Curved reinforced resilient support for a non-pneumatic tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745542-B2
Application number	US-201716954919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A curved support structure for a non-pneumatic tire and a tire incorporating such support structure. A support membrane extends continuously between a radially-inner end and a radially-outer end and defines opposing sides. A radially-outer joint may be provided on one of the opposing sides while a radially-inner joint may be provided on the other side of the membrane. An annular band may be incorporated with the radially-outer joint. A wheel, hub, or other structure may be incorporated with the radially-inner joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-pneumatic tire defining axial, radial, and circumferential directions, the tire comprising:
an annular band;
a hub positioned radially inward of the annular band;
a plurality of resilient, composite structures extending between the annular band and the hub, each composite structure comprising:
a radially-outer joint connected with the annular band;
a radially-inner joint connected with the hub, wherein the radially-outer joint and the radially-inner joint each comprise an elastomeric material;
a support membrane extending continuously from the radially-outer joint to the radially-inner joint, the support membrane having a radially-outer end that is located radially inward of the radially-outer joint, the radially-outer end connected only to the radially-outer joint, the support membrane having a radially-inner end that is located radially outward of the radially-inner joint, the radially-inner end connected only to the radially-inner joint, the support membrane defining a pair of opposing sides in the circumferential direction, the support membrane having an arcuate shape extending from the radially-outer joint to the radially-inner joint; and
wherein the radially-inner joint and the radially-outer joint are movable relative to each other so as to bend the support membrane, and wherein the radially-inner joint is positioned on a first side of the opposing sides of the support membrane and the radially-outer joint is positioned on a second side of the opposing sides of the support membrane.

2. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the support membrane comprises a fiber reinforced plastic.

3. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 2 , further comprising an elastomer surrounding the fiber reinforced plastic.

4. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the support membrane comprises a plurality of elongate supports positioned adjacent to each other along the axial direction and extending along the radial direction from the radially-inner joint to the radially-outer joint.

5. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 4 , wherein the support membrane further comprises an elastomeric material surrounding the plurality of elongate supports.

6. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the support membrane forms a radius of curvature between the radially-outer joint and the radially-inner joint.

7. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint and the radially-outer joint do not overlap along the support membrane.

8. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint and the radially-outer joint each extend continuously along an axial direction of the tire.

9. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-outer joint defines a radially-outer connecting surface incorporated with the annular band of the tire.

10. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint defines a radially-inner connecting surface incorporated with the hub.

11. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , further comprising an elastomeric covering positioned onto the opposing sides of the support membrane.

12. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-outer joint defines a radially-outer connecting surface incorporated with the annular band of the tire, the annular band having a tread surface incorporated therein.

13. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the radially-inner joint comprises a rubber having a modulus in the range of 1 to 10 MPa.

14. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 13 , wherein the radially-outer joint comprises a rubber having a modulus in the range of 1 to 10 MPa.

15. The non-pneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of resilient composite support structures comprises a plurality of sets of support structures on opposing sides of the tire, the plurality of sets of support structures having different and opposing orientations.

Assignees

• Cron Steven M
• Christenbury Damon Lee
• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Cron Steven M
• Christenbury Damon Lee

Classifications

• B60C7/146 Primary

  extending substantially radially, e.g. like spokes · CPC title

• B60C7/18

  disposed radially relative to wheel axis · CPC title

• B60B9/26

  comprising resilient spokes · CPC title

• F16F1/368

  Leaf springs · CPC title

• F16F2224/0241

  Fibre-reinforced plastics [FRP] · CPC title