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US 7,789,116 B2Granted
Wheel unit
AssigneeTyron Developments Limited
InventorsPeter Ian Campbell, Anthony Mitchell Glazebrook, Alan Burdett
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTyron Developments Limited
InventorsPeter Ian Campbell, Anthony Mitchell Glazebrook, Alan Burdett
Estimating the term…
A wheel unit (10) comprises a wheel rim (12), a pneumatic tyre (14) receivable on the wheel rim (12) and a runflat assembly (16) adapted to be seated on the wheel rim (12) to close off a well (22) provided in the wheel rim (12). The runflat assembly (16) includes an annular support body (24) which is radially expandable to an expanded condition and contraction means (28,30) adapted to be operated via an opening (78) formed in the wheel rim (12). The contraction means (28, 30), when activated, is operable on the support body (24) to cause the support body (24) to be contracted to a radially contracted condition. The contraction mean is accessible through the opening (78) to cause the support body (24) to be radially contracted to seat the runflat assembly (16) on the wheel rim (12) to close off the well (22). The support body (24), when in its contracted condition, has a diameter greater than that of the wheel rim (12).
A wheel unit comprising a wheel rim, a pneumatic tyre receivable on the wheel rim and a runflat assembly adapted to be seated on the wheel rim to close off a well provided in the wheel rim, the runflat assembly including an annular support body which is radially expandable to an expanded condition and contraction means adapted to be operated via an opening formed in the wheel rim, the contraction means, when activated, being operable on the support body to cause the support body to be contracted to a radially contracted condition, the support body, when in its expanded condition, being located within the tyre during fitment of the pneumatic tyre on the wheel rim and, on completion of fitment of the tyre, the contraction means being accessible through the opening to permit operation of the contraction means to cause the support body to be radially contracted to seat the runflat assembly on the wheel rim to close off the well, the support body, when in its contracted condition, having a diameter greater than that of the wheel rim, the contraction means including an annular band which is radially contractible to a contracted condition and operably associated with the support body to cause contraction of the support body on contraction of the annular band, the annular band being split at at least one circumferential location to define opposed ends, and the contraction means further including connector means operably associated with the annular band to adjustably connect the opposed ends together to permit expansion and contraction of the band.
A wheel unit comprising a wheel rim, a pneumatic tyre receivable on the wheel rim and a runflat assembly adapted to be seated on the wheel rim to close off a well provided in the wheel rim, the runflat assembly including an annular support body which is radially expandable to an expanded condition and contraction means adapted to be operated via an opening formed in the wheel rim, the contraction means, when activated, being operable on the support body to cause the support body to be contracted to a radially contracted condition, the support body, when in its expanded condition, being located within the tyre during fitment of the pneumatic tyre on the wheel rim and, on completion of fitment of the tyre, the contraction means being accessible through the opening to permit operation of the contraction means to cause the support body to be radially contracted to seat the runflat assembly on the wheel rim to close off the well, the support body, when in its contracted condition, having a diameter greater than that of the wheel rim, wherein the runflat assembly includes an annular support band rotatably mounted on the outer circumference of said annular support body, and the runflat assembly includes a series of roller bearings housed between the annular support band and the support body.
A method of fitting the pneumatic tyre and the runflat assembly on to the wheel rim of the wheel unit, wherein the wheel unit comprises a wheel rim, a pneumatic tyre receivable on the wheel rim and a runflat assembly adapted to be seated on the wheel rim to close off a well provided in the wheel rim, the runflat assembly including an annular support body which is radially expandable to an expanded condition and contraction means adapted to be operated via an opening formed in the wheel rim, the contraction means, when activated, being operable on the support body to cause the support body to be contracted to a radially contracted condition, the support body, when in its expanded condition, being located within the tyre during fitment of the pneumatic tyre on the wheel rim and, on completion of fitment of the tyre, the contraction means being accessible through the opening to permit operation of the contraction means to cause the support body to be radially contracted to seat the runflat assembly on the wheel rim to close off the well, the support body, when in its contracted condition, having a diameter greater than that of the wheel rim, the contraction means including an annular band which is radially contractible to a contracted condition and operably associated with the support body to cause contraction of the support body on contraction of the annular band, the annular band being split at at least one circumferential location to define opposed ends, and the contraction means further including connector means operably associated with the annular band to adjustably connect the opposed ends together to permit expansion and contraction of the band, and the method including the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.