AIR REGULATOR DOCKING STATION
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED
RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0001] This invention was made with Government support under DE-EE0005447
awarded by DOE. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) is a system to use a pump that is built
into a tire to automatically maintain a vehicle's tire pressure at a target pressure. A
regulator senses when the tire is at the target pressure. If the pressure drops below
the target level, an inlet filter in the regulator allows some outside air into the pumping
tube which runs circumferentially around the inside of the tire. Deformations of the
tube as the tire rolls compress air inside the tube. The air may be discharged through
the regulator into the tire cavity to inflate the tire.
SUMMARY
[0003] A docking station for an air regulator for a self-inflating tire includes a frame
having a mounting face to attach to the tire and a connector face opposite the
mounting face. A first cylindrical connector, a second cylindrical connector and a third
cylindrical connector each project from the connector face. The first cylindrical
connector defines a first pump port for connection to a first pump tube. The second
cylindrical connector defines a second pump port for connection to a second pump
tube. The third cylindrical connector defines an inlet port for connection to an intake of
the regulator. At least one lug is disposed at an end of the frame to be an attachment
point for the regulator. The docking station is to be fixedly attached to the tire and
removably attachable to the regulator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Features and advantages of examples of the present disclosure will become
apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like
reference numerals correspond to the same or similar, though perhaps not identical,
components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals or features having a
previously described function may or may not be described in connection with other
drawings in which they appear.
[0005] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an AMT regulator with an outlet
filter of the present disclosure;
[0006] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel and tire depicting an example of a
regulator mounted on the tire according to the present disclosure.
[0007] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the example of docking station according to
the present disclosure;
[0008] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another example of docking station according
to the present disclosure;
[0009] Fig. 5 is plan view of the example of the docking station depicted in Fig. 4;
and
[0010] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the docking station
depicted in Fig. 4 with a cross-section taken through A-A as shown in Fig.5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The present disclosure relates generally to an air pressure regulator docking
station. Such a docking station may be used, for example, with an AMT system used
with the tires of a commercial truck. It is to be understood that docking stations
according to the present disclosure may be used with various sizes of tires for various
types of vehicles.
[0012] The air pressure regulator for an AMT system may be attached to the tire in
the tire cavity. It may be convenient to permanently attach a docking station disclosed
herein to the tire, and have a removable regulator. In a non-limitative example,
commercial truck tires are sometimes not discarded when the tread wears down. The

worn portion of the tread may be replaced in a procedure known as retreading. It may
be convenient to remove the air pressure regulator during retreading and reinstall the
air pressure regulator before the tire is returned to service on a vehicle.
[0013] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a regulator 10 according to the
present disclosure. A docking station 20 is depicted mounted on the regulator 10. Air
is drawn through the docking station 20 to the regulator 10. The regulator 10 is also
connected to the pump (not shown) through the docking station 20. The docking
station 20 depicted in Fig. 1 has a shipping cap 68 installed. The shipping cap 68
covers 3 ports 62, 62', 71 of the docking station 20 that are visible in Fig. 3. The
shipping cap 68 is removed before the docking station 20 is installed on the tire 50
(see Fig. 2).
[0014] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel 98 and tire 50 depicting an
example of a regulator 10 mounted on the tire 50 according to the present disclosure.
A docking station 20 may be fixedly mounted to the tire 50 using tire patch technology.
The docking station 20 is, therefore, permanently mounted to the tire 50. The
regulator 10 may be permanently mounted to the docking station 20, or may be
removably mounted by, for example, using screws and nuts as shown in Fig. 1. A
snap fit may be used to permanently or removably mount the regulator 10 to the
docking station 20. Although the regulator may not need replacement or service
during the life of a tire, it may be desirable to dismount the regulator 10 from the
docking station 20 during retread procedures or for other reasons.
[0015] It is to be understood that the mass of air pumped into the tire cavity 52 by
the AMT pump (and therefore through the docking station 20) according to the present
disclosure in a single revolution may be relatively small compared to the mass of air in
a fully inflated tire 50. In an example, an AMT system may pump enough air to make
up for normal losses in a tire. For example, an AMT system may pump about 1 psi
into a 100 psi tire over a month. A range of airflow from about 250 SCCM (Standard
Cubic Centimeters per Minute) to about 1000 SCCM may flow through the docking
station 20. In terms of mass airflow the same example would range from about 0.3 g
(gram) to about 1.3 g of dry air at STP. In an example, a commercial truck tire may

