«2 United States Patent Furtado ‘USO11254170B2 US 11,254,170 B2 Feb. 22, 2022 (10) Patent No.: (4s) Date of Patent: (54) AUTOMATIC TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM. WITH THRU-HUB AIR FEED (7D) Applicant: Testa, Ine, Austin, TX (US) (72) Inventor: John Furtado, San Francisco, CA (US) (73) Assignoe: ‘Testa, Ine. Austin, TX (US) (4) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer the tem of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 USC. 184(b) by 224 days (21) Appl. No. 189952,366 (22) Filed: Apr. 13, 2018 ws) Prior Publication Data US 201810297423 AL et. 18, 2018 Related U.S. Application Data (60) Provisional application No. 62/485,272, fled on Apr. 13,2017 (1) Ine. BoC 2300 (2006.01) ‘Boon 2700 (2006.01) FIC 19236 (2006.01) FI6C 19/38 (2006.01) (2) Us.CL. CPC) Rear 28000363 (202005), BoB 270047 (2013.01); Boon 27/0073 (2013.01. B6OC 23/0084 (2020.05). BoB 27/001 (2013.01) BOOB 2380/14 (2013.01); BOOB 2380/64 (2013.01); FI6C 19/364 (2013.01); F16C 198385 (2013.01) (58) Field of Classification Seareh 23100354; FI6C 19/364; BGO 27/001; 1608 2380/14: B6OE 2380/64; BOOB 2710073; BODE 27/0037 ‘See application file for complete seurc history 60) Referenees Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS. 294457 4 + 71960. Wunibald eae 25008 126 459107 A+ 441986. Scully BB50C 25.09 1524815 5287906 A 21904 och Same A 11905 Stok S50nAaD A * 41996 Callaut Be 25003 | 1524817 $538.08 A 711996 Stoh Seto A 121996 Ingram (Continued) Primary Esaminer — Kip T Kowter (74) Atornes, Agent, or Firm — Kuobe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP on ABSTRACT An Automatic Tire Inflation System (ATIS) for use with a Vehicle includes 4 controller, valves controlled by the con twoller and, for at least one drive axle having inner bearings and outer bearings, a channel formed in a spindle, frst hosing coupling controlled by the controller tothe channel ‘ormed inthe spindle, channel formed ina hub, a rotary ir seal coupling the channel formed in the spindle to the channel formed in che hub, and second hosing coupling the channel formed in the hub to a least one wheel, The rotary air seal may transition from a sealed state that forms a seal between the spindle and the hub to support air How between the channel formed in the spindle and the ehannel formed in hhub and reside in an unsealed state to negate the scal Deween the spindle and the hub. cre 'B6OC 28008; B6OC: 23/007: B6OC 23/0087; BOOC 23100863; BOOT 14 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets bd a 202 208 22 © ro mRE(s)US 11,254,170 B2 Page 2 66) References Cited USS. PATENT DOCUMENTS. 579797 A 811908 Quinn SRosRT A 21989 Bradley 6262691 Bi 2001 Sowaldhe ea oassa3e BL £2002 faunas 22004 892.78 B2_ $2008 D2ig9s B22 122015 Hs0¢ 2v04s 2mo1st739 AL* 72010 "BED 23.003 280 124.95 2oisiorsi9a7 ait 2015, 50029502 spat? 20190200086 AL* 102015 Taberidis Fig 19324 1217 20190382911 AL* 122018. Bitlingmaier ... BOOB 2710073 12417 * cited by examinerUS 11,254,170 B2 Sheet 1 of 10 Feb. 22, 2022 U.S. Patent ‘DIA agLb~f pbb ‘O9Lb f OPLL 4 I pl Ovor avor 3) awauiva Voor x8 x08 xa uvz0 v39 wv39 l | Orr NBISAS NOLLTANI ll ! Ser zor ULL OLLWNOLNY vor ' YOLOW YOLOWN XOLON 3ATNa 3arud BOF solNouLoava 3arua l ! —TT VObL aoLL—t Webb ‘avlb Vel oolUS 11,254,170 B2 Sheet 2 of 10 Feb. 22, 2022 U.S. Patent @ Old SIATA YATIONNOD —L gqz 208 002,U.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 3 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 No eee om * a 7 302U.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 4 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 400 ons 1 IS awUS 11,254,170 B2 Sof 10 Sheet Feb. 22, 2022 U.S. PatentU.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 6 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 600 MONITOR AIR PRESSURE IN WHEELS/TIRES ‘SUPPLY PRESSURIZED AIR TO WHEELS/TIRES REQUIRING AIR FIG. 6U.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 7 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2U.S. Patent Feb. 22,2022 Sheet 8 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 => i- FR I I ; ae 12 4 eset eee eee FIG. 7B 708 - I I I | I I 714 u KN . VMEU.