JP2602825Y2 - tire chain - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

The present invention relates to a tire chain,
More particularly, the present invention relates to a metal tire chain which is excellent in braking performance particularly in ice-burn running, and is also excellent in durability, riding comfort and quietness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various tire chains have been proposed. In recent years, rubber or net-shaped tire chains have been developed, but there is no substitute for metal tire chains in consideration of grip performance when running on ice burns.

Since the production of spiked tires has been completely banned in Japan recently, studless tires have become widespread as winter tires. Studless tires are inherently inferior in grip performance against ice burn, so rubber compounds have been repeatedly improved to improve this performance, but sufficient grip performance cannot be obtained, especially when climbing up icy roads. .
Therefore, in future winter road running, it will become common sense to use studless tires and use a tire chain in accordance with the road surface conditions. In such a method of using a tire chain, a metal tire chain having excellent grip performance on a frozen road is most suitable.

Various types of metal tire chains, such as a ladder type and a tortoiseshell type, have been proposed, but a ladder type that is relatively easy to install and that is inexpensive is often used.

[0005]

In a ladder-type metal tire chain, a grounding member, which connects an inner chain member and an outer chain member and makes contact with a road surface during traveling, is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction. They are provided parallel to each other.

That is, since each of the grounding members extends in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle traveling direction and the braking direction, the gripping force on the road surface is weak, and particularly, only extremely insufficient gripping force is exerted on ice burns. As a result, it is not possible to climb a steeply sloped ice barn, and the braking force is extremely small, so that an unfamiliar driver may cause a rear-end collision.

[0007] In addition, the metal grounding member has a disadvantage that when it travels on a snow-free dry road, it is easily broken by frictional heat. If the vehicle travels with the ground contact member cut, the cut end may rotate to a larger diameter than the tire due to centrifugal force, and may damage the tire house or the lower part of the vehicle. However, even in winter, a snow-free road surface and a snow-covered road surface sometimes appear alternately due to the sunshine and the like, and in such a case, it is troublesome to repeatedly attach and detach the tire house.

[0008] The conventional grounding member of a metal tire chain is generally formed by connecting iron chains in series, but such a chain grounding member generates extremely large vibrations and noise when traveling on a snow-free road surface. Not only was it uncomfortable and the road surface was seriously damaged, but when it traveled on a snow-free road surface at a speed of, for example, about 50 km / hour, it was cut at several tens of km, resulting in poor durability. In addition, metal fatigue occurs at the connection portion of the chain grounding member, and there is also a problem in durability in this regard.

[0009]

In view of the above problems in the conventional metal tire chain, the present inventor has made repeated studies and experiments, and as a result, arranged the ground contact member at a predetermined angle to the traveling direction. In addition, it was found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by configuring each grounding member with a core material and a coil spring that covers the core material in a spiral shape, and the present invention was completed based on the knowledge. Things.

That is, the tire chain according to the present invention is:
A chain inner member mounted in a ring shape inside the tire,
A chain outer member mounted in a ring shape outside the tire,
A tire chain comprising a plurality of metal ground members connected between the chain inner member and the chain outer member, wherein each ground member includes a core material and a coil spring for spirally covering the core material. Also, a first grounding member inclined at a predetermined angle to one side with respect to the center axis direction of the tire and a predetermined angled inclination at a side opposite to the first grounding member with respect to the center axis direction of the tire. Opposing second grounding members are provided alternately, and the first grounding member and the second grounding member are arranged alternately.
Is characterized in that the coil spring in the contact member is reversely wound so as to have a spiral in the reverse direction.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

The chain grounding member is provided at a predetermined angle to the traveling direction, and the outer peripheral side of the chain grounding member is formed of a coil spring. The angle between the side part and the advancing direction and the braking direction is set to a relatively large acute angle. Therefore, it exerts a great grip on ice burns.

