System for non-pneumatic support of a vehicle
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorJames Alfred Benzing, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-pneumatic tire includes a plurality of springs. Each spring comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion. Each spring is interwoven with at least one other spring thereby forming a toroidal structure extending about an entire circumference of the non-pneumatic tire. The toroidal structure is at least partially coated with an elastomer.
Claims20
A method for constructing a non-pneumatic tire comprises the steps of:
- sliding a carcass ply structure into engagement with a bladder;
- seating a first circular bead of the carcass ply structure onto a mold;
- partially inflating the bladder to form a bulged carcass ply structure;
- pouring an elastomer into the mold;
- seating a second circular bead of the carcass ply structure onto a mold cap;
- closing the mold with the mold cap for enclosing the elastomer;
- fully inflating the bladder for facilitating engagement of the elastomer with the carcass ply structure;
- curing the elastomer;
- and
- removing the combined carcass ply structure/elastomer which now defines the non-pneumatic tire.
A non-pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of springs, each spring comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion, each spring being interwoven with at least one other spring thereby forming a toroidal structure extending about an entire circumference of the non-pneumatic tire, the toroidal structure being at least partially coated with an elastomer such that the toroidal structure forms an anisotropic structure having different mechanical properties in the circumferential direction of the non-pneumatic tire and the radial direction of the non-pneumatic tire.
(canceled)
A system for constructing a non-pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of springs, each spring comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion, each spring being interwoven with at least one other spring thereby forming a toroidal carcass ply structure extending about an entire circumference of the non-pneumatic tire, the toroidal carcass ply structure being at least partially coated with an elastomer cured to adhere to the toroidal carcass ply structure such that the toroidal carcass ply structure structure forms an anisotropic structure having different mechanical properties in the circumferential direction of the non-pneumatic tire and the radial direction of the non-pneumatic tire.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.