Compressed air pumping tire and compressed air storing apparatus using the same

Abstract

Disclosed therein are a compressed air pumping tire for pumping compressed air from the tire while the vehicle travels and a compressed air storing apparatus using the compressed air pumping tire. The compressed air pumping tire includes: at least one air compression chamber formed in a body of the tire and having a volume to be filled with a predetermined amount of air, the air compression chamber compressing air in such a way as to be contracted by a contact force between the road surface and the tire surface while the tire runs; at least one air intake hole adapted to fluidically communicate with an end of the air compression chamber for sucking the outside air into a contracted space of the air compression chamber to thereby make the contracted space of the air compression chamber restored; and at least one air discharge hole adapted to fluidically communicate with the other end of the air compression chamber for discharging the compressed air to the outside.

1 . A compressed air pumping tire for vehicles, comprising:
 at least one air compression chamber formed in a body of the tire and having a volume to be filled with a predetermined amount of air, the air compression chamber compressing air in such a way as to be contracted by a contact force between the road surface and the tire surface while the tire runs;
 at least one air intake hole adapted to fluidically communicate with an end of the air compression chamber for sucking the outside air into a contracted space of the air compression chamber to thereby make the contracted space of the air compression chamber restored; and 
 at least one air discharge hole adapted to fluidically communicate with the other end of the air compression chamber for discharging the compressed air to the outside. 
   
   
   
       2 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is formed inside the tire along the outer circumferential surface of the tire in such a way to be aligned in a round band shape. 
   
   
       3 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section. 
   
   
       4 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is formed in a round shape in cross-section. 
   
   
       5 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber has a section of an elliptical form. 
   
   
       6 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is single in number and is formed in a helical shape wound on the tire several times in a width direction of the tire. 
   
   
       7 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chambers are plural in number and are formed in helical shape wound on the tire several times in a width direction of the tire. 
   
   
       8 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is partitioned into a plurality of parts by at least one compression chamber partition. 
   
   
       9 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber includes ribs mounted at regular intervals to enhance a restoring force of the contracted and deformed air compression chamber. 
   
   
       10 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber has a silicon coated layer formed on the inner surface thereof to prevent the surfaces of the air compression chamber from being stuck to each other. 
   
   
       11 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the air compression chamber is formed inside a round projection portion protrudingly formed along the outer circumferential surface of the tire body. 
   
   
       12 . A compressed air pumping tire for vehicles, comprising:
 an air-compressing tube wound on the outer circumferential surface of the tire at least once;   at least one air intake hole disposed at the front end of the air-compressing tube; and   at least one air discharge hole disposed at the rear end of the air-compressing tube,   wherein the air-compressing tube is made of flexible material, which can be elastically restored after the tire surface comes into contact with the road surface.   
   
   
       13 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 12 , wherein the air-compressing tube is one in strip number and is wound several times on the outer circumferential surface of the tire. 
   
   
       14 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 12 , wherein the air-compressing tube is at least two in strip number and is wound several times on the outer circumferential surface of the tire. 
   
   
       15 . The compressed air pumping tire according to  claim 12 , wherein the air-compressing tube is formed in a round shape in cross-section. 
   
   
       16 . A compressed air storing apparatus using a compressed air pumping tire comprising:
 tires selected from any one of  claims 1  to  11 , the tires being mounted on the front wheels and/or the rear wheels of a vehicle;   a compressed air tank connected to an air discharge hole of the tire to store air compressed in an air compression chamber;   a check valve mounted on a flow channel for connecting the air discharge hole with the compressed air tank to prevent a backflow of the compressed air;   a pressure control valve mounted at an outlet of the compressed air tank;   a guide pipe connected to the air discharge hole to guide the compressed air toward a central axis of the tire wheel; and   a rotating joint for connecting the guide pipe with the compressed air tank.   
   
   
       17 . A compressed air storing apparatus using a compressed air pumping tire comprising:
 tires selected from any one of  claims 12  to  15 , the tires being mounted on the front wheels and/or the rear wheels of a vehicle;   a compressed air tank connected to an air discharge hole of the tire to store air compressed in an air-compressing tube;   a check valve mounted on a flow channel for connecting the air discharge hole with the compressed air tank to prevent a backflow of the compressed air;   a pressure control valve mounted at an outlet of the compressed air tank;   a guide pipe connected to the air discharge hole to guide the compressed air toward a central axis of the tire wheel; and   a rotating joint for connecting the guide pipe with the compressed air tank.