Patent Application
20050279438
This invention relates to tires for motor vehicles and, more particularly, to a tire having internal walls.
Tires conventionally have an annular portion tread that is coupled with the circumferential edges of a wheel rim by a single pair of sidewalls that span between a respective circumferential edge of the tread and a corresponding edge of wheel rim. Accordingly, in combination with the out circumferential wall of the wheel rim, a tubeless airtight chamber is formed. The chamber is filled with pressurized air to give the tire shape and facilitate its intended use.
There are a number of competing factors involved in a tires design. Among the most important of these include: comfort; handling capability; and rolling resistance. Maximization of a conventional tire's performance for any one factor typically results in the degradation of performance in another area. For instance, by increasing the stiffness of the sidewall of a tire and/or pressurizing the tire more acts to reduce the tire's rolling resistance and consequently improve an associated vehicle's fuel efficiency. However, stiffening the sidewalls or increasing tire pressure acts to the detriment of a tire's cornering (or handling) capability and the suppleness of the associated vehicle's ride is also significantly reduced. In contrast, by making a tire wider to improve handling and cornering, the rolling resistance is increased substantially, thereby reducing the economy of the associated vehicle. Further, wider tires traditionally require wider rims, which increase the rolling weight of the vehicle and consequently reduce the rate of acceleration of an associated vehicle.
Several tires having multiple sidewalls walls have been proposed. However, most relate to tires having multiple chambers, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,568,830; 5,479,976; and 4,280,546. The multiple chambers are provided primarily for safety purposes: first, the prevent a blow-out should the tire become punctured; and second, permitting a user of an associated vehicle to safely drive the vehicle for service or repair on a single chamber when one or more of the other chambers have been punctured. Realistically, modem tubeless tires are very safe, and blow-outs are exceedingly rare. Accordingly, the benefits of having multi-chambered tires are not cost effective when the extremely low magnitude of any safety risk is factored in. Further, because these tires were designed around safety considerations, they are not optimized for handling or efficiency characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,935 describes a tire having multiple sidewalls but wherein the multiple chambers are not pneumatically isolated. The tire is configured to primarily maximize efficiency, which unfortunately negatively impacts the tires handling and other performance characteristics. Because the additional sidewalls extends generally diagonally inwardly of the circumferential edges of an associated rim toward a common intersection on the treaded circumferential side of the tire, and because the diagonal sidewalls are relatively stout to facilitate supporting the vehicle at the general location of the intersection, the tire is very stiff to lateral forces and accordingly, its handling characteristics are compromised. Further, like traditional tires, the width of the rim must be increased to increase the width of the tires tread, thereby increasing the associated vehicle's rolling weight and hampering the vehicle's acceleration.
One preferred embodiment comprises a tire. The tire includes (i) a generally convex left exterior sidewall, (ii) a generally convex right exterior sidewall, (iii) left and right interior generally vertical sidewalls and (iv) the primary annular tread portion. A first left sidewall portion of the left exterior sidewall extends outwardly and diagonally from a left annular tire bead to a left apex. A second left sidewall portion of the left exterior sidewall extends inwardly and diagonally from the left apex to an annular left edge of a substantially horizontal primary annular tread portion. The second left sidewall portion includes a treaded outer surface that generally forms an acute angle relative to the tread portion. A first right sidewall portion of the right exterior sidewall extends outwardly and diagonally from a right annular tire bead to a right apex. A second right sidewall portion of the right exterior sidewall extends inwardly and diagonally from the right apex to an annular right edge of the substantially horizontal primary annular tread portion. The second right sidewall portion includes a treaded outer surface and generally forming an acute angle relative to the tread portion. The interior sidewalls extend generally vertically from the left and right annular tire beads respectively. The tire rides primarily on the primary tread portion when coupled to a vehicle by way of a suitable rim and the vehicle is traveling substantially straight. The tire rides on both a portion of the primary tread portion and a portion of one of the left and right exterior sidewalls when the vehicle is turning one of left and right respectively.
Another preferred embodiment comprises an automotive wheel assembly. The wheel assembly including a standard rim for a tubeless tire with only two beaded edges, and a tubeless tire. The tubeless tire includes (i) left and right convex exterior walls, (ii) left and right interior walls, (iii) left and right convex exterior walls and (iv) a circumferential treaded portion. Each exterior wall extends outwardly and radially of respective left and right bead edges of the rim to a respective left and right apex, wherein the respective left and right apex is located horizontally a significant distance from the respective left and right bead edges. Each exterior wall further extends inwardly and radially from the respective left and right apex to an intersection with a respective left or right edge of the circumferential treaded portion. The respective intersection is generally radially vertically disposed of the respective left or right bead edge. The left and right interior wall extends generally radially and vertically from the respective left or right bead edge to the intersection with a respective left or right edge of a circumferential treaded portion. The circumferential treaded portion includes an outer surface having a tread formed thereon.
