Airless Tire with Optimized Shear Strip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025144961-A1
Application number	US-202218719816-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2022
Priority date	Dec 14, 2021
Publication date	May 8, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An airless tire to optimise the mass and stiffness of the shear strip thereof. The tire has a radially inner membrane ( 41 ), a shear structure made up of a plurality of shear elements ( 5 ), and a radially outer membrane ( 42 ) positioned at a mean radial distance H from the radially inner membrane ( 41 ). Any shear element ( 5 ) of the plurality of shear elements has a main portion ( 50 ) having in any circumferential plane (XZ) a non-radial generatrix (G) having a radially inner end (I1) positioned at a distance d1 from the radially inner membrane ( 41 ) and a radially outer end (I2) positioned at a distance d2 from the radially outer membrane ( 42 ) and the generatrix (G) of the main portion ( 50 ) of the shear element ( 5 ) has a curvilinear length L at least equal to 1.25*(H−(d1+d2).

First claim

1 . An airless tire for a vehicle comprising in the radially outward direction a support structure intended to cooperate with a rim or a hub, a shear strip and a tread,
the shear strip comprising in the radially outward direction a radially inner membrane, a shear structure and a radially outer membrane positioned at a mean radial distance H from the radially inner membrane, the shear structure consisting of a plurality of shear element distributed circumferentially, Wherein any shear element of the plurality of shear elements includes a main portion having in any circumferential plane (XZ) perpendicular to the rotation axis of the tire a non-radial generatrix (G) having a radially inner end (I1) positioned at a distance d1 from the radially inner membrane and a radially outer end (I2) positioned at a distance d2 from the radially outer membrane, and the generatrix (G) of the main portion of the shear element has a curvilinear length L at least equal to 1.25*(H−(d1+d2).

2 . The airless tire according to claim 1 wherein the distance d1 from the radially inner end (I1) of the generatrix (G) to the radially inner membrane is at most equal to 0.5 times the mean radial distance H between the radially inner membrane and the radially outer membrane.

3 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the distance d1 from the radially inner end (I1) of the generatrix (G) to the radially inner membrane is equal to 0.

4 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the distance d2 from the radially outer end (I2) of the generatrix (G) to the radially outer membrane is at most equal to 0.5 times the mean radial distance H between the radially inner membrane and the radially outer membrane.

5 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the distance d2 from the radially outer end (I2) of the generatrix (G) to the radially outer membrane is equal to 0.

6 . The airless tire according to claim 1 wherein the tangent (T1) to the generatrix (G) at its radially inner end (I1) forms with a radial direction (ZZ′) of the airless tire an angle A1 at least equal to 45°.

7 . The airless tire according claim 1 , wherein the tangent (T2) to the generatrix (G) at its radially outer end (I2) forms with a radial direction (ZZ′) of the airless tire an angle A2 at least equal to 45°.

8 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the generatrix (G) of the main portion of any shear element has a shape having a single inversion of its direction of curvature.

9 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the main portion of any shear element has a non-constant thickness E0.

10 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein the shear elements are distributed circumferentially with a constant pitch.

11 . The airless tire according to claim 1 , wherein any shear element of the plurality of shear elements consists of a material having a modulus of elasticity in extension at 4% elongation at least equal to 20 MPa, preferably at least equal to 30 MPa.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Vilcot Florian
• Chebaut Christophe

Classifications

• B60C2007/005

  made by casting, e.g. of polyurethane · CPC title

• B60C7/18

  disposed radially relative to wheel axis · CPC title

• B60C7/146 Primary

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