Nonpneumatic tire having multiple shear hoops

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12083837-B2
Application number	US-201917273166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A nonpneumatic tire includes an annular outer surface, an annular inner surface, and a webbing extending from the annular outer surface to the annular inner surface. The nonpneumatic, tire also includes a plurality of shear elements extending circumferentially around the annular outer surface and spaced laterally apart from each other. Each shear element includes a substantially inelastic lower region, a substantially inelastic upper region, and an elastic region disposed between the substantially inelastic lower region and the substantially inelastic upper region. The nonpneumatic tire further includes a tread layer extending circumferentially around the plurality of shear elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nonpneumatic tire comprising:
a plurality of spoke rings, each of the plurality of spoke rings including:
an annular outer surface,
an annular inner surface, and
a plurality of spokes extending between the annular outer surface and the annular inner surface;

a plurality of shear elements, each shear element corresponding to one of the plurality of spoke rings,
wherein each shear element extends circumferentially around the annular outer surface of a corresponding spoke ring,
wherein each shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region; and

a tread layer extending circumferentially around the plurality of shear elements,
wherein each of the plurality of shear elements is disposed in one of a plurality of ribs in the tread layer, and
wherein no part of the shear elements forms a wall surface of any of the plurality of ribs.

2. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shear elements are spaced apart from each other.

3. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spoke rings are chemically bonded to each other.

4. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spoke rings are spaced apart from each other.

5. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of spokes extends from an annular inner surface of a first spoke ring to an annular outer surface of a second spoke ring.

6. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein each shear element has a width that is less than a width of the corresponding spoke ring.

7. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 1 , wherein the elastic central region includes an upper elastic region and a lower elastic region separated by a substantially inelastic central region.

8. A nonpneumatic tire, comprising:
an annular outer surface;
an annular inner surface;
a webbing extending from the annular outer surface to the annular inner surface;
a plurality of shear elements extending circumferentially around the annular outer surface and spaced laterally apart from each other,
wherein each shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region; and

a tread layer extending circumferentially around the plurality of shear elements,
wherein the tread layer includes a plurality of ribs separated by a plurality of grooves,
wherein each of the plurality of shear elements is disposed in one of the plurality of ribs in the tread layer, and
wherein no part of the shear elements forms a groove wall surface of any of the plurality of circumferential grooves.

9. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 8 , wherein the annular outer surface includes a plurality of spaced apart annular outer surfaces.

10. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 9 , wherein the webbing extends between the spaced apart annular outer surfaces.

11. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 9 , wherein the webbing includes a series of spaced apart webbing layers corresponding to the spaced apart annular outer surfaces.

12. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 8 , wherein the tread layer includes a plurality of spaced apart tread layers corresponding to the plurality of shear elements.

13. A nonpneumatic tire comprising:
an annular outer surface;
an annular inner surface;
support structure extending from the annular outer surface to the annular inner surface; and
a circumferential tread having a plurality of circumferential ribs and a plurality of circumferential grooves, including a first circumferential rib having a first rib width defined by a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove,
wherein the first circumferential rib includes a shear element having a width less than the first rib width, such that the shear element is enclosed by the first circumferential rib,
wherein the shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region, and
wherein a top surface of the shear element is located radially above a bottom of the first circumferential groove and radially above a bottom of the second circumferential groove.

14. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 13 , wherein the single layer of substantially inelastic material includes a plurality of reinforcing cords.

15. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 13 , wherein the support structure includes a plurality of spokes.

16. The nonpneumatic tire of claim 13 , wherein the support structure is a webbing.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Llc

Inventors

• Asper Robert W

Classifications

• B60C7/00

  Non-inflatable or solid tyres (B60C1/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60C7/102 Primary

  Tyres built-up with separate rubber parts · CPC title

• B60C7/146

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

• B60C7/107

  comprising lateral openings · CPC title

• B60C11/00

  Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts · CPC title