US Patent 7882877 Combination wheel and valve assembly

A combination wheel and valve assembly has a plurality of spokes each having at least one aperture through a rim-end thereof. A rim has an inner surface and a spoke mating element opposite the inner surface. A plurality of through-holes extend through the spoke mating element of the rim. A plurality of bolts are shaped to fit through the aperture of the rim-end of each of the spokes, and into one of the plurality of through-holes of the spoke mating element, to fasten each spoke to the rim. A conduit extends through the inner surface of the rim to one of the through-holes of the rim, such that a valve assembly can extend through the aperture of one of the spokes and engage the through-hole having the conduit, thereby enabling fluid flow through the valve assembly and the conduit to the inner surface of the rim.