Since the coil spring is excellent in flexibility, elasticity, and rotation, it has good durability and riding comfort, and is less likely to damage the road surface even when traveling on a snow-free dry road.
In addition, the pitch interval functions as a sound absorbing chamber, so that the quietness is excellent.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows a developed state of a tire chain according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which a chain inner member 1, chain outer members 6, 7 and a grounding member 3 for connecting these members.
And a tire chain comprising:

The chain inner member 1 needs to be formed of a material having both required shape retention and required flexibility. For example, one or several steel wires having a diameter of 2 to 3 mm are required. And one lead steel wire are used in parallel, or a combination of 5 to 10, for example 7 piano steel wires having a diameter of about 1.5 to 2.0 mm is used as the chain inner member 1. Can be. Further, as in the configuration example of the chain grounding member 3 described below, when a steel wire core material covered with a coil spring is used as the chain inner member 1, the required shape retention intended in the present invention is achieved. This is particularly preferable because it can provide the required flexibility and the required flexibility, and exhibits excellent effects in strength and durability.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a fixed length metal or synthetic resin (for example, urethane or vinyl chloride) tube, which surrounds the chain inner member 1 in a multi-parallel state to protect it from contact with the outside and corrosion. It acts as a spacer for the chain grounding member 3. As described above, by configuring the chain inner member 1 by arranging a plurality of wires in parallel, even if one of the wires is cut due to metal fatigue or other causes, the chain inner member 1 can be used as the chain inner member. Since the function is not impaired and the cut wire is also housed inside the protective tube 2, the danger that the cut end is swung with the rotation of the wheel and the vehicle body is damaged is avoided.

Hooks 4 and 5 that can be hooked to each other are fixed to both ends of the chain inner member 1. These hooks 4 and 5 are connected by appropriate means inside the tire when the chain is mounted, but such connecting means does not constitute a feature of the present invention, and any means may be used. Therefore, they are omitted from the drawing.

The outer chain member comprises two ropes 6, 7 of approximately equal length. These ropes may be synthetic fiber ropes such as nylon used for general cargo handling, and it has been confirmed that even such ropes have sufficient durability to be used as a chain outer member. Hooks 8 and 9 are fixed to both ends of one rope 6, and similar hooks 10 and 11 are fixed to both ends of the other rope 7. When the chain is mounted, the hooks 8 and 11 and the hooks 9 and 10 are connected by an appropriate means. Like the connecting means between the hooks 4 and 5 in the chain inner member 1, such connecting means is the same as that of the present invention. Since it does not constitute a feature, it is omitted from the illustration.

A large number of chain grounding members 3 are connected between the chain inner member 1 and the chain outer members (ropes) 6, 7 at a required interval. The main feature of the present invention lies in the arrangement and configuration of the grounding members 3.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the chain grounding member 3 is different from the arrangement of the grounding members in the conventional ladder type chain in a state where the chain grounding member 3 is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle when mounted on a tire. A plurality of pairs of a pair of chain grounding members 3a, 3b are arranged and arranged in a state of being inclined at substantially the same angle in opposite directions. The fact that the chain grounding member is arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the traveling direction as described above,
Compared with a conventional case in which a grounding member extends in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, the grounding area of the grounding member with respect to the road surface is increased, and the grip force is improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, each chain grounding member is formed by covering the outer periphery of a single relatively small diameter core member 12 with a coil spring 13 in a substantially close contact state. In addition,
Reference numeral 14 in FIG. 1 denotes a metal or plastic spacer member interposed between the chain grounding member and the connection end of the chain grounding member with the inner member 1 and the outer members 6 and 7.

The core member 12 may be a single steel wire, but preferably, for example, a steel wire having a diameter of about 3 mm covered with a protective spring in a substantially close contact state is used. Since the protection spring is expandable and contractible in the length direction and has excellent flexibility, in the mounted state, the protection spring can be brought into good contact along the radial circumferential surface of the tire and is excellent also against unevenness of the road surface. Demonstrates following ability.

As the protective spring, for example, a flat steel having a width of about 2 to 3 mm and a thickness of about 0.5 to 1 mm is preferably wound tightly in a spiral shape so as to have an outer diameter of about 5 to 6 mm. It is obtained. By using flat steel, a substantially flat outer peripheral surface can be provided, and undesirable friction with the coil spring 13 during traveling can be avoided.

