotation recess(es) that extend inwardly from a corresponding mating face of a second modular manifold body, in which the anti-rotation protrusion(s) of the first body are configured to be received by the anti-rotation recess(es) of the second body. The anti-rotation elements may be configured to interface with each other with particular tolerances that facilitate ease of assembly of the fluid manifold assembly, while minimizing tolerance stack-up.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An actuator assembly includes a housing and an actuator arranged within the housing, the actuator including a first part and a second part movable relative to the first part. An insulating material is disposed within the housing, the insulating material encapsulating at least the movable part of the actuator.

Abstract: An actuator assembly includes a housing and an actuator arranged within the housing, the actuator including a first part and a second part movable relative to the first part. An insulating material is disposed within the housing, the insulating material encapsulating at least the movable part of the actuator.