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 9 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 800 \ FIG. 8AU.S. Patent Feb. 22, 2022 Sheet 10 of 10 US 11,254,170 B2 =n Se at —— EG AC —si0 —__ ! ---17997-3 4 I r 1 1 : IUS 11,254,170 B2 1 AUTOMATIC TIRE INFLATION SYSTEM WITH THRU-HUB AIR FEED CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED "APPLICATION ‘he present application claims priority pursuant to 35 USC, 120 to US, Provisional Patent Application No. 62/485,272, entitled “AUTOMATIC TIRE. INFLATION SYSTEM WITH THRU-HUB AIR FEED", filed 13 Ape 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its ‘entirety for all pueposes BACKGROUND Technical Field The present invention relates to vehicles; and more par- ticularly to the automatic inflation of vehicle tires Description of Related Art Cars and tucks have wheels and sires that interface with roadways. The tires are typically inf listed with aor another s. Generally, tires are most ellcient and provide the best fnlerface when inflated to a target pressure(s). Some land based vehicles include more than four wheels, eg., semi tractors that include four, eight, more rear wheels. All of these rear wheels are typically powered, with four wheels and tres driven by a single axle or via a single diflereatil AA single engine may drive the ear whovls via one or more ‘drive shafts and differentials. Maintaining the taget pressure (6) on all of these ties is dificult, Thus, Automatic Tire Inflation Systems (ATISs) have been developed in. un attemp to maintain the target air pressure in all of the tres, Examples of such prior ATISs are disclosed in one or more ‘of prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,906, 5,584,949, 5,797,398, 5,797,979, 6,698,482, 5,377,736, 5,538,062, 5868881, 6.260.601; 6,435,238 and 6,892,778 “These prior solutions had a numberof shortcomings, With some prior aft technigues ai was fed through hollow drive axles to a fting located on the end thereof. The fiting Was then coupled to the air inlets of the tires. To couple the air ‘nto the hollow drive axles, a rotatingly attached fing ‘coupled air fom an sir storage to the inside of the hollow ales. This fitting was subject to Jeakewe of contaminants, ‘These contaminants interfered with the operaion of the ATIS and eventually caused the ATIS to fal, SUMMARY, Ths, in order to overcome the shortcomings described ‘above among other shortcomings, an Automatic Tige laf tion System (TIS) for use witha vehicle searing toa fist ‘described embodiment includes a controller, valves con- trolled by the controller, the valves having an air supply ‘ne, and a plurality of air outlets. Purther the ATIS includes, for at least one drive axle having inner bearings and outer bearings, channel formed ina spindle first hosing coupling a valve of the valves controlled by the controller © the ‘channel formed in the spindle, a channel formed in a hub, 3 rotary air seal residing between the inner bearings and the ‘outer bearings and coupling the ehannel formed in the spindle tothe channel formed inthe hub, and second hosing ‘coupling the channel formed inthe hub to at least one wheel “Ths, as compared tothe prior ATIS systems, the ATIS of the frst embodiment, significantly reduces contamination i 0 o 2 the ATIS sir stream, Redction in contamination extends the life of the ATIS, extends spindle life, extends hub life, and extends serviced wheeVire lives and extends maintenance intervals “Accoeding to some optional aspects of the first embod ment, fist iting couples the first hosing to the channel formed in the spindle, 8 second fitting couples the second hosing to the channel formed in the hub, andr the second hosing provides connections for multiple wheels. ‘According to another optional aspect of te frst embodi- ‘ment, the spindle is tapered, the inner bearings comprise inner tpered roller bearings, and the outer bearings com- prise outer tapered roller bearing, According to sill another optional aspect, the spindle is straight and the inner bearings and outer bearings comprise 8 unitized bearing set. With this optional aspect, 2 frst channel couples the channel formes! in the spindle to the ‘lary ar seal and a second channel that couples the channel formed in the hub to the rotary ar sel ‘According (© yet another optional aspect of the fest embodiment, the rotary air seal is