Tire inflation system

Abstract

A tire inflation system including a drive mechanism having a rotational axis, a pump cavity positioned a radial distance away from the axis of rotation, and a force translator coupling the rotational axis to the pump cavity. The drive mechanism includes a cam comprising an arcuate bearing surface having a non-uniform curvature, the cam rotatable about the rotational axis, and an eccentric mass couple to the cam that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis. The pump cavity is rotatably coupled to the cam, wherein the pump cavity includes an actuating element and a chamber. The force translator couples the arcuate bearing surface to the actuating element, wherein the force translator includes an axis having an arcuate position fixed to an arcuate position of the pump cavity.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A tire pressurization system configured to mount to a wheel having a rotational axis, the system comprising:
 a casing configured to mount to the wheel;   a first compressor mounted to the casing and configured to fluidly connect to a fluid source, the first compressor comprising a first chamber and a first actuating element, the first actuating element having a first area;   a second compressor mounted to the casing, fluidly connected to the first compressor and configured to fluidly connect to a tire interior, the second compressor comprising a second chamber and a second actuating element, the second actuating element having a second area; and   a drive mechanism mounted to the casing and configured to actuate the second compressor between a compressed state and a recovered state.