PATENT OF THE WEEK – TIRE PRESSURE REGULATION SYSTEM

The TIRE PRESSURE REGULATION SYSTEM was invented on Donald G. Martus (Mt. Clemens, MI) on 18^th February 1986, bearing the patent number US4570691A.

This invention relates to a wheel-tire assembly for use on a ground vehicle (e.g., a military truck) operating on soft or hard terrain over a range of vehicle speeds.

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.