The coil spring 13 has, for example, a wire diameter of 2.
It is obtained by winding a round steel wire having a diameter of about 3 mm to an outer diameter of about 10 mm and generally having a pitch of about 10 to 12 mm in a spring shape.
It is provided with a gap of about mm. The coil springs 13 in the paired chain ground members 3a and 3b are spirals in opposite directions.

As described above, the coil springs 13 arranged on the outer peripheral side of each chain grounding member are provided with a certain pitch interval, and the chain grounding members themselves are arranged obliquely at a predetermined angle with respect to the traveling direction. 2, the angle α formed by the ground-side portion 13a of the coil spring 13 of the chain ground member 3a with respect to the traveling direction in each pair of the chain ground members is about 60 degrees. The angle β formed by the ground-side portion 13b of the coil spring 13 of the other chain grounding member 3b with respect to the braking direction is also about 60 degrees. As these angles become closer to 90 degrees, the resistance to the road surface increases, so that the grip force tends to increase. However, if the angles are too large, the lateral resistance decreases and side slip easily occurs. These angles are determined by the coil spring 13.
The pitch can be adjusted by adjusting the pitch interval or by changing the inclination angle of the chain grounding member itself. Therefore, in consideration of the above factors, the inclination is adjusted to have an appropriate inclination angle.

Although not shown, the chain inner member 1
By making the length of the tube 2 functioning as a spacer variable, the inclination angle of the chain grounding member can be adjusted, whereby the chain performance can be easily adjusted according to the road surface condition.

In the case of the chain grounding member 3 having such a configuration, as a result of an experimental run, even if the vehicle travels over a snow-free road surface at a speed of about 60 km / h for 600 km or more, the practicality is not impaired.
It was confirmed that the durability was extremely excellent. This is because the member that makes direct contact with the road surface is configured as a coil spring 13 that can freely expand, contract, and rotate, so that metal fatigue is accumulated as compared with the metal chain grounding member of the conventional configuration. It is presumed that this is not done. Further, in the chain grounding member 3, since the coil spring 13 follows the unevenness of the road surface well, the road surface is hardly damaged even when traveling on a snow-free road surface.

Further, when traveling on a snowy road surface or a frozen road surface, the individual coil springs 13 not only move independently while following the road surface condition, but also the inclination angle of the chain grounding member itself and the coil springs. Extremely large gripping force is exhibited in combination with the inclination angle due to the pitch.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the illustrated embodiment. Since the feature of the present invention lies mainly in the arrangement and configuration of the chain grounding members, the chain inner member and the chain outer member may be of any material and configuration.

Although it is essential that the chain grounding member is composed of a core material and a coil spring, two or more coil springs (wire diameter, outer diameter, A coil spring (pitch, spiral direction) wound twice (or more) may be used. By doing so, the durability of the chain grounding member is further improved.

[0032]

[Effect of the Invention] The tire chain of the present invention has excellent grip performance when traveling on ice and snowy roads, and in particular, has much superior grip performance when traveling on ice burns compared to a conventional ladder-type metal chain.

In addition, since the outer peripheral side of the grounding member is formed of a coil spring even though it is a metal chain, it exhibits sufficient durability even when it travels on a snow-free dry road, and its flexibility makes it flexible. The riding comfort is good, and the pitch interval works as a sound absorbing room, so it is also quiet.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a deployed state of a tire chain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a state in which a ground contact member of the tire chain is viewed from a road surface side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chain inner member 2 Tube 3, 3a, 3b Chain grounding member 6, 7 Chain outer member (rope) 12 Core material 13 Coil spring

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60C 27/06-27/20

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A chain inner member mounted in a ring shape inside a tire, a chain outer member mounted in a ring shape outside a tire, and a plurality of metals connected between the chain inner member and the chain outer member. A grounding member, wherein each grounding member includes a core material and a coil spring that spirally covers the core material, and is disposed on one side with respect to the center axis direction of the tire. A first contact member inclined at a predetermined angle and a second contact member inclined at a predetermined angle to a side opposite to the first contact member with respect to the center axis direction of the tire;
And the coil springs of the first grounding member and the second grounding member are reverse-wound so as to have spirals in opposite directions. .