contain 150 liters of air at about 100 psi (689 kilopascals) under normal operating
conditions.
[0016] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the example of docking station 20 according
to the present disclosure. The docking station 20 has a frame 66 having a mounting
face 72 for attaching to the tire 50 and a connector face 73 opposite the mounting face
72. The frame 66 defines an inlet port 71 for connection to an intake (not shown) of
the regulator 10. The inlet port 71 depicted in Fig. 3 is substantially centered in the
frame 66, however, the inlet port 71 may be located in any position on the frame 66
that is aligned with the intake (not shown) for a leak tight fluid connection therewith.
The frame 66 defines a first pump port 62 and a second pump port 62'. The first pump
port 62 and second pump port 62' connect the regulator 10 to pump tubes 60, 60' (see
Fig. 4). The pump tubes 60, 60' are to be embedded in the tire 50. Cylindrical
connectors 74, 75 and 82 are disposed on the connector face 73. The first cylindrical
connector 74 defines the first pump port 62. The second cylindrical connector 75
defines the second pump port 62'. The third cylindrical connector 82 is also referred to
herein as the inlet port connector 82. The inlet port connector 82 defines the inlet port
71. Each of the cylindrical connectors 74, 75, 82 have an annular sealing bead 90
defined around an edge of the respective cylindrical connector 74, 75, 82. The
annular sealing bead 90 is to form an airtight seal between the connector 74, 75, 82
and the regulator 10. A lug 91 is disposed at each end of the frame 66 to be
attachment points for the regulator 10 to the docking station 20. As depicted in Fig. 1,
the regulator 10 may have complementary clevis legs 94 to mount on the lugs 91. On
each end of the docking station 20, a bolt 92 may be installed through the clevis legs
94 and the lug 91 to fasten the regulator 10 to the docking station 20. A nut may be
used to prevent the bolt 92 from being dislodged from the clevis legs and lug 91. A
clevis pin may be used in place of the bolt 92, and any suitable retention means may
be used to keep the clevis pin from unintentionally being dislodged from the clevis legs
and lug 91. For example, a c-clip or cotter key may be used with a clevis pin.
[0017] In an example of the present disclosure, the lugs 91 may engage the
regulator 10 via a snap-fit joint. The snap-fit joint may be releasable or permanent.

[0018] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another example of docking station 20'
according to the present disclosure. Fig. 5 is plan view of the example of the docking
station 20' depicted in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the
docking station 20' depicted in Fig. 4 with a cross-section taken through A-A as shown
in Fig.5. The docking station 20' depicted in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 has a rubber overmold
portion 95 molded over the frame 66'. Perforations 96 are defined in the frame 66' to
create a mechanical interlock with the rubber overmold portion 95. The rubber
overmold portion 95 may also be chemically or adhesively bonded to the frame 66.
The rubber overmold portion 95 may provide a strong bond between the docking
station 20' and the tire 50 when tire patch technology is used to fixedly mount the
docking station 20' to the tire 50. The cylindrical connectors 74', 75', and 84' are
molded through the frame 66'. Each of the cylindrical connectors 74', 75', 82' have at
least two annular beads 90' defined around the respective cylindrical connector 74',
75', 82'. The annular beads 90' are to form an airtight seal between the connector 74',
75', 82' and the regulator 10.
[0019] A check valve (not shown) may be integrated into the inlet port connector
82'. In another example, the check valve may be connected to the inlet port connector
82' to remain connected to the inlet port connector 82' when the regulator 10 is not
installed. The check valve is to prevent a flow of air through the inlet port connector
82' from the tire cavity 52 to an atmosphere 84 outside of the tire. In an example, the
check valve may be a ball-type check valve with a plastic ball.
[0020] It is to be understood that the terms "connect/connected/connection" and/or
the like are broadly defined herein to encompass a variety of divergent connected
arrangements and assembly techniques. These arrangements and techniques
include, but are not limited to (1) the direct communication between one component
and another component with no intervening components therebetween; and (2) the
communication of one component and another component with one or more
components therebetween, provided that the one component being "connected to" the
other component is somehow in operative communication with the other component
(notwithstanding the presence of one or more additional components therebetween).

