Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C17/00—Tyres characterised by means enabling restricted operation in damaged or deflated condition; Accessories therefor
  • B60C17/04—Tyres characterised by means enabling restricted operation in damaged or deflated condition; Accessories therefor utilising additional non-inflatable supports which become load-supporting in emergency
  • B60C17/06—Tyres characterised by means enabling restricted operation in damaged or deflated condition; Accessories therefor utilising additional non-inflatable supports which become load-supporting in emergency resilient
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C17/00—Tyres characterised by means enabling restricted operation in damaged or deflated condition; Accessories therefor
  • B60C17/10—Internal lubrication
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T152/00—Resilient tires and wheels
  • Y10T152/10—Tires, resilient
  • Y10T152/10036—Cushion and pneumatic combined
  • Y10T152/10054—Enclosed cushion
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T29/00—Metal working
  • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
  • Y10T29/49481—Wheel making
  • Y10T29/49492—Land wheel
  • Y10T29/49494—Assembling tire to wheel body

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a mounted assembly comprising a rim, a safety support and a tire capable of rolling over a certain distance at zero pressure with the internal portion of the tread supported by the safety support.
• the invention relates more particularly to a method of lubricating the interface zone between the internal portion of the tread and the support. It also relates to a lubrication device and a shutter allowing the implementation of this method, as well as a support and a reservoir allowing the implementation of the method.
• the safety supports are mounted on a rim, inside a tire, in order to provide support for the top of the tire during rolling at low pressure, or even at zero pressure, following a puncture for example. This avoids direct contact between the tire and the rim, which generally causes almost instantaneous deterioration of the tire.
• the supports therefore make it possible to improve the safety of the vehicle by allowing it to travel for a certain time. This time can also be beneficial in finding a troubleshooting site.
• Lubricants of known types are used for this purpose, such as, for example, silicones.
• document FR 2 206 202 describes a device comprising a reservoir that can contain a lubricant.
• the tank is closed by a hot-melt plug, having a melting point between 60 ° C and 120 ° C.
• a hot-melt plug having a melting point between 60 ° C and 120 ° C.
• the increase in temperature resulting from friction causes the plug to melt or at least soften, which makes it possible to release the opening.
• Such a device has certain operating limits. Thus, for example, it occasionally happens that the temperature of a tire increases, even at normal pressure, and is at levels allowing the plug to melt.
• the lubricant is then ejected from the reservoir, which risks causing various types of problems, such as non-uniformity problems, depletion of the lubricant reserves, etc.
• Document FR 2 654 040 describes a wheel in which is provided a reservoir closed by a contactor which, when the tire tread is pressed against the rim, releases the lubricating fluid.
• This device has the disadvantage of also releasing liquid even in the event of instantaneous or fleeting contact, for example during an impact suffered by the tire.
• Document FR 2 654 041 describes a wheel in which a reservoir is provided in the form of a bellows, closed by a feeler: when the tread of the tire is pressed against the rim, there is a rupture of the feeler which then makes it possible to release the lubricating fluid. Since the conditions of failure of the probe are difficult to repeat repeatedly, this results in a range of conditions under which failure can occur. This range causes uncertainty as to the initiation of lubrication. Furthermore, the probe is not removable since it must undergo a rupture to release the fluid.
• the present invention aims to overcome these various drawbacks, in particular by allowing the sending of lubricant to the interface zone only when the assembled assembly is in a running flat condition and without breaking the shutter.
• a mounted assembly comprising a rim and a safety support disposed against the rim, in the cavity of a tire, a method of lubricating the cavity of the pneumatic and more particularly of the interface zone between the support and the tire, said assembly also comprising a reservoir of lubricant in fluid communication with said interface zone by a lubrication orifice capable of being closed by a shutter, said the assembly being capable of being either in a state of rolling under pressure, a state in which the pressure in the cavity corresponds at least to a value capable of avoiding non-fugitive contact of the internal portion of the tread of the tire against the safety support, either in a run-flat state, in which the pressure in the cavity corresponds to a value such that the internal portion of the strip rolling of the tire is in substantially prolonged contact against the safety support, said method allowing lubricant to be sent into said zone only when the assembled assembly is in run-flat state, said method consisting in:
• the removal of the shutter requires a substantially simultaneous condition of increasing the temperature in the cavity of the tire and of mechanical contact between the shutter and an internal portion of the tire for a minimum predetermined duration.
• the removable installation of the shutter is advantageously carried out by means of a hot-melt adhesive applied between the shutter and an adhesion surface situated around the periphery of the orifice.
• This lubrication method prevents the tank from emptying when the presence of lubricant is not required. Indeed, it is in particular by the combined effect of the increase in temperature and the mechanical friction between the collapsed tire and the shutter that the lubrication orifice is released.
