Resilient tires and wheels – Tires – resilient – Cushion and pneumatic combined
Patent
1998-11-23
2000-08-22
Johnstone, Adrienne C.
Resilient tires and wheels
Tires, resilient
Cushion and pneumatic combined
152165, 152166, 152196, B60C 1912, B60C 500
Patent
active
061056413
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains to methods and apparatuses for forming semi-pneumatic tires, and more specifically to methods and apparatuses for forming semi-pneumatic tires having a lining member that includes a contoured inward surface to provide a pneumatic cavity of predetermined dimensions between the lining member and an associated wheel rim.
BACKGROUND ART
Tires for use in off-road applications, such as mine service tires, are subjected to conditions which require the tires to withstand punctures, especially in the tread regions. Solid-fill tires have been used in such applications. However, disadvantages of solid-fill tires include the facts that they generally run hotter than pneumatic tires and do not provide the cushioned ride of pneumatic tires.
Alternatives to solid-fill tires have been proposed in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,810 to Lambe discloses a tire and rim combination wherein the cavity between an inner surface of the tire and the rim may be partially filled with a resilient foam. Generally, the resilient foam is said to adhere to the wheel rim to form an air-tight seal. The foam may allegedly be prevented from adhering to the wheel rim at certain points to allow the introduction of compressed air through the wheel rim. The foam is compressed in the presence of introduced air or expanded to fill the cavity in the absence of air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,893 to O'Coin discloses a reusable shield for use within a tire casing. The outer surface of the shield mates with the inside surface of the casing and the inner surface of the shield is contoured to minimize the thickness at a flex point of the tire in order to purportedly reduce heat build-up and fatigue. A base ring fills the space between the wheel rim and the shield. Alternately, a pneumatic tube can be used in place of the ring. The outer surface of the shield does not adhere to the inside surface of the casing in order to allow removal and reuse of the shield. The shield is molded by fitting the base ring between a casing and a wheel by cutting a slit in the ring. The ring is also equipped with pull tabs to assist removal. An opening passage is formed through either the ring or the casing. Liquid urethane is then injected between the ring and the casing under pressure and allowed to harden. There still exists a need in the art for a tire and method of producing such for use in off-road applications which provides puncture-resistance, especially in the tread region, which provides better performance than solid-fill tires.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The inventive semi-pneumatic tire 10 includes a tire assembly 12 for mounting on an associated rim 14. The tire assembly 12 includes a tire casing 22 and a lining 26. Tire casing 22 encloses a predetermined volume between an inner surface 38 thereof and the associated rim 14. The lining 26 occupies a portion of the enclosed volume with the remainder of the enclosed volume being an inflation chamber 18.
The lining 26 comprises a radially inward surface 30 and a radially outward surface 32. The radially outward surface 32 conforms to the shape of the inner surface 38 of a tire casing 22. The inward surface 30 of the lining 26 cooperates with associated wheel rim 14 to define boundaries for inflation chamber 18.
The inventive method can be summarized by the following steps: casing including a pair of spaced beads 120,122; rim-like member 56; introducing air through a rim valve 106; outer surface 54 of the molding member 50 and an inner surface 38 of the tire casing through the rim valve 106; forms an inward surface 30; and introduction of variable air pressure to control ride characteristics.
The molding member 50 is generally ring-shaped having a first contoured surface 54. The first contoured surface 54 of the molding member 50 includes a tread-underlying portion, shoulder-underlying portions, and bead-underlying portions. The shape of the molding member 50 determines the contour of inward surface 30 of lining 26 and also the shape of the inflation chamber 18. Th
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Brochure entitled, "Tires for Underground Mine Service." Aug., 1993: Goodyear.
International Search Report.
Jasani Shirish Rasikchandra
Malin Jerry
Rayman William Earl
Reisinger Richard Henry
Emerson Roger D
Johnstone Adrienne C.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
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