configured to reside in a sled state to form a seal between the spindle and the bub fo support sir How between the channel formed in the spindle and the channel formed in hub and reside in an ‘unsealed state to negate the seal berween the spindle and the hub. With this optional aspect, tansiioning the rotary air seal from the unsealed state to the sealed state may be performed only when a serviced vehicle is stationary oF a Speed of the serviced vehicle is below a threshold speed. Funter, with this optional aspect, the rotary air seal may be periodically transitioned between the sealed state and the ‘unsealed state “According to still another optional aspect of the frst embodiment, the rotary air seal includes first side and a second side, each of the first side and the second side including a fist stationary portion sealed to an inner wall of the hub, a second stationary partion sealed to an inner wall of the spindle, and a movable portion coupled t0 the first Stationary portion "According to a socond embodiment of the present diselo- sure, an ATIS inelules a cont central by the controll, the valves hav plurality fair outlets. The ATIS of the second embodiment Turther includes, for at least one deve axle, hub, a spindle, 4 unitized bearing set having inner bearings and outer bearings coupled between the spindle and the hub, a frst channel, and’ a second channel, a channel formed in the spindle and coupled to the first channel of the unitized bearing set frst hosing coupling a valve of the valves controlled by the controller to the channel formed in the spindle, channel formed in a hub coupled to the second channel ofthe unitized bearing se, rotary air veal residing Within the unitized bearing set coupling the frst channel of the tnitized bearing set othe second channel of the united bearing set, and second hosing coupling the channel formed inthe hub to at feast one wheel ‘The second embodiment as well as the third and fourth embodiments deseribed later herein provide benefits sub- Stanially the same a those of the frst embodiment. The reader will appreciate that the second through fourth embodiments may provide additonal benefits a well, “According oa ist optional aspect of the second embodi- ‘ment, the rotary air seal is configured to reside in a sealed state to form a seal between the first channel ofthe united bearing and the second ehiaane of the unitized bearing and reside in an unsealed state to negate the seal betwen the frst channel of the unitized bearing and the second channel oftheUS 11,254,170 B2 3 nitized bearing. Wi this first optional aspect, the rotary a seal may include a first side and a second side, each of the first side and the second side including a first stationary portion seafed 1 first inner wall ofa unitized bearing set, ‘a second stationary portion sealed to a second inner wall of the unitized bearing set, and a movable portion coupled 10 the frst stationary portion, “According to third embodiment of the present disclo- sure, a method for operating an ATIS for use witha vehicle includes monitoring air pressure of atleast one tire, doter ‘ining that inflation of the at last one tre is required, and ‘opening at least one valve to allow aieto Row. Te ai Hows ‘along. a path from an air supply to a channel formed in a spindle via frst hosing, from the channel formed in the spindle to a rotary ait seul, from the rotary ai seal to @ ‘channel formed in hub, and from the channel formed in the hub to the atleast one tire via second hosing, "Aceoing to fist optional aspect of the third embod rent, prior to the opening of the at least one valve to allow tir to low, transitioning the rotary air seal from an unsealed Sate to a sealed slate to establish a seal between a channel ormed inthe spindle to the channel formed in the hub, and after infladon is completed, transitioning the rotary ai seal from the sealed state tothe unsealed state to negate the seal between a channel formed in the spindle to the channel ormed inthe bub, Transitioning the rotary ai seal from the unsealed state to the sealed state may be performed only when a serviced vehicle is stationary or a speed of the serviced vehicle is below a threshold speed. Alternately, oF in addition, the rotary ai seal may periodically