• the adhesive may possibly reach its softening point, but the absence of mechanical stress, such as for example a shearing force due to friction , keeps the shutter in place and continues to block the lubrication hole. There is therefore no accidental leak of lubricant in the tire cavity.
• the adhesive must reach a temperature at least equal to or close to 100 degrees Celcius to allow the removal of the shutter.
• this temperature corresponds to that found at the support / tread interface of the tire after an initial warm-up time has elapsed during which the run is carried out without lubrication or again with basic lubrication, for example pre-applied to the internal portion of the tread or on the support. This minimizes the risk of lubricant leakage except when running flat.
• a device for closing off a lubricant reservoir for an assembled assembly comprising a rim and a safety support disposed against the rim in the cavity of a tire, said reservoir comprising a lubrication orifice capable of ensuring fluid communication between the interior of said reservoir and the cavity of said tire, said device comprising:
• an adhesion surface disposed on at least a portion of the periphery of the external end of the orifice; a shutter, capable of being removably disposed against the adhesion surface so as to close said orifice, the maintenance of the shutter against the adhesion surface being capable of being ensured by a hot-melt adhesive.
• the melting temperature of the adhesive is at least equal to or close to 100 ° C.
• the device according to the invention is simple to manufacture and to use, inexpensive and easy to integrate on supports of known type without significant modification at the level of these supports.
• the adhesion surface on which the shutter can be applied is advantageously projecting relative to the body of the reservoir.
• the contour of the obturator corresponds substantially to the contour of the adhesion surface.
• a safety support for a mounted assembly comprising a rim and a tire defining a cavity, said assembly being capable of being either in a state of rolling under pressure, a state in which the pressure in the cavity corresponds to at least a value capable of avoiding non-fleeting contact of the internal portion of the tread of the tire against the safety support, ie in a state running flat, state in which the pressure in the cavity corresponds to a value such that the internal portion of the tire tread is in substantially prolonged contact against the safety support, said support being capable of accommodating a reservoir of lubricant for said assembled assembly, said reservoir comprising a lubrication orifice capable of ensuring fluid communication between the interior of said reservoir and the cavity of said tire when said assembly is assembled, said orifice being disposed in the interface zone between the support and the internal portion of the tread of the tire in run-flat condition, said support comprising an adhesion surface disposed on at least a portion of the periphery of the external end of the
• a lubricant reservoir for mounted assembly comprising a rim, a safety support and a tire
• said reservoir comprising: a housing capable of accommodating an amount of lubricant; an opening, ensuring fluid communication between the interior of said reservoir and the cavity of the wheel when said reservoir is assembled in said assembled assembly;
• an adhesion surface disposed on at least a portion of the periphery of the external end of the opening, against which a shutter is capable of being removably placed, the maintenance of the shutter against the surface of adhesion can be ensured by a hot-melt adhesive.
• Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the section of a support in which a tank is disposed;
• Figure 2 is a similar view of a support also serving as a reservoir
• Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating an assembly mounted in run flat mode, before the shutter releases the lubrication orifice.
• a reservoir 11 is disposed in a safety support 10 of known type.
• Document EP 0 796 747 describes an example of such support. It includes in particular cavities or recesses, mainly intended to minimize the weight and or heating.
• One, or preferably several reservoirs 11 are arranged in the cavities and distributed circumferentially in the support.
• the reservoir is advantageously manufactured using a material which can undergo certain deformations. Thus, if the support is subjected to a load sufficient to deform it, the reservoir will deform in the same way without being altered.
• the tank is made of polypropylene. It therefore withstands high temperatures well.
• the reservoir could also be made with other materials of plastic, composite or even metallic types, such as aluminum or the like.
• the reservoir has a height "H rese rv o ir" less than the height "H c avité" of the support cavity.
• the ratio H reServoir / H cavity can be less than 0.8, but is preferably less than 0.3. This notably makes it possible to avoid any accidental leakage of lubricant during a temporary crushing of the support, for example during an impact.
• An orifice 12 allows the reservoir to be in fluid communication with the cavity 25 of the tire or of the wheel.
• the orifice is arranged so that its free end is in the interface zone between the radially outer portion of the support and the inner portion 31 of the tread 32 of the tire 30 when the latter is in run-flat condition.
• a conveying tube 14 ensures the transport of the lubricant from the reservoir to the external portion of the support through an opening in a wall of the support.
• An adhesion surface 13 is disposed on the surface substantially adjacent to the free end of the lubrication orifice. This surface advantageously extends around the orifice.
• FIG. 2 illustrates another exemplary embodiment in which an internal cavity of the support serves as a reservoir.
• the lubrication orifice 12 communicates directly with the surface which it is desired to lubricate.
• the adhesion surface 13 is provided on the external face of the support, around the orifice.
• the lubrication method according to the invention is presented in the following.