Yet another preferred embodiment comprises a tubeless tire for an automotive vehicle. The tubeless tire including (i) first and second sidewalls, (ii) a tread portion having an outer surface, (iii) third and fourth sidewalls with the proximal and distal end of each intersecting with the beaded edge and the distal end of one of the first and second sidewalls, and (iv) first and second sidewalls. Each of the first and second sidewalls extends from a beaded edge substantially vertically and radially to a distal end thereof. The first and second sidewalls are also horizontally spaced from each other. The tread portion is generally horizontal and spans between and integrates with the distal ends of the first and second sidewalls. The outer surface of the tread portion has a tread formed thereon. The third and fourth sidewalls are substantially convex and extend outwardly from the first and second sidewalls respectively. At least a downwardly facing portion of each of the third and fourth sidewalls has a tread formed thereon. The downwardly facing portion forms a generally acute angle relative to the tread portion.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises an automotive tire having multiple sidewalls including on each side thereof an exterior sidewall that extends convexly from an associated generally interior sidewall. The combination of the interior sidewall and the convex exterior sidewall form a chamber that extends outwardly of the rim in the horizontal direction. The downwardly facing portion of the external sidewall also includes a tread formed on its outer surface.
Generally, the tread on the external sidewalls are not in contact with a road surface when the tire is mounted on a rim, which is mounted on a vehicle. Rather, when at rest and when an associated vehicle is traveling in a generally straight path, only a center treaded portion of the tire located between respective left and right interior sidewalls is in contact with the road surface. However, when the vehicle is turned sharply or at a relatively high rate of speed, the tire rolls and depending on the direction of the turn, one of the downwardly facing portions of the exterior sidewalls contacts the road surface providing for much greater traction and facilitating higher cornering speeds.
Advantageously, when driving normally, the rolling resistance of the tire is reduced for greater fuel economy similar to a thin tire that has a small footprint, but when turning at speed or sharply, the tire exhibits the handling characteristics of a wide tire with a larger footprint. Additionally, because the interior sidewalls in combination with the center treaded portion form a primary chamber having a volume similar to that of a traditional prior art tire and because the additional chambers formed by the addition of the exterior sidewalls are in pneumatic communication with the primary chamber, the ride is relatively supple, especially when compared to prior art tires having interior sidewalls that separate the tire into pneumatically isolated chambers or prior art tires that utilize the interior sidewalls to help support the tire.
The advantages of the embodiments described herein above and below along with the particular configuration of the described embodiment(s) of the invention are not conclusive or even exhaustive but rather merely representative of the best mode of using the invention. Rather, numerous variations and other embodiments have been contemplated that read upon the appended claims and are, accordingly, intended to be within the scope of the invention.
The term “or” as used in this specification and the appended claims is not meant to be exclusive rather the term is inclusive meaning “either or both”.
References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “a preferred embodiment”, “an alternative embodiment” and similar phrases mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all meant to refer to the same embodiment.
The term “couple” or “coupled” as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to either an indirect or direct connection between the identified elements, components or objects. Often the manner of the coupling will be related specifically to the manner in which the two coupled elements interact.
The term “Apex” as used herein refers generally to a point or location furthest from a base location(s). For instance, concerning the convex external sidewalls, the leftmost or rightmost location of the left and right external sidewalls respectively is the “apex” of the sidewall.
One embodiment of the present invention comprises a tire 100 with or without an associated rim 105 having at least two interior sidewalls 110 & 115 and two exterior sidewalls 120 & 125 as illustrated in
Referring primarily to
As is best shown in
The elastomeric compound of the primary tread portion 130 can vary substantially as well. As is well known in the art, different compounds are utilized to form the tread on the outer surface depending on the desired characteristics of the tire. For instance, tread comprised of softer tackier elastomers is utilized on tires optimized for handling while harder elastomers are used on tires optimized for tread life and to minimize rolling resistance. The actual compound used in the tread of the one embodiment can vary depending on the design criteria relating to a particular tire.
