Structurally supported tire
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsJames Alfred BENZING, II, Daniel Ray DOWNING, Joseph Carmine LETTIERI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structurally supported tire includes a ground contacting annular tread portion, an annular hoop structure for supporting a load on the tire, a means for attachment to a vehicle rim, and a ply structure secured to a first axial limit and extending radially outward and between the hoop structure and the tread portion and further extending radially inward from between the hoop structure and tread portion to a second axial limit. The ply structure is secured to both the first axial limit and the second axial limit. The tread portion is secured to a radially outer surface of the ply structure. The hoop structure is secured to a radially inner surface of the ply structure.
Claims21
1. A structurally supported tire comprising
- a ground contacting annular tread portion;
- an annular hoop structure for supporting a load on the tire;
- a means for attachment to a vehicle rim;
- and
- a ply structure secured to a first axial limit and extending radially outward and between the hoop structure and the tread portion and further extending radially inward from between the hoop structure and tread portion to a second axial limit, the ply structure being secured to both the first axial limit and the second axial limit, the tread portion being secured to a radially outer surface of the ply structure, the hoop structure being secured to a radially inner surface of the ply structure.
The structurally supported tire as set forth in claim 7 wherein the hoop structure comprises a second layer of reinforcing steel cords extending at an angle of between −5° to +5° relative to the circumferential direction of the tire.
The structurally supported tire as set forth in claim 8 wherein the hoop structure comprises a third layer of elastic construction for absorbing shear strain between the first layer and the second layer.
The structurally supported tire as set forth in claim 9 wherein the third layer consists of a homogenous polymer material.
A structurally supported tire and rim assembly comprising
- a ground contacting annular tread portion;
- an annular hoop structure for supporting a load on a tire;
- a means for attachment to a vehicle rim;
- and
- a ply structure secured to a first axial limit of the vehicle rim and extending radially outward to adjacent the hoop structure and further extending radially inward from adjacent the hoop structure to a second axial limit of the vehicle rim, the ply structure being secured to both the first axial limit of the vehicle rim and the second axial limit of the vehicle rim, the tread portion being secured proximate the hoop structure.
A structurally supported tire comprising
- a ground contacting annular tread portion;
- an annular hoop structure for supporting a load on a tire;
- a means for attachment to a vehicle rim;
- a ply structure secured to a first axial limit and extending radially outward to adjacent the hoop structure and further extending radially inward from adjacent the hoop structure to a second axial limit, the ply structure being secured to both the first axial limit and the second axial limit;
- and
- an adjustment mechanism for varying an axial distance between the first axial limit and the second axial limit, the tread portion being secured proximate the hoop structure.
The structurally supported tire as set forth in claim 16 wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a threaded bolt and at least two nuts threadedly engaging the threaded bolt.
A method for non-pneumatically supporting a load comprising the steps of:
- securing a single ply structure to a vehicle rim;
- clamping the single ply structure to the vehicle rim;
- extending the single ply structure from the vehicle rim to a radially outer surface of a hoop structure;
- further extending the single ply structure from the radially outer surface of the hoop structure to the vehicle rim;
- securing the single ply structure to the vehicle rim;
- and
- supporting the load by a compressive hoop strength of the hoop structure and a tensile strength of part of the ply structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.