Wheelwright machines – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-09-11
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Wheelwright machines
Miscellaneous
C157S001100, C157S001110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286578
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process and device for inflating a tire. The invention applies to the inflation of a tire, the beads of which are respectively intended to be mounted on peripheral seats of a special rim, this inflation being effected without using the valve of said rim.
The structure of this rim is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,366.
As can be seen in
FIG. 1
, to which reference will be made hereafter, said rim
10
comprises, starting from its peripheral edges formed of two projections
11
and
12
, a first and a second seat
13
and
14
inclined towards the outside and intended respectively to receive a first and a second bead
21
and
22
of the tire
20
. Between the seats
13
and
14
there is provided, firstly, a bearing surface
15
intended to receive a bearing support
23
for the tread
24
and, secondly, a mounting groove
16
connecting the bearing surface
15
to an axially inner flange
17
of said first seat
13
.
In the Test of the present description, by convention the seat which is adjacent to the groove
16
will be referred to as the first seat
13
, and the seat which is on the opposite side from said groove
16
will be referred to as the second seat
14
.
As for the axially outer flange of each seat
13
,
14
, it is formed by the corresponding peripheral projection
11
,
12
.
In known manner, the tire
20
is mounted on this special rim
10
in the following manner.
The first bead
21
is presented on the rim
10
, on the side of the second seat
14
, then this first bead
21
is slid axially over the bearing surface
15
so as to introduce it into the groove
16
. Then the second bead
22
is mounted on the second seat
14
.
Then, in an extraction step, the first bead
21
is extracted from the groove
16
so as to bring it axially against the outside of the projection
11
of the first seat
13
.
Finally, in a mounting stage, this first bead
21
is mounted on the first seat
13
.
Among the devices for inflating without using a valve which are known to date, mention may be made in particular of the device described in German Patent Specification DE-A-3 411 433, which comprises a bell formed of a cover of an upturned U-shaped cross-section. This bell is intended to be mounted hermetically in one of the sidewalls of a tire which has beforehand been mounted on the seats of a rim and which lies with its other sidewall flat on a horizontal support, also hermetically.
This rim comprises said seats on its inner face, and these seats are connected together by a planar central portion which is extended by two kinked sections directed towards the inside of the rim. Each seat is axially delimited, on the inner face of the rim, by one of said kinked sections and by a peripheral projection which forms an axial end of the rim and which is also directed towards the inside thereof, such that these seats are symmetrical to each other relative to said central portion.
When the tire is wedged between said support and said bell, the beads of the tire are thus mounted on said seats.
The bell is provided, within its internal space and close to its side wall, with four sliding means which may possibly also be pivoting means, such as levers, which are provided to bear on the upper bead located opposite the bell, so as to bring it towards the lower bead and thus to form an annular space between this upper bead and the rim, around the entire periphery of said bead.
Following the formation of this space, the tire is inflated by injecting compressed air into the bell and, consequently, between the tire and the rim via said space. Then said bearing means are caused to slide in the opposite direction, the effect of which is to reposition said upper bead on the corresponding seat, and the injection of compressed air into the bell is terminated, such that the tire is in the inflated state.
Mention may also be made, among the valve-less mounting devices, of those described in German Patent Specification DE-A-3 423 307 and in Belgian Patent Specification BE-A-888 537, which differ essentially from the former in that the bearing means which each of them comprises are formed by the cylindrical side wall itself of the corresponding bell, which is provided to be able to slide axially, that is to say, parallel to the axis of revolution of the tire.
One major disadvantage of these known inflation devices is that they are not suitable for inflating a tire mounted on a rim, such as the special rim described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,366, because, once said first bead of the tire has been mounted on said first seat of this special rim, the axially inner flange of this first seat and the aforementioned inclination of the latter towards the outside would hinder the circumferential deformation of this first bead towards said second bead, for creating said annular space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to propose a process for inflating a tire and a device for implementing this process, which, in good conditions and in a reduced time, permit a tire to be inflated in relation with said special rim, which are thus defined:
this tire comprises beads respectively intended to be mounted on seats of a rim, there being provided between said seats, on one hand, a bearing surface intended to receive a bearing support for a tread and, on the other hand, a mounting groove connecting said bearing surface to an axially inner flange of one of said seats, or first seat, each seat being provided axially to the outside with a peripheral projection.
The inflation process according to the invention consists in forming an airtight enclosure, part of the wall of which is formed by said tire and within which there are enclosed said rim and said beads, then forming within said enclosure an inflation orifice between said first seat and one of said beads, or first bead, then introducing compressed air into said inflation orifice via said enclosure, then closing said orifice at the end of the inflation such that said tire is inflated and mounted hermetically on said rim.
According to the invention, said inflation process is characterized in that it consists, before forming said inflation orifice, in using said tire such that said first bead occupies an extraction position in which it is axially to the outside of said first seat and that the other bead, or second bead, is mounted in airtight manner on the other seat, or second seat, then, for forming said inflation orifice, pressing within said enclosure on a pinpoint location of the circumference of said first bead, then, for closing said orifice, ceasing pressure on said pinpoint location.
A device according to the invention for performing said process comprises a bell intended to be supplied with compressed air and formed of a fixed part and a mobile part intended to slide relative to the former, said parts being intended, respectively, to surround tightly in hermetically manner the sidewalls of said tire which is provided with said rim for its inflation.
According to the invention, said device is characterized in that it comprises, within said bell, a finger which is intended to exert an axial force at points on said first bead by means of its free end, in order to form an inflation orifice between said first bead and said first rim seat.
According to another characteristic of the invention, said inflation device is such that said finger is mounted to be mobile on the side of said fixed part and in translation parallel to the axis of sliding of said mobile part, under the control of a control element, such as a piston-cylinder unit.
Preferably, said finger has set back from its free end a shoulder, which is intended to bear on the outer face of said peripheral projection of the rim, such that the maximum amplitude of said translation is predetermined.
Preferably, said fixed part has a geometry of revolution which is concentric to said axis of sliding of said mobile part, and it is intended to bear with its peripheral edge on a circular zone of said sidewall.
Adv
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Berry Jr. Willie
Hail III Joseph J.
Michelin Recherche ET Technique S.A.
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