transition between the sealed state andthe unsealed state. “According toa fourth embodiment ofthe present diselo- sure, a method for operating an ATIS for use witha vehicle includes monitoring air pressure of atleast one tre, deter ‘mining that inflation of the at least one tee is required, and ‘opening atleast one valve to allow aieto low. The air flows, from an air supply toa channel formed ina spindle vi frst hosing, from the channel formed in the spindle to a fist ‘channel of a unitized bearing, from the fist channel of the ‘nitized bearing to a rotary ai seal, from the rotary aie seal twa second channel ofthe unitized bearing, fom the second ‘canal of de unitized bearing o a chanel Formed in a bub, land from the channel formed in the hub to the atleast one tire via second hosing. “According to frst optional aspect of the fourth embod iment, prior to the opening of the at least one valve to allow tir to How, transitioning the rlary air seal from an unsealed Sate to a sealed slate lo establish a seal between a fist ‘channel of a unitized bearing and a second channel of the ‘unitized bearing and after inflation is completed, tanstion- ing the rotary sir seal from the sealed state tothe unsealed state to negate the seal between the first channel of the tnitized hearing and the second channel of the unitized bearing ‘According to a second optional aspect of the fourth ‘embodiment, transitioning the rotary air seal from the tunscaled state to the scaled state is performed only when & serviced vehicle is stationary or a speed of the serviced Vehicle is below a threshold speed. Alternately, or in addi- tion, the rotary air seal may periodically transition beeen the sealed state and the unsealed sate, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates the basic components of battery powered electric vehicle, 0 4 FIG, 2 illustrates an Automatic Tire Inllation Syste (ATIS) constructed and operating according (at least one sisclosed embodiment FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a spindle, 3 unitized bearing set, and a rotary air seal according 10 a eseribed embodiment FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an avle, 2 unitizod bearing set, and a rotary ai seal according 10 a described embodiment FIG. 8A is a panial cross-sectional view of an axle, united bearing set, and a rotary air sel in an unsealed state sccording ta described embodiment FIG. 8B is a partial crosssectional view of an axle, a mitized hearing sel, and rotary air sal in a sealed state according to a deseribed embodiment FIG. 6 is a flow char illustrating operation of an ATIS. according 9 one or more described embodiments FIG. 7A isa partial erss-sectional view of an axle of an ATIS according to a deseribed embodiment FIG. 7H is a partial erosesectional view detailing the tized bearing set of FIG. 7A, PIG. 7C is 8 partial crost-sectional view detailing 3 portion ofthe unitized bearing set of FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG. 8A isa paral crossrectional view of an anle of an ATIS according to a deseribed embodiment FIG. 8B is a partial crost-sectional view detwiling a packed bearing set of FIG. BA. FIG. 8C is # partial crost-seetional view detsiling 3 portion ofthe packed bearing set of FIGS. 8A and 8B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TH DISCLOSURE FIG, 1 illustrates the basic components of a batery powered electric vehicle (electric vehicle) 100. The electic Vehicle 100 includes at least one drive motor (action moter) 102A, 1028 andlor 102C, at least one gear box 104A, 1048, andlor 104C coupled toa corresponding dive motor 102A, 1028, andor 102C, a battery 106 and elec- {ironies 108. Generally, the battery 106 provides electricity to the electronics 108 of the electric vehicle 100 and to propel the electric vehicle 100 using the drive motors 102A, 1028 andlor 102C. The elecisic vehicle 100 includes a lange ‘oumber of iter components that are not described. herein ‘but nown to one or ordinary skill. While the eonsiruet of the clectrc vehicle 100 of FIG. 1 is shown to have ten whook, Aifering electri vehicles may have fewer or more than ten ‘whools Further, differing typos of electric vehicles 100 may incorporate the inventive concepts deseribed herein, The vehicle also