JP4079711B2 - Tire / wheel assembly and run-flat support - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tire / wheel assembly and a run-flat support, and more particularly, to a tire / wheel assembly and a run-flat support used for the tire / wheel assembly that improve rim assembly.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Many technologies have been proposed in response to market demands that enable emergency traveling of several hundred km even when a pneumatic tire is punctured while the vehicle is traveling. Among these many proposals, the technique proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-297226 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-519279 is a technique in which a support is mounted on a rim inside a hollow portion of a pneumatic tire assembled with a rim, The run flat running is made possible by supporting the punctured tire by the support.
[0003]
The run-flat support body includes an annular shell having an open leg structure in which an outer peripheral side is a support surface and an inner peripheral side is opened, and elastic rings are attached to both leg portions. And is supported on the rim. This run-flat support has the advantage that it can be used without disruption to the market because it can be used as is without any special modifications to existing wheels / rims.
[0004]
A tire / wheel assembly equipped with such a run-flat support is assembled with the rim in a state in which the run-flat support is inserted into the cavity of the tire. There is a problem that it is difficult to fit the rim flange over the rim hump and the rim assembly property is poor.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to provide a tire / wheel assembly and a run-flat support that can improve rim assembly.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The tire / wheel assembly of the present invention that achieves the above object has a hollow portion of a pneumatic tire attached to a rim of a wheel, a leg portion that has a support surface on the outer peripheral side and a leg that has an inner peripheral side that is bifurcated. In a tire / wheel assembly in which a run-flat support body including a formed annular shell and an elastic ring that supports the leg portion on a rim is disposed , only the both leg portions of the annular shell are provided in the circumferential direction of the annular shell. the through hole at a predetermined interval while 4 to 16 formed, characterized in that the cross-sectional area of each through hole in 70~320mm ^2.
[0007]
Further, the run-flat support of the present invention includes an annular shell formed on a leg portion having an outer peripheral side as a support surface and an inner peripheral side being bifurcated, and an elastic ring for supporting the leg portion on a rim. In the run-flat support body consisting of 4 to 16 through-holes at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the annular shell only on both legs of the annular shell , and the cross-sectional area of each through-hole is set. 70 to 320 mm ² .
[0008]
At the time of assembling the rim, after attaching the bead portion of the pneumatic tire with the run-flat support body inserted into the cavity portion to the rim, filling the air to inflate the pneumatic tire so that the bead portion is humped on the rim. In the present invention described above, the pneumatic tire is supplied by air supplied into the cavity between the run-flat support and the inner surface of the pneumatic tire through the through hole. Can be easily inflated. Therefore, the bead portion of the tire can be easily fitted to the rim flange over the hump, and the rim assemblability can be improved.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the run-flat support is formed as an annular body that is inserted into the cavity of the pneumatic tire. The run-flat support body is formed smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow portion so that the outer diameter maintains a constant distance from the inner surface of the hollow portion of the pneumatic tire, and the inner diameter is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the bead portion of the pneumatic tire. Dimension is formed. The run-flat support body is assembled to a wheel together with the pneumatic tire while being inserted inside the pneumatic tire, thereby forming a tire / wheel assembly. If the pneumatic tire is punctured while the tire / wheel assembly is mounted on a vehicle, the punctured and crushed tire is supported on the outer peripheral surface of the run-flat support body. Enable.
[0010]
The run-flat support body includes an annular shell and an elastic ring as main parts.
[0011]
The annular shell forms a continuous support surface to support a tire that is punctured on the outer peripheral side (outer diameter side), and the inner peripheral side (inner diameter side) has a bifurcated shape with the left and right side walls as legs. Yes. The support surface on the outer peripheral side is formed so that the shape in a cross section orthogonal to the circumferential direction becomes a convex curved surface on the outer diameter side. The number of the convex curved surfaces arranged in the tire axial direction may be only one, but preferably two or more are arranged. By forming the support surface in such a manner that two or more convex curved surfaces are arranged in this manner, the contact portion of the support surface with respect to the tire inner surface (hollow portion inner surface) is dispersed to two or more to reduce local wear on the tire inner surface. In addition, it is possible to extend the running distance that enables run-flat running.
[0012]
The elastic rings are respectively attached to the ends of both leg portions that are bifurcated on the inner diameter side of the annular shell, and support the annular shell by abutting on the left and right rim seats. This elastic ring is made of rubber or elastic resin, and reduces the impact and vibration received by the annular shell from the punctured tire, and also prevents the rim seat from slipping to stably support the annular shell.
[0013]
Since the run-flat support must support the vehicle weight via the punctured tire, the annular shell is made of a rigid material. A metal, resin, or the like is used as the constituent material. Among these, steel, aluminum, etc. can be illustrated as a metal. Further, the resin may be either a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include nylon, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyphenylene sulfide, and ABS. Examples of the thermosetting resin include an epoxy resin and an unsaturated polyester resin. The resin may be used alone, or may be used as a fiber reinforced resin by blending reinforcing fibers.
