Patent Application
20100116399
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tires and more particularly to self-sealing tires for bicycle wheels.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
In the known art, descriptions have been given of self-sealing tires provided with at least one layer comprising a polymeric material which can adhere to the object causing the puncture and can also flow into the puncture site when said object is removed, thus sealing the puncture and preventing the outflow of air from the tire.
Currently, there exist pneumatic tires with puncture sealing materials wherein these tires are often made of an elastomer material, such as rubber, with reinforcing materials such as fabric and wire. Bicycle tires that rupture during use require immediate repair, and can result in time prolonged delays as well as potential endangerment to the user depending on the location of the rupture. The potential for a tire rupture forces the user to carry spare tire tubes, or failing that, to call for assistance. Furthermore, the process of repair can be time-consuming and burdensome, eliminating racers from competition, or holding up groups of riders. Additionally, tire ruptures impact those who rely on bicycles as a primary mode of transportation, particularly with the current emphasis on reducing fuel consumption.
An alternative to preventing tire ruptures would be to use foam-filled or solid rubber tires. However, solid and foam-filled tires are heavy, and provide a rough ride, thereby reducing the air cushion, which is a critical element of shock absorption in traditional bicycle tires. The proposed invention involves the use of a multi-cavity tire tube with multiple ports, whereas prior art in the field has focused on the use of a single cavity tire tube, which is illustrated in
In the event of a rupture in the primary cavity, the secondary cavity can be inflated, thereby collapsing the primary cavity. Subsequently, a rubber or synthetic layer with an attached adhesive impregnated surface layer will form the boundary separating the primary and secondary cavities. This adhesive impregnated rubber or synthetic layer provides a filler to seal the leak in the primary cavity, and into the tire itself. The secondary cavity may be filled manually through a secondary tire valve, or via a rapid pressurization utilizing an actuation value and a pressurized cavity within the tire rim structure.
The instant invention, as illustrated herein, is clearly not anticipated, rendered obvious, or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms, either alone or in any combination thereof. In view of the limitations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and useful Pneumatic Tire and Rim Featuring Manual Fill and Auto-Fill of use thereof, which is more universally functional and more versatile in operation than simply repairing or changing out a tire when a rupture occurs during a ride or using foam-filled or solid rubber tires.
The primary object of the instant invention is to provide for a multi-cavity tire tube having multiple ports. If a rupture occurs in the primary cavity, then the second cavity can be inflated, collapsing the primary cavity. A rubber or synthetic layer with an adhesive impregnated surface will form the boundary between the wall separating the primary and secondary cavities, and provide a filler to seal the leak in the tube outer wall, and into the tire itself. The secondary cavity can be filled manually through a secondary tire valve, or via a rapid pressurization utilizing an actuation value and a pressurized cavity within the tire rim structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the rider with an alternative to changing out a tire tube in the event that there is a tire rupture. In the event of a tire rupture, the rider would manually inflate the second cavity via the secondary valve.
As a result, the tubular layer will invert, pressing against the outer wall of the tube. The adhesive layer will be pressed between the tubular layer and the outer wall of the tube. As the pressure increases, the adhesive layer will fill the rupture of the tire tube, and thus, ensure that there is a strong boundary between the secondary air cavity and the ground. The valve for cavity A will collapse into the rim as the tubular layer is pressed into the tire, making it apparent that the tube needs to be changed off-line at a more convenient time following the ride.
In a more advanced aspect of the solution, in the event of a tire rupture, the rider would use a basic tool to actuate a sealed piston in the rim structure. The rim would have a pressurized structural module as part of the design, and act as a backup air source. By actuating the sealed piston, the rider would inflate the second cavity as described above. This would be much more rapid than a manual inflation, and would be useful in a racing environment where every second counts, or for those who do not wish to manually inflate their tires.
In a highly advanced solution, tire pressure sensors, as used on automobiles, would be used to monitor tire pressure, and when low or at zero, would communicate with a biking computer or handheld device such as an iPhone via an API and a communication protocol such as Bluetooth. The rider would have the ability to actuate the sealed piston over the communication protocol leveraging an actuating valve to release the air pressure into the tire.
In an optimal embodiment, the volume of the pressurized module would be close to that of the tire, so that actuating the valve would link the two chambers for a near instantaneous pressurization that would result in a pressure in the mid-range of the rating of the tire. Advanced applications would be able to monitor the tire pressure, and incrementally actuate the sealed piston to enable precise pressurization of the tire, maintaining different pressure levels in the tire and pressurized reservoir module. In one embodiment, there are two separate pressure reservoirs in the rim, one serving cavity A and the other cavity B of the tire to enable precision adjustment in each application.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims, Detailed Description of the Embodiments Sections and drawings of this application, with all said sections adding to this disclosure.
The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention, such as the use of tire pressures sensors to monitor tire pressure.
In one preferred embodiment (shown in
Once the secondary cavity 18B is inflated due to actuating of the sealed piston 34B, the tubular layer 28 will invert, thus pressing against the outer wall 30 of the tube 40. This action will in turn cause the adhesive layer 32 to be pressed between the tubular layer 28 and the outer wall 30 of the tube 40. The increase in pressure will cause the adhesive layer 32 to fill any rupture or puncture of the tube 40 as well as the tire 14. The adhesive layer 32 filling such a rupture or puncture will ensure a strong boundary between the secondary cavity 18B and the ground, and therefore allow for an extended riding time. As the tubular layer 28 in the secondary cavity 18B is pressed into the tube 40, the primary valve 16A for primary cavity 18A collapses into the rim 10, thus signaling to the rider that the tire 14 needs to be changed off-line at a more convenient time following the ride.
Inflation due to actuating the sealed piston would be much more rapid than a manual inflation. Automatic inflation would be useful in a racing environment where every second is of vital importance. Alternatively, automatic inflation would be ideal for those riders who do not wish to manually inflate their tires.
In a highly advanced embodiment, once the tire pressure reaches below a pre-determined threshold, the plurality of pressure sensors 42 would communicate with a biking computer or handheld device such as an iPhone and API and a communication protocol such as a Bluetooth. In this highly advanced solution, the rider would have the ability to actuate the sealed piston 34B over the communication protocol, thereby leveraging an actuating valve to release the air pressure into the tire tube 40.