includes an ATIS 110 that provides controlled inflation to tires 112A, 112B, 4A. 114B, 114C. TAD, 6A, 6B, 116C, and 116D. According toa fist aspect of the present disclosure, the ATIS 110 ineludes controller and valves controlled by the controller, the valves having an air supply inlet, and a plurality of air outlets Funker, the ATIS includes, for at feast one drive axle having inner bearings and outer bearings, a channel formed in spindle, firs hosing coupling the valves to the channel {ormed in the spindle, channel formed ina hub, a rotary ar seal residing between the inner bearings and the outer bearings and coupling the channel formed in the spindle to the channel formed inthe hub, and second hosing coupling the channel formed inthe hob to at least one fre. Various aspects of the ATIS of the present disclosure will be ‘eseribed further with reference to FIGS. 2 through 6. By {eding air through the channel foamed in the spindle, the rolary ae seal that resides between the inner bearing and theUS 11,254,170 B2 5 ‘outer bearing, and the channel formed in the spindle, the isk ‘of contamination is significantly reduced, Particularly. the inner bearing and outer bearing include seals that assist in preventing contamination of the rotary air seal, Further, ‘without the requizement of hollow axle, the complexity of the ATIS ofthe present diselosure as compared to the prior ATISs is reduced. IG, 2 illustrates an ATIS 200 constricted and operating according 1 a disclosed embodiment. ‘Two difering ‘embodiments of the ATIS 200 are showa in FIG. 2. A first, ‘embovdiment ofthe ATIS 202 is for a rst drive configuration having tapered spindle with tapered roller bearings and dhe second embodiment ofthe ATIS 282 is fora straight spindle with a unitized bearing set 268. A single air tank 204 ‘contoller 208, and valves 209 service both embodiments 202 and 282, The first embodiment of the ATIS 202 includes the ‘controller 205 and valves 209, The valves 209 are controlled by the controller 208, have an air supply inlet, anda plurality Oo ai outlets, Each air outlet couples to eomesponding > hosing 206, 210, 212, and 208. Further, the TIS. 202 includes, for at least one drive axle 214 having inner bearings 222 and outer bearings 223, a channel 207 formed Jina spindle 216, first hosing 206 coupling the valves 209 10 the channel 207 formed in the spindle 216, a channel 224 Tormed in a hb 218, a rotary air seal 226 residing betwee! the inner bearings 222 and the outer bearings 223 and ‘coupling the channel 207 formed in the spindle 216 to the ‘channel 224 formed in the hub 218, and second hosing 228 ‘coupling the channel 224 formed in the hub 218 to at leat ‘one wheelie (not shown in FIG. 2 but shown in FIG. 1), The ATIS 202 may also include a first fiting coupling the first hosing 206 to the channel 207 formed in the spindle 216, The ATIS may also ineludea second fiting coupling the second hosing 228 tothe channel 224 formed in the hub 218. ‘The second hosing may include connections for multiple tires such as those illustrated in FIG. 1, The hosing inclaes ‘chock valves that allow air to be supplied to the serviced tires and to prevent the back-flow of air frm the serviced tires to the servicing hosing. The ATIS 202 (or 252) may include one or more one-way check valves to support How ‘of air from the ae tank 204 to the ties and to prevent air low fom the tres back into the ATIS 202 (or 252). In other ‘embodiments, sir is allowed (0 conttollably flow in the reverse direction to reduve ar pressure in the serviced ties With the ATIS 202 of the first embodiment, the spindle 216 is tapered and the inner bearings 222 and the outer bearings 223 are tapered roller bearings that couple the Spindle 216 to the hb 218, The bearings 222 and 223, the spindle 216, and the hub create a volume 225 that is substantially isolated ffom the external environment. The rotary air seal 226 resides within this volume 225 and, because it is isolated from the external environment, bas extended life ‘As will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotary air seal 226 may be operable in two states; a sealed ‘ate and an unsealed state In the sealed state, the rary seal 226 provides a substantially sittight seal between the spindle 216 and the