[0021] In describing and claiming the examples disclosed herein, the singular forms
"a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates
otherwise.
[0022] It is to be understood that the ranges provided herein include the stated
range and any value or sub-range within the stated range. For example, a range from
about 250 SCCM to about 1000 SCCM should be interpreted to include not only the
explicitly recited limits of about 250 SCCM and about 1000 SCCM, but also to include
individual values, such as 250 SCCM, 375 SCCM, 750 SCCM, etc., and sub-ranges,
such as from about 270 SCCM to about 500 SCCM, etc. Furthermore, when "about" is
utilized to describe a value, this is meant to encompass minor variations (up to +/-
10%) from the stated value.
[0023] Furthermore, reference throughout the specification to "one example",
"another example", "an example", and so forth, means that a particular element (e.g.,
feature, structure, and/or characteristic) described in connection with the example is
included in at least one example described herein, and may or may not be present in
other examples. In addition, it is to be understood that the described elements for any
example may be combined in any suitable manner in the various examples unless the
context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0024] While several examples have been described in detail, it will be apparent to
those skilled in the art that the disclosed examples may be modified. Therefore, the
foregoing description is to be considered non-limiting.

We Claim:
1. A docking station for an air regulator for a self-inflating tire, comprising:
a frame including:
a mounting face to attach to the tire;
a connector face opposite the mounting face;
a first cylindrical connector projecting from the connector face wherein the first
cylindrical connector defines a first pump port for connection to a first pump tube;
a second cylindrical connector projecting from the connector face wherein the
second cylindrical connector defines a second pump port for connection to a second
pump tube;
an third cylindrical connector projecting from the connector face wherein the
third cylindrical connector defines an inlet port for connection to an intake of the
regulator; and
at least one lug disposed at an end of the frame to be an attachment point for
the regulator wherein the docking station is to be fixedly attached to the tire and
removably attachable to the regulator.
2. The docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
an annular sealing bead defined on each of the first cylindrical connector, the
second cylindrical connector, and the third cylindrical connector
wherein the frame further defines the first pump port, the second pump port,
and the inlet port.
3. The docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
perforations defined in the frame to engage with a rubber overmold portion
wherein the rubber overmold portion envelopes at least a portion of the frame and fills
the perforations, the rubber overmold portion including:
the first cylindrical connector;
the second cylindrical connector;
the third cylindrical connector; and

at least 2 annular beads defined around each of the first cylindrical
connector, the second cylindrical connector, and the third cylindrical connector to form
an airtight seal between the connector and the regulator.
4. The docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising a check
valve fixedly attached to the third cylindrical connector to prevent a flow of air through
the third cylindrical connector from a tire cavity to an atmosphere outside of the tire.
5. The docking station as defined in claim 1 wherein the docking station is
to be fixedly attached to the tire with tire patch technology.

ABSTRACT

A docking station for an air regulator for a self-inflating tire includes a frame havinga
mounting face to attach to the tire and a connector face opposite the mounting face. A
first cylindrical connector, a second cylindrical connector and a third cylindrical
connector each project from the connector face. The first cylindrical connector defines
a first pump port for connection to a first pump tube. The second cylindrical connector
defines a second pump port for connection to a second pump tube. The third
cylindrical connector defines an inlet port for connection to an intake of the regulator.
At least one lug is disposed at an end of the frame to be an attachment point for the
regulator. The docking station is to be fixedly attached to the tire and removably
attachable to the regulator.