[0014]
The rubber constituting the elastic ring and the elastic resin may be any material as long as the annular shell can be stably supported. Examples of the rubber include natural rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, and butyl rubber. Examples of the elastic resin include foamed resins such as foamed polyurethane.
[0015]
The run-flat support used in the tire / wheel assembly of the present invention is based on the above-described configuration.
[0016]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a meridian cross-sectional view showing the main part of a tire / wheel assembly (wheel) according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a rim on the outer periphery of the wheel, 2 is a pneumatic tire, and 3 is a run-flat support. It is. The rim 1, the pneumatic tire 2, and the run-flat support 3 are formed in an annular shape coaxially with a rotation axis of a wheel (not shown) as a center, and run in the cavity 2 A of the pneumatic tire 2 attached to the rim 1. It is the structure which has arrange | positioned the support body 3 for flats.
[0018]
The run-flat support 3 includes an annular shell 4 formed of a rigid material such as metal or resin, and left and right elastic rings 5 and 5 formed of an elastic material such as rubber or elastic resin.
[0019]
The annular shell 4 forms a support surface 6 having two convex curved surfaces 6a and 6b in the shell width direction on the outer peripheral side, and the support surface 6 extends from the inner surface 2a of the pneumatic tire 2 when the pneumatic tire 2 is normal. It is spaced apart, but supports crushed tires when punctured. Further, the inner circumferential side of the annular shell 4 has both side walls opened into two legs as leg portions 7 and 7, respectively, and elastic rings 5 and 5 are attached to the inner circumferential side thereof.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of elliptical through holes 8 are provided at both legs 7 and 7 at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction of the shell, and for the run flat in the pneumatic tire 2 through the through holes 8. Air is easily flown into the cavity 2A1 outside the support 3. The shape of the through hole 8 is not limited to an ellipse, and as shown in FIG. 3, air can flow into the cavity 2A1 such as a circle, a rectangle, or a shape in which each corner of the rectangle is cut into a square shape. Any shape can be used.
[0021]
The through hole 8 is preferably formed in both the leg portions 7 and 7 as described above, because air can be supplied simultaneously to both sides in the cavity portion 2A1, but is provided in one of the leg portions 7. You can also. In the case where the through holes 8 are provided in both the leg portions 7, 7, the same number of through holes 8 may be formed at opposing positions, but it is preferable from the viewpoint of strength that they are preferably provided shifted in the circumferential direction. When shifting, it is good to position the through-hole 8 of the other leg part 7 so that it may oppose the substantially center position between the through-holes 8 of one leg part 7. FIG.
[0022]
The size of the through hole 8 is preferably such that its cross-sectional area is 70 to 320 mm ² . The number of through holes 8 can be 4 to 16 in total, and it is preferable from the viewpoint of strength to arrange them at equal intervals on the circumference. If the cross-sectional area and the number of the through holes 8 are smaller than the above range, the rim assembly property cannot be effectively improved. On the contrary, if it is larger than the above range, the durability of the shell itself is impaired.
[0023]
At the time of assembling the rim, the bead portions 2X and 2X of the pneumatic tire 2 in which the run-flat support 3 is inserted into the hollow portion 2A are attached to the rim 1 and then filled with air to inflate (expand) the pneumatic tire 2 ), The bead portions 2X and 2X are moved over the hump 1C of the rim 1 and fitted to the rim flange 1A. According to the present invention described above, the bead portions 2X and 2X are supplied into the cavity portion 2A1 through the through hole 8. Since the pneumatic tire 2 can be easily inflated by the air, the bead portions 2X and 2X can easily get over the hump 1C and fit into the rim flange 1A, and the rim assembly of the pneumatic tire 2 can be easily performed. It becomes possible. Therefore, rim assemblability can be improved.
[0024]
Although the present invention exemplifies the case where the support surface 6 of the annular shell 4 has two convex curved surfaces 6a and 6b in the above embodiment, the number of the convex curved surfaces is not limited to two. Or three or more.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the through hole is formed in the annular shell, the pneumatic tire can be inflated by the air supplied through the through hole when the rim is assembled. It can be easily fitted, and therefore the rim assembly property can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a meridian cross-sectional view showing a main part of a tire / wheel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an annular shell.
FIGS. 3A to 3C are explanatory views showing other shapes of through holes, respectively. FIGS.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rim 1A Rim flange 1B Rim seat 1C Hump 2 Pneumatic tire 2A, 2A1 Cavity part 2X Bead part 2a Inner surface 3 Run-flat support body 4 Annular shell 5 Elastic ring 6 Support surface 7 Leg part 8 Through-hole

Claims (2)

An annular shell formed on a leg of a pneumatic tire mounted on a rim of a wheel and formed on a leg portion having an outer peripheral side as a support surface and a bifurcated leg on the inner peripheral side, and elasticity for supporting the leg portion on the rim In a tire / wheel assembly in which a run-flat support made of a ring is arranged,
Only the legs of the annular shell, annular shell of together with the through hole is 4 to 16 formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, the tire / wheel in which the cross-sectional area of each through hole in 70～320Mm ² Assembly. In a run-flat support body comprising an annular shell formed on a leg portion having an outer peripheral side as a supporting surface and an inner peripheral side being bifurcated, and an elastic ring for supporting the leg portion on a rim,
Only the legs of the annular shell, as well as the circumferential direction 4 to 16 of the through hole at a predetermined interval in the formation of the annular shell, run for a flat in which the cross-sectional area of each through hole in 70～320Mm ² Support.

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