hub 218 10 support the tansfer of ait from the channel 207 inthe spindle 216 to the channel 224 Jn the hub 218, Inthe unsealed state, the rotary air seal 226 ‘does not provide such a sea. In various operations, in onder ‘o support the inflation ofthe serviced tre and to extend life ‘of the rotary ar seal 226, the rotary air seal 226 may be kept jn the unsealed state unl wireless sensom in the serviced tires indicate tht inflation ofthe tires is required. In sch ‘eae, the roaty’ air seal 226 would be transitioned to the 0 o 6 sealed state to provide air for inflation. The controller 208 ‘may control the state of the rotary sit seal 226. ‘Various rules may be implemented to maximize life of the rary air seal 226, In one operation, the rotary sir sel 226 ‘would be transitioned from the unsealed state to the sealed state only when the serviced vehicle is trveling at a rela- tively low speed or stopped. Altematively the rotary ar seal 226 would be transitioned from the unsealed state to the sealed state when a tire requires inflation and transitioned back to the unsealed state after inflation is completed, independent of the movement ofthe vehicle, Further, there may be differing levels of the sealed state, based upon the required air pressure needed to inflate the serviced ties, Which would also extend the life ofthe rotary aie eal 226 ‘The ATIS 252 of the second embodiment incades ele ‘meats similar to those of the ATIS 202 of the first embod ‘meat. However, with the ATIS 282 of the second embed ‘ment, the spindle 284 is not tapered and the inner bearings and outer bearings comprise a unitized bearing set 268 that ‘couples the spindle 254 to he hub 288. With the ATIS 282, the unitized bearing set 268 includes a channel 286 that couples the channe! 287 formed in the spindle 284 to the charine! 260 formed a the hub 258 vi a rotary ai seal 272 Funher, the witized bearing set 268 creates a volume 270 in Which the rotary air seal 272 resides, the volume 270 protecting the rotary ar seal 272 fom the exteral environ- ‘meat, The rotary aie seal 272 ofthe ATIS 282 may further be ‘operable in both a sealed state and an unsealed state ‘With the embodiments of FIG. 2, air pressure sensors at cach wheel may detet air pressure in a tre andlor temper- ture of the tre and wirelessly broadeast this information to the controller 205, The controller 205 then controls the valves 209 0 contol pressure at each wheel end indepen- ently to direct si to serviced tires 0 that they ate at selected air pressure, For dual tires, ¢, H4AVI14B, 116A) 6B, 14C/114D, or H6C/IL6D of FIG. 1, a single whoo! end may service two (or more tres). Further, valves may be tached to or integrated into each wheel end that may be ‘opened through wireless or pneumatic signal to allow pres- strized air to flow fom the ar tank 204 tothe wheel ends to inflate serviced tires. In such eas, the valves 208 may be replaced or augmented by controllable valves at the wheel ends, FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a spindle, a unitized bearing set, and a rotary aie seal according 10 a ‘eseribed embodiment, The strctire 300 of FG. 3 inelides ‘a unitized beating set 302 that resides berwcen spindle 304 ‘nd hub (not shown). Channel 308 is formed in the spindle to support the fow of ar from an air supply through a frst channel 312 formed in an inner portion of the unitized bearing set 302, through a rotary air seal 306, and through ‘second channel 310 formed inthe unitized bearing set 302 ‘This air path is employed to inflate one o more serviced "The rotary air seal 306 may be operable in two states; a sealed state and an unseated state, In the sealed stat, the rotary air seal 306 provides a substantially airtight seal between the spindle 304 and the nl suppor the tanster ‘of sir from the channel 308 in the spindle 304 to a channel in the hub Inthe unsealed state, the rotary air seal 306 does not provide such a seal. In various operations, in order 10 support the inflation of the serviced tres and to extend life ‘ofthe totay ar seal 306, the rotary ar seal 306 may be kept in the unsealed state unil wireless sensors in the serviced tires indicate that inflation ofthe tres is required. In sich case, the rotary air seal 306 would be transitioned to the