# US 10,052,832 B2 · Method of manufacturing a wheel with a tyre and a wheel with a tyre > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,052,832 B2 - Document ID: US10052832B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/021,586 - Filed: 2014-09-12 - Published: 2016-08-04 - Granted: 2018-08-21 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-13 - Assignees: Capak Ltd. - Applicants: Capak Ltd - Inventors: Michael Andrews; Paul Andrews - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10052832B2 ## CPC - B29D 30/02: Solid tyres {; Moulds therefor} - B60B 5/02: made of synthetic material - B60C 7/14: using springs - B60C 7/24: characterised by means for securing tyres on rim or wheel body - B29C 45/0046: {Details relating to the filling pattern or flow paths or flow characteristics of moulding material in the mould cavity} - B29C 45/1459: {Coating annular articles} - B29K 2075/00: Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material - B29K 2105/0058: {Liquid or visquous} - B60C 7/146: {extending substantially radially, e.g. like spokes} - B60C 2001/0091: {Compositions of non-inflatable or solid tyres} - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract Methods of forming a tire 4 directly on a wheel in which the wheel has a conduit which runs between its hub and rim. A mold is placed over the wheel in order to form a cavity between an inner surface of the mold and the wheel's rim. Liquid materials to form the tire 4 are injected into the cavity via the conduit and the wheel spun to distribute the materials throughout the cavity, which materials solidify to form the tire 4 attached to the wheel. The method includes the step of placing a hub cap 6 over a face of the wheel prior to placing the mold and sealing the hub cap 6 to the wheel during the molding process. The tire 4 may have a substantially hollow interior 50 which may include a flexible web 18 sealed within the rim of the wheel by the hub cap 6. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a combination wheel and tyre comprising the steps of providing a wheel and moulding a tyre to the wheel, placing a mould over the wheel such that a cavity is formed between an inner surface of the mould and a rim of the wheel, for receiving material to form the tyre, wherein the wheel is provided with an inlet which is fluidly connected by a conduit to an outlet in the rim of the wheel, and a material to form the tyre is injected into the inlet, and wherein a hub cap is provided and the method includes the additional steps of covering a face of the wheel with the hub cap prior to the step of placing the mould, and sealing the hub cap to the wheel during the moulding process. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The Method according to claim 1, wherein a second hub cap is placed such that there is one hubcap on each face of the wheel prior to the step of moulding. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The Method according to claim 1, wherein the hub cap extends to at least partially cover the rim. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The Method according to claim 1, wherein the hub cap has a plurality of apertures and the method includes the step of aligning the apertures with the outlet to fluidly connect the apertures with the outlet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The Method according to claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises a hub and the inlet is located at the hub, the wheel being provided with a plurality of said inlets and outlets, the outlets being distributed around the rim of the wheel and each inlet being fluidly connected by a respective conduit to a respective outlet, wherein a pipe is fluidly connected to the hub and the material to form the tyre is injected into at least one inlet through the pipe, the method further including the step of rotating the wheel during the injection process. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The Method according to claim 1, wherein the conduit is open and the step of placing the hub cap includes the step of sealing the conduit with the hub cap. ### Claim 7 A method of manufacturing a combination wheel and tyre comprising the steps of providing a wheel and moulding a tyre to the wheel, placing a mould over the wheel such that a cavity is formed between an inner surface of the mould and a rim of the wheel, for receiving material to form the tyre, wherein the wheel is provided with an inlet which is fluidly connected by a conduit to an outlet in the rim of the wheel, and a material to form the tyre is injected into the inlet, and wherein a hub cap is provided and the method includes the additional steps of covering a face of the wheel with the hub cap prior to the step of placing the mould, and sealing the hub cap to the wheel during the moulding process, wherein the hub cap has a plurality of apertures and the method includes the step of aligning the apertures with the outlet to fluidly connect the apertures with the outlet, and wherein the rim has a first open channel and the outlet opens into the first open channel, the step of placing the hub cap further including the step of covering the first open channel with the hub cap whilst aligning the apertures of the hub cap with the first open channel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7, wherein a second open channel is provided in the rim which is fluidly connected to the first open channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7, wherein a second open channel is provided in the rim which is fluidly connected to the first open channel, and wherein the first and second open channels open to opposite faces of the wheel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7, wherein the rim compromises two spaced concentric bands interconnected by a web between the bands, which bands extend around the circumference of the wheel, wherein the open channel is provided in at least one of the bands, the step of placing the hub cap further includes the step of sealing the web between the bands with the hub cap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7, wherein the first open channel is in the innermost band and the method includes the step of introducing material to form the tyre into the inlet, flowing the material through the conduit into the open channel, flowing the material through the apertures into the mould's cavity and allowing the tyre to form in the cavity. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7, wherein the first open channel is in the innermost band, and wherein a second open channel is provided in the innermost band which is fluidly connected to the first open channel, and the method further includes the step of introducing material to form the tyre into the inlet, flowing the material through the conduit into the first open channel, flowing material from the first open channel to the second open channel and flowing the material through the hub cap apertures into the cavity and allowing the tyre to form in the cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The Method according to claim 7 wherein the mould is placed over the wheel and extends around the circumference of the wheel encapsulating the rim, the cavity defining a shape of the tyre to be moulded about the rim, wherein the material to form the tyre is introduced into the mould in a liquid form and allowed to solidify in the mould, conduit, channel and apertures to form the tyre and anchor the formed tyre to the wheel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) A wheel with tyre according to claim 7, wherein a second hub cap is placed such that there is one hubcap on each face of the wheel prior to the step of moulding, each hub cap extending to at least partially cover the rim, and each hub cap having a plurality of said apertures and the method includes the step of aligning the apertures with the outlet to fluidly connect the apertures with the outlet. ### Claim 15 The Method wherein the wheel has a rim and opposite faces, and the tyre is moulded about the rim by placing a mould over the wheel such that a cavity is formed between an inner surface of the mould and the rim of the wheel, the wheel having an inlet which is fluidly connected by a conduit to an outlet in the rim, whereby material to form the tyre is injected into the inlet, the wheel with tyre further having a hub cap sealed to a face of the wheel by the moulded tyre during the moulding of the tyre, and wherein the tyre has a substantially hollow interior. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The Wheel with tyre according to claim 15, wherein the hollow interior comprises a flexible web. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The Wheel with tyre according to claim 15, wherein the hollow interior comprises a flexible web which comprises two concentric, spaced bands extending around the wheel with the web extending between the bands. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The Wheel with tyre according to claim 15, wherein the hollow interior comprises a flexible web which comprises two concentric spaced bands extending around the wheel and with the web extending between the bands, and wherein the hub cap seals the web completely between the bands. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The Wheel with tyre according to claim 15, wherein a second hub cap is sealed such that there is one hubcap on each face of the wheel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The Wheel with tyre according to claim 15, wherein the wheel has a hub, and the hub cap has a hub cap aperture and means to seal about the hub.