TH47248A - Mixture for tire balancing - Google Patents

Abstract

DC60, the invention, relates to a tire balancing compound with improved balancing properties. It comprises a visco-plastic gel and solid matter with an average minimum width-to-length range of 0.5 to 5 mm, ideally 1-4 mm, and even better around 3 mm. When incorporated into the inner layer of a vehicle tire, the compound works by allowing the solid matter to move through the gel and concentrate in specific areas to correct imbalances. Ideally, the solid matter should have an average ratio (alpha) between the minimum and maximum widths of the matter of (alpha) of (less than or equal to) 2, with even better (alpha) being (less than or equal to) 1.5, ideally around 1. Ideally, the visco-plastic gel should have a storage modulus (G') between 1000 and 25000 Pascals at 22 °C, with a loss modulus (G'') smaller than the storage modulus. The material has a yield stress exceeding 3 Pascals at 22°C. It may be shaped into elongated ovals, ellipsoids, cylindrical shapes, hexagonal volumetric forms, spheres, or mixtures thereof. Its specific gravity may range from 500 to 3000 kg/m³, ideally between 600-2000 kg/m³, particularly 700-1000 kg/m³, and especially 800-900 kg/m³. It may be manufactured from polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber, or glass. The weight ratio between the solid and gel components ranges from 10:1 to 1:10, ideally between 5:1 and 1:5, particularly between 2:1 and 3:1, and between 1:1 and 1:2. The invention further concerns a set of tools for balancing tires and methods for this purpose. Automotive Wheel Balancing Compound: The invention relates to a tire balancing compound with improved balancing properties, comprising a visco-plastic gel and solid matter with an average minimum width-to-length range of 0.5 to 5 mm, ideally 1-4 mm, and even better around 3 mm. When placed in the inner layer of a vehicle tire, the compound works by allowing the solid matter to move through the gel and concentrate in a space to correct imbalances. Ideally, the solid matter should have an average alpha ratio between the minimum and maximum widths of the matter of alpha less than or equal to 2, with even better alpha being less than or equal to 1.5, ideally around 1. Ideally, the visco-plastic gel should have a modulus of retention (G') between 1000 and 25000 Pascals at 22°C, with a modulus of loss (G'') smaller than the retention modulus. The material has a yield stress exceeding 3 Pascals at 22°C. It may be shaped into elongated ovals, ellipsoids, cylindrical shapes, hexagonal volumetric forms, spheres, or mixtures thereof. Its specific gravity may range from 500 to 3000 kg/m³, ideally between 600-2000 kg/m³, particularly 700-1000 kg/m³, and especially 800-900 kg/m³. It may be manufactured from polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber, or glass. The weight ratio between the solid and gel components ranges from 10:1 to 1:10, ideally between 5:1 and 1:5, particularly between 2:1 and 3:1, and even between 1:1 and 1:2. The invention further concerns a set of tools for balancing tires and methods for this purpose. Wheel assembly for balancing vehicles.

Claims (12)

1. A tire balancing compound consisting of a visco-plastic gel uniquely composed of solid objects with dimensions averaging 0.5 - 5 millimeters. 2. Tire balancing compounds under Reputation 1, where the solid material has an alpha ratio between the smallest and largest dimensions of the material that is less than or equal to 2, ideally less than or equal to 1.5, particularly around 1. 3. Compounds for balancing tires as per claim 1 or 2, where the minimum average dimensions of the solid object are in the range of 1-4 millimeters, preferably around 3 millimeters. 4. Any one of the tire balancing compounds under claims 1-3 in which the visco-plastic gel has a storage modulus (G') between 1000 Pascals and 25000 Pascals at 22°C, preferably around 9000 Pascals at 22°C, has a loss modulus (G'') smaller than the storage modulus, and has a yield critical stress greater than 3 Pascals at 22°C, preferably around 30 Pascals at 22°C. 5. Compounds for balancing tires under any of the claims 1-4, in which a solid material is shaped into a sphere, ellipsoid, elongated or egg-shaped, cylinder, six-sided volumetric shape and right angles, or a sphere, or a mixture of such material. 6. Compounds for balancing tires according to any one of the claims 1-5, where the apparent specific gravity of the solid material is in the range of 500-3000 kg/m³, preferably 600-2000 kg/m³, especially 700-1000 kg/m³, and especially 800-900 kg/m³. 7. Compounds for balancing tires under any of the claims 1-6, where the solid material is manufactured from polyolefin, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber, or glass. 8. Tire balancing compounds pursuant to any one of the claims 1-7, where the weight ratio between solids and gels is between 10:1 and 1:10, preferably between 5:1 and 1:5, especially between 2:1 and 3:1, as well as between 1:1 and 1:2. 9. A set of compounds for balancing tires, consisting of: i) a first container containing a visco-plastic gel, which should be a visco-plastic gel as defined in Claim 4; and ii) a second container containing a solid object whose minimum average length and width are in the range of 0.5 - 5 millimeters, which should be a solid object as defined in Claim 2, 3, or Claim 5 - 7. 10. A set of compounds for balancing the tire under claim 9 in which the weight ratio between the amount of visco-plastic gel in the first container and the amount of solid material in the second container is from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, especially from 2:1 to 3:1, and from 1:1 to 1:2. 11. Tire balancing compounds as specified in any one of claims 1-8, which are present within the tire cavity. 12. Methods for balancing the wheel assembly of a motor vehicle, which include the application to the inner surface of the tire of i) any of the tire balancing compounds under claims 1–8, or ii) a component of the assembly set under claims 9 or 10; the installation of the tire on the rim to form the wheel assembly; and the installation of the wheel assembly on the motor vehicle and driving the vehicle for a distance sufficient to allow the balancing compound to balance the wheel assembly; or the installation of the wheel assembly in a device which allows the wheel assembly to be rotated under the same load conditions as those experienced during actual road driving and at the speed at which resonance occurs in the wheel assembly and the rotation of the wheel for a time sufficient to allow the balancing compound to reduce the resonance to a stable minimum.