Also as shown in
The left and right interior sidewalls 110 & 115 are also the best illustrated in
The proximal ends of the left and right interior sidewalls 110 & 115 include respective left and right tire beads 135 & 140. Typically, the tire beads comprise cord bundles 160 that extend circumferentially around the respective proximal end. One end of each of the reinforcing plies 150 is typically wrapped around a cord bundle. As is well-known in the art, the beads are configured to interface with a corresponding circumferential bead on the rim and for an airtight seal. Accordingly, the outer circumferential surface of the rim in combination with the sidewalls of the tire and the interior surface of the primary tread portion form one or more chambers 170, 175 & 180 to contain a pressurized gas.
Along the generally vertically extending portion of the left and right interior sidewalls 110 & 115 in the one embodiment, one or more openings 185 are formed through which pressurized gas can freely move between the chambers formed by the respective left and right exterior and interior sidewalls and the primary chamber 170. The distal end of each interior sidewall intersects with and integrates with the primary tread portion such that the primary tread portion, the interior sidewalls, as well as, the exterior sidewalls 120 & 125 form a unitary tire.
The primary function of the left and right interior sidewalls 110 & 115 in the one embodiment is to hold the tire 100 in its proper shape. As can be appreciated, if the interior sidewalls were eliminated, the tire pressure would cause the exterior sidewalls 120 & 125 to straighten and exhibit a more vertical and less convex cross-section. Accordingly, the left and right interior sidewalls assume a generally vertical orientation, although they may be slightly convex, when the tire 100 is mounted on a rim 105 and pressurized. Because the left and right interior sidewalls are not exposed to rocks, curbs and other hazards and because the interior sidewalls do not act to support the primary tread portion, the interior sidewalls need not be as thick or stout as similarly disposed exterior sidewalls on a conventional tire, thereby minimizing the stiffening effect related to adding additional sidewalls to a tire.
Still referring primarily to
The proximal end of the exterior sidewalls comprises the aforementioned left and right tire beads 135 & 140. Like the reinforcing plies of the interior sidewalls 110 & 115, the reinforcing plies 150 of the exterior sidewalls also terminate by wrapping around the annular bead bundles 160 of each tire bead 135 & 140. From the proximal end and the intersection with the rim 105, each exterior sidewall 120 & 125 extends downwardly and outwardly to either the left or the right at an acute angle relative to vertical to a left or right horizontal apex 190 & 195. From the horizontal apex, each exterior sidewall extends downwardly and inwardly at an acute angle relative to horizontal until intersecting with both the respective interior sidewall and the respective edge of the primary tread portion 130.
Of particular note concerning the outside surface 200 of each of the downwardly and inwardly extending portions of the exterior sidewalls 120 & 125 is that they have a tread formed thereon. As best illustrated in
Typically, the elastomeric compound 155 utilized on the treaded outside surfaces 200 of the downwardly and inwardly extending portions of the exterior sidewalls is different from that utilized on the outwardly and downwardly extending upper portions of the exterior sidewalls as it is optimized for occasional contact with the road surface. Further, the compound utilized on the treaded outside surfaces of the exterior sidewalls need not be the same as the compound utilized on the treaded outside surface 145 of the primary treaded portion 130. For instance, in certain variations of the one embodiment, the compound used on the outside surfaces of the exterior sidewalls can be softer and stickier than the compound used on the tread of the primary tread portion, which, for example, could be optimized to minimize tread wear. With such a combination, a tire can be produced that offers superior cornering and handling characteristics while providing a higher life than conventional performance tires.
This further appreciated, that the pattern of the treaded surfaces 200 & 145 on both the exterior sidewalls 120 & 125 and the primary tread portion 130 can be different from each other. For instance, the tread 145 of the primary tread portion can be optimized for handling in rain or snow, while the tread 200 on the outer surface of the exterior sidewalls may be optimized for cornering. Numerous variations in tread pattern and tread compound would be obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
If referring briefly to
The various preferred embodiments and variations thereof illustrated in the accompanying figures and/or described above are merely exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is to be appreciated that numerous variations to the invention have been contemplated as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. All variations of the invention that read upon the appended claims are intended and contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.
For example, in certain variations and other embodiments the chambers can be isolated from each other such that the gas pressures in the primary chamber may be different from that in the left and right chambers. Such a pressure differential between chambers may be desirable and tuning in alternative embodiment tire to particular set of operational characteristics. In other variations and embodiments, the interior sidewalls can be replaced with vertically extending cords or an open webbing, such that the tire effectively comprises a single chamber.
