Importance

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Abstract

A self-balancing wheel assembly includes a rim, a tire mounted to the rim and defining an inflatable chamber between the rim and the tire, and a valve mounted to the rim for inflating and deflating the tire. The valve includes a housing having a channel therein extending between an outer surface of the housing and the chamber. The valve includes a stopper movable within the channel between an open and a closed position for allowing and blocking fluid flow through the channel, the stopper being narrower in width than the channel. The assembly further includes balancing media in the chamber, the balancing media comprising solid particles sized sufficiently large to inhibit passage of the solid particles past the stopper. The assembly can be used in wheels having integral TPMS modules, and having aluminum valve stems connected to the modules and short, nickel plated valve cores mounted in the stems.

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First Claim