• the reservoir 11 is filled with lubricant. It may be advantageous to limit the filling level, for example to half the total capacity of the tank.
• the reservoir is provided with a height less than that of the cavity formed in the support. By height is meant the radial distance between the bottom and top walls of the tank or support. The free area between the bottom of the tank and the support can serve as a damping zone in the event of an impact on the support.
• the lubricant in the event of an impact against the support, the lubricant is not subjected to a sudden increase in pressure which would be liable to suddenly expel it out of the reservoir.
• the reservoir is located radially near the wall of the support having the shortest radius.
• a free space is then provided between the top of the tank and the wall of the support of larger radius. This free space also serves as a cushioning space in the event of an impact.
• the tank is preferably filled through the lubrication orifice. It would also be possible to provide a specific opening for filling, for example with a larger diameter in order to facilitate filling. This could possibly be closed with a plug of known type such as for example a screwed or clipped plug. After filling the reservoir with an appropriate amount of lubricant, the lubrication port can be closed.
• a shutter 20 which may have the shape for example of a washer or pellet, is bonded to the adhesion surface 13.
• the shutter can be produced either with a material similar to that of the reservoir, or even with a different material.
• the shutter could be made of polypropylene, aluminum, etc.
• a hot-melt adhesive is preferably used, such as for example an adhesive sold under the name SIANOLITE.
• adhesion surface 13 and the corresponding face of the shutter are both configured so as to allow a sealed closure of the reservoir.
• two substantially flat surfaces make it possible to obtain a bonding which is easy to produce and reliable.
• the support and the reservoir thus prepared can be installed on the rim and the tire can be mounted.
• the bonding is replaced by a welding step.
• the assembly produced by said weld is provided so that it can be disassembled by the action of heat.
• the disassembly temperature is advantageously around 100 ° C or even at a higher temperature
• the tire may have to overcome a significant obstacle such as a stone, a pothole or the like.
• the crossing of the obstacle can cause a significant deformation of the tire, such that the internal portion of the tread of the tire comes into contact with the support 10. This contact can be relatively sudden, depending on the size of the obstacle and / or vehicle speed.
• the support is deformed by the shock to a circumferential position where there is a tank, and if the tank is less high than the cavity, or if the tank has a height substantially comparable to that of the cavity of the support but that its filling is partial so as to leave a "buffer" part filled with air, either, in the first case, the reservoir is not touched or deformed, or, in the second case, the air present in the tank will allow shock absorption and deformation of the tank without lubricant being ejected through the lubrication orifice. In such a situation, the shutter 20 remains stuck on the adhesion surface 13 and the seal is normally maintained. The centrifugal force undergone by the lubricant is insufficient for the shutter to be removed.
• the diameter, or surface, of the orifice is small compared to the diameter or the effective surface of the shutter, in order to leave a larger surface available for the adhesion surface
• the diameter of the obturator is 10 mm and that of the orifice is 2 mm
• the ratio between the surface of the orifice and the adhesion surface is less than 0 8 and preferably less than 0 5
• the tire may undergo a pressure loss such that the internal portion 31 of the tread comes into contact with the support 10
• the crushed area of the tire 30 is then substantially constantly in contact against the support
• Heating is mainly due to the fact that the elements in contact, i.e. the internal portion of the tread and the radially external surface of the support, are of different diameters.
• the heating produced leads to an increase in the temperature of the sealant adhesive.
• the adhesive reaches its melting point, the friction forces present between the internal portion of the tread and the support are generally sufficient to bring about the removal of the shutter, either by removing it completely, or at least partially.
• the thickness of the shutter is preferably greater than 0 2 mm
• the lubrication of the wheel cavity and more particularly of the interface zone between the support and the internal portion of the tread makes it possible to limit the friction between the two elements in contact, to limit the increase in temperature and finally to delay the deterioration of the tire.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)
• Coating Apparatus (AREA)
• Forging (AREA)
• Lubricants (AREA)
• Heating, Cooling, Or Curing Plastics Or The Like In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Related Child Applications (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9551162

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (5)

Families Citing this family (6)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (24)

• 2000
  • 2000-10-12 EP EP00979493A patent/EP1227943B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-10-12 DE DE60011285T patent/DE60011285T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-10-12 WO PCT/EP2000/010054 patent/WO2001028789A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2000-10-12 JP JP2001531602A patent/JP2003512220A/ja not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-12 AU AU16960/01A patent/AU1696001A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-12 AT AT00979493T patent/ATE268271T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2002
  • 2002-04-17 US US10/123,937 patent/US6944948B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (4)

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