US 6,989,065 B2 · Method of manufacturing a filament formed reinforcement member and a run flat tire support therewith

Abstract

The present invention provides a unitary run flat tire (RFT) reinforcement using filament material that is formed into a relatively rigid shape. The reinforcement is insertable into a mold for an RFT support and can maintain the needed structural rigidity for such insertion. Further, the invention provides an RFT support that is molded and includes the RFT reinforcement. The invention also provides a wheel assembly including a tire, a rim, and an RFT support between the rim and the tire, where the support includes the RFT reinforcement. The RFT support can have a colored indicator formed or subsequently applied thereto to indicate one or more attributes of the support.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of mrnzfacturing a run flat tire (RFT) support, comprising:

a) placing at least one RFT reinforcement into a portion of an RFT support mold, the reinforcement being formed from one or more flaments and being unitary and having a rigidity sufficient to deform about 20% or less when dropped from about two meters high to a hard surfane when an axis of the RFT reinforcement is substantially perpendicular to gravity;
(b) injecting a moldable elastomer or elastomer-forming material into the mold;
(c) flowing the moldable material through at least a portion of the reinforcement;
and
(d) allowing the moldable material to at least partially solidify to form the RFT support.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/947,997Filed 6 Sep 2001 · us provisional application

Priority

11 Sep 2000

Published

US 2003/0000623 A12 Jan 2003

Granted

24 Jan 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification48 codes

B60C 17/06
Utilising additional non-inflatable supports which become load-supporting in emergency: resilient
B29C 39/028
For making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles: having an axis of symmetry
B29C 39/10
For making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles: incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for…
B29C 41/045
By rotating a mould around its axis of symmetry: the axis being placed vertically, e.g. spin casting

Family

Application60/231,658Us provisional application · filed 11 Sep 2000

Application60/289,958Us provisional application · filed 10 May 2001

Application60/300,887Us provisional application · filed 25 Jun 2001

US 2003/0000623 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Jan 2003

US 6,989,065 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method of manufacturing a filament formed reinforcement member and a run flat tire support therewith

Life of this patent

Method of manufacturing a filament formed reinforcement member and a run flat tire support therewith

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10