Abstract: A tire shock absorber for attachment to a pneumatic tube tire or pneumatic tubeless tire for improving the smoothness of ride and decreasing road vibrations, the tire shock absorber comprising a chamber having at least one valve means which permits the unrestricted flow of air from the tubeless tire or tube tire into the chamber when the tire is subjected to intermittent road pressure, the valve means permitting the return of the displaced air to the tubeless tire or tube tire subsequent to the tire being subjected to the intermittent pressure. The tire shock absorber is designed for positioning either exterior to the tire or interior to the tire depending upon whether or not it is a tube tire or a tubeless tire.

Abstract: A system for detecting the air pressure in each wheel and for effecting inflation or deflation in each wheel while the vehicle is operating including a controller (30) and a high pressure reservoir (34) mounted on each wheel. Each controller includes a magnet (45) that is positioned responsive to the pressure in the associated tire and a stationarily mounted solenoid detector (32) senses the position of the magnet and generates a signal which is fed to a data processor (97) for the generation of an output signal to the vehicle operator indicating the pressure in the tire. Additionally, through actuation of the control, a current is passed through a coil (62) on the solenoid detector to actuate the magnet (45) in an individual wheel for opening a valve and allowing air to flow through the tube (39) into the tire for raising the tire pressure, or to allow the exhaust of air to lower the tire pressure.

Abstract: An automatic tire inflation-pressure regulating system for wheeled vehicles with pneumatic tires. The system has a system control assembly in the vehicle operator's compartment, control signal transmitter assemblies on the vehicle body in close proximity with each vehicle road wheel, and a tire pressure-regulating wheel assembly on each wheel. The transmitter assemblies convert electrical command signals initiated by the control assembly to RF signals that are received by an electronic module in each wheel assembly. Means in each wheel assembly selectively deflate or inflate their respective tires in response to the RF control signals. Gas under pressure for inflating the tires is provided either by a plurality of gas generators or by a pressurized gas-generating liquid.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel-tire assembly wherein the tire has a low inflation pressure (large tire footprint) in a low vehicle speed range, and a large inflation pressure (small tire footprint) in a high vehicle speed range. The tire is partitioned into a series of circumferential compartments, with each compartment being provided with a valve mechanism for introducing air into the compartment and/or withdrawing air from the compartment as needed to maintain desired inflation pressures in the different vehicle speed ranges. The system is contained entirely in the wheel-tire assembly; no external air compressors or control valves are utilized.

Abstract: A tire pump that is mounted on the rim, inside the tire. The pump is operated by centrifugal force when the tire rolls along the highway; it is designed to keep the air pressure within the tire at a constant, pre-set, level.

Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle wheel contains, within or on the hub, a closed air reservoir or reservoirs, connected by one or more channels to the air cavity in the tire. The dimensions of the channels are such as to allow restricted bidirectional flow of air between the tire and the reservoir, dissipating energy during the flow, for the purpose of improving the vibration resistance quality of the wheel throughout the frequency range.

Abstract: A method and device for automatically increasing the restoring force of a pneumatic tire characterized in that the centrifugal force created by rotation of the tire is caused to act on a liquid within a large diameter chamber of a centrifugal pump and the thus highly pressurized liquid is forced into the tire, so that the deformation of the wheel tread of the tire during operation of a vehicle is rapidly restored.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire, after manufacture, is provided with a propellant material and a foam forming sealant material in its interior pressurizable space. The propellant and sealant are isolated from each other during normal running conditions of the tire and have no significant effect on the normal running characteristics of the tire. When a tire fails due to a puncture or the like, a loss of tire pressure and/or collapse of the tire structure and/or heat build up in the bead area due to friction permit the propellant and the foam forming materials to interreact.In one embodiment of the invention the propellant and sealant are enclosed in separate chambers of a plurality of dual-chamber containers secured to the bead portion of the tire and/or a rim base. In other embodiments a plurality of mono-chamber containers house one of the materials, the other material being uncontained in the pressurizable space.

Abstract: Excessively high or low tire pressure is detected automatically with a warning signal generated for the operator. A device is attached to each wheel and includes a spring-loaded piston mounted for reciprocation in a cylinder formed in the device. The cylinder is provided with a porting arrangement which opens only at certain pressure limits. When the ports are opened a sonic or ultrasonic signal is generated and detected by sensors located in proximity to each wheel. The signals detected by the sensors are processed and utilized to actuate a warning signal that provides a visual and/or audio output for the operator. Means are provided for discriminating between background noise and the generated signal as well as to discriminate as to the location of the affected tire. In a modification of the invention, a reserve chamber is integrated into the body of the wheel and is adapted to replenish automatically air lost from the tire.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and device for the automatic regulation of the internal pressure in a pneumatic tire characterized in that the air is forced into the pneumatic chamber of a tire by the centrifugal force generated by the revolution of the wheel, and the pressure inside said pneumatic chamber can thereby be automatically changed in dependence on the speed of rotation of the wheel.