Patent Application
20190283511
The embodiments described herein relate generally to a spare wheel assembly provided on or within a vehicle, for use should one of the vehicle's main tires be damaged or become inoperable during use of the vehicle.
Known vehicles, for example, automobiles, trucks, tractors, and/or trailers, are provided with one or more spare wheel assemblies for use in the event that a main tire of the vehicle is damaged (e.g., goes flat). Typically, the spare wheel assembly is positioned on or within the vehicle in a manner that minimizes the amount of usable space in the vehicle occupied by the spare wheel assembly. For example, the spare wheel assembly may be carried under the vehicle, that is, held against an exterior surface of the vehicle's floor pan by a retention device. Known retention devices include a hoist. The hoist includes a cable, coupled at a first end to a rotatable member and configured to be wrapped around the rotatable member, and a bracket coupled to the opposite, second end of the cable. Rotating the rotatable member causes the bracket to be raised and lowered, and when removably coupled to the spare wheel assembly, causes the spare wheel assembly to be raised and lowered.
Spare wheel assemblies that include a pneumatic tire include a valve stem used to check the air pressure within the tire and to add or remove air from within the tire. On vehicles that include a spare wheel assembly carried under the vehicle, the spare wheel assembly may need to be lowered in order to access the valve stem.
In one aspect, a spare wheel assembly for a vehicle is provided. The spare wheel assembly includes a wheel rim including a first side and a second side, wherein the wheel rim further includes a first valve stem opening defined within the first side and a second valve stem opening defined within the second side. The spare wheel assembly also includes a pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel rim.
In another aspect, a wheel rim is provided. The wheel rim includes a rim portion and a disc portion coupled to the rim portion and defining a first side of the rim portion and a second side of the rim portion. The wheel rim also includes a first valve stem opening defined within the first side of the rim portion and a second valve stem opening defined within the second side of the rim portion.
Implementations of the apparatus described herein facilitate checking air pressure, removing air, and/or adding air to a pneumatic tire on a spare wheel assembly secured on or within a vehicle without removing the spare wheel assembly or loosening a spare wheel assembly securing apparatus. More specifically, the spare wheel assembly described herein includes a first valve stem on a first side of the wheel assembly, and a second valve stem on the opposite, second side of the wheel assembly. By including the first and second valve stems on the spare wheel assembly in this orientation, one of the two valve stems can be accessed without removing or loosening the spare wheel assembly securing apparatus.
Wheel assembly 100 includes a wheel rim 110 and a tire, for example, a pneumatic tire 112, mounted on the wheel rim 110. Wheel rim 110 includes a rim portion 120 and a disc portion 122. Rim portion 120 is cylindrical and configured to support and seal tire 112 to wheel rim 110. Disc portion 122 connects rim portion 120 to a wheel hub (not shown in
Wheel assembly 100 includes a first side 130 and a second side 132. As illustrated in
Since second side 132 of wheel assembly 100 faces toward a center of the vehicle when wheel assembly 100 is installed on the wheel hub of the vehicle, second valve stem 222 is configured to prevent contact with vehicle components, for example, but not limited to, vehicle structural components, brake components, and/or suspension components. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, second valve stem 222 may be shorter than first valve stem 220 (i.e., second valve stem 222 extends a smaller distance from rim portion 120 than first valve stem 220). Alternatively, or in combination, second valve stem 222 may be recessed within rim portion 120 but still accessible from second side 132. Moreover, second valve stem 222 may extend from rim portion 120 at an angle closer to parallel with the ground when installed on the vehicle as a main tire than first valve stem 220.
In the illustrated embodiment, bracket 322 is inserted through center opening 124 from first side 130 toward second side 132. By inserting bracket 322 in this direction, first side 130 is held against the exterior surface of the lower body panel, and second side 132 faces the ground. This positioning is beneficial in that it protects the first side 130 (i.e., the side of wheel assembly 110 that will be visible when wheel assembly 110 is positioned for use on the vehicle) from environmental elements that may affect the appearance of wheel rim 110. For example, in this position, first side 130 is protected from rocks, dirt, and/or water that may contact wheel assembly 100 while wheel assembly 100 is positioned under the vehicle. Moreover, in this position, first valve stem 220 (shown in
Described herein are exemplary embodiments of a wheel assembly that includes two valve stems. More specifically, the wheel assemblies described herein include a first valve stem on a first side of the tire, and a second valve stem on the opposite, second side of the tire. By including the first and second valve stems on the spare tire in this orientation, one of the two valve stems can be accessed without removing or loosening the spare wheel assembly securing apparatus. The wheel assemblies described herein facilitate ergonomic, efficient, and economical verification of spare tire air pressure and/or adding or removing air from the spare tire. Although the embodiments described herein are specific to tubeless tires, the concept of a wheel assembly having two valve stems is applicable to a tire that includes an inner tube. In such an alternative embodiment, the inner tube includes two valve stems configured to align with openings, for example, openings 200 and 210 (shown in
When introducing elements/components/etc. of the apparatus described and/or illustrated herein, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the element(s)/component(s)/etc. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional element(s)/component(s)/etc. other than the listed element(s)/component(s)/etc.
This written description uses examples to provide details on the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
