Tire airbag apparatus
OwnerSaed S. Kawarinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is a tire airbag apparatus placed within a vehicle tire and disposed about its rim which will inflate to prevent the tire from completely collapsing in the event of a puncture or rupture. The airbag apparatus includes a circumferential inner tube removably mounted on the rim member and includes a tire damage sensor member and an inflator member. The inflator member is configured to be activated when the tire damage sensor detects a drop in pressure in the tire in the event of a puncture or rupture so as to inflate the tire. Thus, the tire airbag apparatus will allow the user to continue to drive safely over a given distance until the tire can be replaced or repaired.
Claims14
A tire airbag apparatus for use upon a rim member of a wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
- a circumferential inner tube;
- wherein said circumferential inner tube is adapted to be removably mounted onto and around a circumference of a circumferential tire mounting portion of a rim member of a wheel of a vehicle and located in between inboard and outboard flanges thereof, and is adapted to be located in between a bottom wall of said rim member and an inner wall surface of a tire member mounted upon said rim member;
- a tire damage sensor member;
- wherein said tire damage sensor member is adapted to be removably attached to an inner surface of one of said inboard and outboard flanges of said rim member, is adapted to detect damage to said tire member that may result in the loss of tire air pressure within said tire member, and is adapted to send an electronic signal therefrom when damage is detected;
- an inflator member;
- wherein said inflator member is attached to said circumferential inner tube, is electronically connected to said tire damage sensor member, and is adapted to inflate said circumferential inner tube when a signal is received from said tire damage sensor member that said tire member has been damaged.
An improved vehicle tire apparatus comprising:
- a rim member including:
- a hub mounting plate;
- wherein said hub mounting plate is adapted to releasably
- mount said improved vehicle tire apparatus to an axle hub of a vehicle;
- and
- a circumferential tire mounting portion including:
- a circumference there around;
- an inboard flange;
- an outboard flange;
- and
- a bottom wall including:
- an aperture therethrough for housing valve stem;
- wherein said bottom wall is connected between said inboard flange and said outboard flange;
- wherein said circumferential tire mounting portion is connected to said hub mounting plate;
- a valve stem;
- wherein said valve stem is attached to and extends through said aperture in said circumferential tire mounting portion, and is adapted to allow air to pass therethrough and inflate a tire member mounted upon said circumferential tire mounting portion;
- a tire member including:
- an inner wall surface;
- and
- an outer wall surface;
- wherein said tire member is removably mountable onto said rim member in between said inboard and outboard flanges, and is adapted to be filled with air via said valve stem;
- a circumferential inner tube;
- wherein said circumferential inner tube is removably mountable onto and located around said circumference of said circumferential tire mounting portion of said rim member and in between said inboard and outboard flanges thereof, and is adapted to be located in between said bottom wall of said rim member and said inner wall surface of said tire member;
- a tire damage sensor member;
- wherein said tire damage sensor member is removably attached to an inner surface of one of said inboard and outboard flanges, is adapted to detect damage to said tire member that may result in the loss of tire air pressure, and is adapted to send an electronic signal therefrom when damage is detected;
- an inflator member;
- wherein said inflator member is attached to said circumferential inner tube, is electronically connected to said tire damage sensor member, and is adapted to inflate said circumferential inner tube when a signal is received from said tire damage sensor member that said tire member has been damaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.