The idea is for hubcaps with a tiny offset shaft and weight. At low speeds gravity and tire spin cause the weight to spin the shaft and pump air into the tire if required. The shafts lock at high speed to prevent vibration.
-- WhiteWiz, Mar 25 2004

(?) Tire pumping hub. http://patft.uspto....+AND+TTL/automatic)
Fully baked. [oxen crossing, Oct 21 2004]

yeah
-- shad, Mar 26 2004


Love it!.. integrated with an over-pressure bleed valve in the tire, so it can also lower pressure if needed.

A tire's pressure can change by 1 psi for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change. And when you start running tires down a hot asphalt highway, they can heat up fast.
-- sirching, Mar 26 2004


Yes! Different settings for snow or muddy conditions where tire pressure is a big traction factor. +++
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 26 2004


Now I can imagine someone coming out of the house, noticing they got a flat tire overnight.. He jacks the car up, puts it in gear and lets it pump itself up to pressure.
-- sirching, Mar 26 2004


I thought we hit the jackpot when my brother and I invented this on the phone a few months ago. Then I looked at uspto.gov [link], and realized we we're too late.
-- oxen crossing, Mar 26 2004


So, in theory, if the hole was not too large, you would never get a flat tire as long as you kept moving........
-- normzone, Mar 26 2004


How big a weight would be necessary to prevent the hubcap from spinning relative to the ground?

If the weight is offset, what keeps it from vibrating the wheel, when the shaft is locked and the speed is high?
-- goldbb, May 27 2009



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